London Calling

I write this post as we sit together as a cast, doubled over in exhaustion, celebrating our very own Leo’s eighteenth birthday and reminiscing on our first day in London. It seems as if we’ve been here for more than a mere 16 hours, but alas, not even a day has passed and we've already done more than most do in a week.

We began our day with an early morning of muffins and aerial views on the plane. Landing was smooth and our team maneuvered through the airport like salmon swimming swiftly upstream. We were greeted by our tour guide who, if I may say, looked remarkably like the Man with the Yellow Hat from Curious George. The first stop on the tour was the Albert Memorial in Kensington Park. Lauryn and Kathleen whipped out their cameras and captured some great photos of this regal monument. Next, Buckingham Palace! I joined the masses and used my selfie stick, (thanks Mom and Dad), to document our group's trip to the Queen's humble abode. Back on the bus, we drove to St. Paul's cathedral and sat on the lawn and enjoyed a picnic filled with yummy treats from Marks and Spencers. This was a fantastic group moment for us; we passed around rasberries and let our feet resting in the grass. The next leg of our tour consisted of lots of walking, learning Cockney slang and geeking out on Shakespeare. Our tour guide was more than informed on Shakespeare's First Folio, and Mads and Tommy were eager to hear and inquire more about Willie and his works.

After our tour, we checked into our hotel and enjoyed a few hours of free/rest time. Colt, Nathaniel and Madison explored the street-art-scene around the hotel, while Lydia went to see her mum (why can't we all be as good a child as her??) We ate a dinner of Fish and Chips at the hotel and then set out on our final adventure of the day: a walk to the River Thaimes. We watched the sunset and enjoyed the picturesque view as Meg captured some dramatic shots of our cast staring off into the horizon, or possibly their futures..? And now, I sit with a sound-asleep Bailey on one side and a jolly-as-ever Leo on the other and think, how did we get so lucky? This is truly the trip of a lifetime, and it has only been our first day on our European adventure.

Much love from across the pond,

Maddy and the Mainstage Team

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