2019 England Trip

We started off our adventure Monday morning and ventured down to Boston to catch our flight to Heathrow. After landing we met our lovely guide, Jan and then proceeded to get an inside look at the life of airport faculty. We learned how to react in an emergency flight situation and even got to slide down the emergency ramp. We also got to explore a flight simulator and got to speak with a real pilot. Afterward, we continued to tour the city of London via coach bus and were provided details by our tour guide. We walked about Covent garden and were given time to shop. We ate our first group dinner and ended our night by taking in all the views and shops around our hotel. 

After sleeping off our jet lag we awoke and met at 7:45 to set off to Buckingham Palace via the "tube". When we arrived we discovered the Queen was home by looking at the flag above the palace. We traveled a little further to witness the changing of the guards. We were allowed free lunch time and then began our walk to the London Eye. The London Eye was astonishing and our guide Jan really helped us understand what we were looking at. Shortly after that, we boarded a scenic cruise to Tower Pier.  We entered the Tower of London and began to learn the history. We got to witness the crown jewels and the meaning behind their value. After leaving the Tower of London, we made our way back to the hotel and had our second dinner. 

Day 3 began with a proper English breakfast and then meeting on the bus to visit the Windsor Castle. We saw the part of the castle where the queen stays on her weekends. We got an audio tour of the inside of the castle and got to see some amazing weapons and historical items such as armor, books, and art. After the tour, we were allowed to venture through the town below. We then began our drive to Stonehenge. Upon arrival at Stonehenge, the rain began, however, the view and the stories provided by another audio tour were incredible and mysterious. After that, we drove to our next stop, The Roman Baths. Being a museum, walking through was truly mind-blowing. We were even allowed to drink some of the bathwater (if you wanted to risk it). And again, we were allowed to travel through the town with a buddy and got to experience some really neat shops and architecture. We ended our long day of fun by boarding the bus and heading back to the hotel. 

Day 4 began with a ride on the tube to the rebuilt Shakespeare's Globe Theater. After walking a little through the city,  we entered the replica and began our tour. After the theater tour, we crossed the Millennium Bridge and visited St. Paul's Cathedral. The Cathedral was beautiful and carried many stories and memorials. We then took a detour and visited the street where Diagon Alley was portrayed in the Harry Potter movies. After which we made our way back to the hotel via public transport. There we prepared for our pre-theater dinner at the Cote restaurant. Following dinner, we walked through china town and headed to the Theater. We watched a comedy play and laughed our hats off. As a group, we went back to the hotel to end the night. 

Our last day in London, we began the day at 8 am and drove to Warwick Castle and took in the history and breathtaking architecture. This is where we witnessed the replicated "scenes" in the castle created by Madam Tussaud, the owner of the castle itself. We then ate lunch and roamed the castle grounds in small groups or pairs. Ending our visit at the castle we viewed a falconry show, where dozens of birds flew right above our heads. After leaving Warwick, we traveled to Stratford-upon-Avon where we visited Trinity Church and saw William Shakespeare's burial place. We then walked further into town and toured through the home where Shakespeare was born. After the tour, we went about the town to shop and explore. The group met at the Zizzi restaurant and had our last dinner together. We spoke of friendships and how we have all grown and bonded. We then proceeded to go back to the hotel to prepare for our departure the next morning.