By:  Logan Parker

After we finished breakfast, we all gathered in the lobby area to wait for our packed lunches to arrive. As soon as the refectory staff brought the carts of brown paper bags, we all rushed to grab any lunch that contained a PB&J.  (The alternative if we were too late is a butter and cheese sandwich.) After we packed our necessities for the day, we boarded the double-decker bus for the second time of our trip. Even though the views don’t change much from the bottom floor to the top floor, it’s still a unique and worthwhile experience to view the English countryside from the second floor of a coach.

Our drive to Nottingham Castle was around 30 minutes to an hour. Upon our arrival, we hoped to catch a glimpse of the castle because the day’s plan doesn’t have us going into the castle. The trees block a full view of the castle, but many of us found excitement in snapping photos with the Robin Hood statue. We then head to Newstead Abbey, home of poet Lord Byron. We toured the historical building, learning of the many John Byron’s who lived there over the centuries. Newstead Abbey is a large building with a maze of rooms and corridors. It’s most memorable traits include the church, which only has the front facing wall (Henry VIII commissioned the rest of the church to be demolished for the first Sir John Byron to live there) and the endless gardens located on the grounds. After our tour, we explored the many gardens, each having a unique theme: Japanese, Spanish, American, stone, etc.

We came back to find that Harlaxton Manor was having its annual open house. Between the buzz of visitors, we participated in various activities: teaching friends how to ride a bike, sleeping, watching a movie, studying, etc. Personally, I went on a run to explore the surrounding area. The rest of the afternoon continued as the beginning; we spent our free time doing what we wanted to do. The night rounded off with watching movies, studying for tomorrow’s quiz, ordering delivery food, or a mix of the three. I spent my time watching the movie As Above, so Below, eating Chinese takeout, and hanging out until curfew. I, as many probably were, went to bed looking forward to going home in a few days, but also longing to stay here.

By: Logan Parker

A heatwave has spread across London over majority of our trip, causing many restless nights and sweaty days. Our dorm rooms don’t have A.C., so comfort from the hot weather is few and far between. Many of us woke up randomly throughout the night covered in sweat with the blankets and covers sprawled across the floor. It’s worth it because we know that when we wake up, we are in England.

Whether we went to breakfast or spent a few more minutes watching the back of our eyelids, we all eventually made it to class. Class started off with student presentations ranging from major attractions to English royalty. We then finished our discussion on Shakespeare and The Taming of the Shrew. We finished off class by starting a discussion on J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and poetry.

After class, we had free time to explore London. My friends and I ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant we found on our way to our first destination of the day. Once we finished our meal, we went to the British Museum. The museum was packed and hot, but nonetheless, it was worth it to see the amazing artifacts and history. Navigating the London subway system over the past week has allowed us to travel just as easily as the London natives, so our trip on the Underground to Trafalgar Square proved to be effortless and quick. We planned to go to the National Gallery, but upon arrival, it was closed, so we decided to go take a visit to Big Ben, which was about a mile and a half away. On our walk, we notice the London Eye just across the River Thames. With an extension of half a mile to our walk and about an hour of waiting in lines, we rode the Eye to the top of the city skyline. The views were mesmerizing, and it was fascinating to see the contrast between the magnificent historical buildings with the elegant modern buildings. Because of the amount of money we spent to see the eye, we decided to eat a cheap dinner and went to McDonalds. We rounded off the day by visiting Big Ben, taking the Underground back to our dorms, and hanging out in the lobby of our hall. Ready to catch up on much needed sleep, we retired to our rooms.