We had another full and exciting day in London before heading off to Felixstowe tomorrow for some well-earned rest and relaxation at our retreat. The weather has continued to surprise us with sunny skies and temperatures climbing close to 80°F today!

Our day began with breakfast at the hotel before we set off to meet our hop-on, hop-off tour bus. We were joined by a funny and knowledgeable tour guide, Craig, who kept us entertained with facts and humor along the way. As we made our way through the city, Craig pointed out iconic landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, the West End, the Tower of London, and Lady’s Bridge, which was notably built by female workers during World War II. The girls were busy snapping photos of the sights throughout the ride.

We disembarked near Tower Bridge and made our way to the Thames for a river cruise. From the boat, we had a stunning view of more famous landmarks, including the Globe Theatre, Cleopatra’s Needle—a 3,000-year-old Egyptian obelisk along the riverbank—and Big Ben. The girls were especially intrigued to learn the difference between Tower Bridge and London Bridge, and many were surprised that London Bridge, despite its fame, is actually quite basic in appearance.

After our cruise, we hopped back on the tour bus, which took us to Buckingham Palace. The students were excited to see the royal guards!

Next, we walked to the busy neighborhood of Piccadilly Circus, where we made a stop at a massive bookstore for a quick bathroom break and some exploration. The girls enjoyed wandering through the store’s five floors before grabbing a quick lunch. We then had a fun scavenger hunt through the area. One of the challenges was to speak with someone who didn’t speak English as their first language, and the girls met people who spoke Portuguese, German, Spanish, and Arabic—an exciting reminder of London’s global nature.

After the scavenger hunt, we had time for some shopping. The girls visited the LEGO store and a souvenir shop, where they picked up gifts and keepsakes to remember their trip.

With tired feet, we boarded the bus one last time for the day and returned to the hotel for a short break and time to freshen up. In the evening, we took black cabs to Market Hall Victoria, a lively food hall with a range of dinner options. On the way, the girls reflected on something they had learned the day before: every London cab driver must pass The Knowledge—a famously difficult test requiring them to memorize over 8,000 city streets and navigate without GPS. It was impressive to see the drivers put their skills to use as they took us through the city.

After dinner, we took a short walk to the Victoria Palace Theatre for the grand finale of our day: Hamilton! The girls really enjoyed the show. Charli said Ms. Kristell has taught them well, since she was already familiar with the history the musical covers. They spent time debating which act of Hamilton they prefer and bought plenty of items to remember the experience. It was a great ending to a packed and memorable day in London.