Careful with the British Royal Jewels

A CliffsNotes London Visit

With a London stop added to the itinerary, the England stopover meant dividing one long haul flight to Spain into shorter, more manageable flights. Ultimately, it would result in a less debilitating jet lag and easier transition traveling abroad. Also, a full day in London meant a chance to see the British Royal Jewels, ride the Underground, the London Tower, and gain a CliffsNotes feel for the Old Smoke.

The most taxing day physically for students and chaperones always proves to be the first day. Upon touching down at London Heathrow in the early morning, we dropped off our bags at the hotel. With no time for lallygagging, this group of scholars put on warmer clothes left the premises. Soon the Tube carried us to the London Eye, the London Tower, and Big Ben.

Protecting the British Royal Jewels

Baseball players protect them with uncomfortable equipment. Fathers take great to avoid direct hits from the haphazard actions of children. So you could say that the British Royal Jewels are pretty important and protected at all costs.

The Royal Family in London is no different. Yet they call theirs the British Royal Jewels and take great care of them as well. Ironically, a castle with a violent past houses them. The London Tower surrounded them with thick glass, allows a few passive observers, and a single man at the entrance with a huge afro and machine gun.

Even with growing fatigue from a day of airports and planes, the British Royal Jewels were well worth the wait in a biting cold wind. The building housing the precious stones detailed the history of the Royal Jewels across several rooms. The final obscure room, devoid of much light, displayed the ornate crowns of successive kings and queens. Apparently each successive King or Queen tried to outdo the previous head of the Royal Family as grandeur was measured by the amounts of diamonds and rubies encrusted on golden crowns. Seeing royalty on a sunny day must have required fortitude of squinting.

Derailed on the London Underground

At the end of a very long day left everyone desiring a bed, or even a quiet piece of real estate to provide some type of respite. So we jumped on the London Underground back to the hotel and call it a day. Yet, a travel plans rarely follow intended plans.

Despite recommendations that students visit the restroom, a few didn’t heed that advice. Only two metro stops from our hotel, I was made aware that one student had to go the restroom immediately or would literally explode, and who really wants to deal with that type of mess on the first day of travel with students. Said student was bent over in a state of physical discomfort. Go now or there would be a spill on aisle Underground.

Finding a random toilet at an unfamiliar metro spot would be a challenge. When we jumped out the metro car and set off in search of a toilet, but three levels of escalators and stairs to street level awaited us. Once we escaped the Underground maze, it was nothing more than a residential area. The student was nearing the point of ducking behind a tree or soiling themself, but after a couple of blocks, a small guest house fortunately allowed the student to use their toilet. A major spill had been avoided.

I’ll Be Back for the Buffet

For a metropolitan area not known for food, one place did make a lasting impression, the buffet breakfast at the Novotel London West. It proved to be the absolute best breakfast buffet that included, yes, smoked salmon with cheese!

Despite finicky weather that’s to be expected in London, one day and a half whet my appetite for future exploration.