Marathon bus journey was well worth it

At 4pm we finally arrived at our destination – Stratford-upon-Avon; birthplace of poet and playwright William Shakespeare.

However, none of us could get a minute’s rest as our busy schedule of events was about to begin.

We had a brief dinner at the hostel and got our smart clothes on for an evening at the theatre.

We took our seats in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for the performance of Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew. It was a privilege to see this performance by a world-renowned theatre company featuring some of the finest actors and actresses in the country. It was definitely worth going to watch!

The following morning we departed Stratford and began another bus journey, to London. We arrived in the centre of the city just before midday and, precisely on cue, the chimes of Big Ben welcomed us.

We then made our way over Westminster Bridge and into the queue for our “flight” on the London Eye. From the top we could see London stretching out as far as the eye could see in all directions. After the Eye, the group split, with some going to the London Aquarium and the rest going on a walk around the sights of the city.

The walk took us first to the magnificent Westminster Abbey, from where we headed to Buckingham Palace, seeing the East Front and the palace balcony. Walking down The Mall we passed other historic buildings including Clarence House.

At the opposite end of The Mall we passed Admiralty Arch and headed into Trafalgar Square where we saw Nelson’s Column and the Olympic Games countdown clock.

The aquarium was also great fun and an exciting experience.

THAT evening we dined at the Boulevard Brasserie restaurant before heading to the West End to watch Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers in the Phoenix Theatre. Scottish pop singer Marti Pellow, of Wet Wet Wet, played the role of the narrator in the musical.

This was one of the high points of the trip with many pupils picking it as their favourite part. The trip leader, English teacher Siony Swanson, described it as “a real highlight”.

The following day was an early start as we headed to the London Dungeons – a frighteningly good experience which was met with many screams.

After a delicious lunch at the Samuel Pepys restaurant on the banks of the Thames, our next stop was at Shakespeare’s Globe where we were given an excellent guided tour which gave the group an interesting insight into the historic theatre.

An evening meal at Planet Hollywood was followed by a visit to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane for a performance of Shrek the Musical which featured Kimberley Walsh, of Girls Aloud, in the role of Princess Fiona.

The show was an amazing production and was another highlight of the trip.

The following morning we loaded our cases onto the bus before having some time to wander prior to our departure. Many pupils paid a visit to the Natural History Museum, while some even managed to squeeze in half an hour’s shopping in Harrods.

After a thoroughly enjoyable and educational trip we boarded the bus and headed for home.

The trip was a great experience for all involved and special thanks must go to the three teachers who accompanied us – Mrs Swanson, Norma Broad and Johnny Broad – and to Wick High School for providing such wonderful opportunities for its pupils.

Trip leader Mrs Swanson concluded: “It was an absolute pleasure to travel to London with such a wonderful group of people. Their attitude and behaviour were exemplary – something that was not only noted by us, but also by members of the public who congratulated us on the pupils’ conduct.

“It truly was a great experience.”

John Coghill