My London Trip Blog - Part #1

This series examines a GS travel troop to London and Pax Lodge in 2017. Throughout this series I will give a broad overview of my experience.

Airport department and arrival (7-7-17) - (7-8-17)

We took an evening flight so we could arrive in the morning. My entire travel troop arrived wearing the outfit we had previously decided upon. This included khaki bottoms, a navy blue top, and the GSCM travel scarfs. By all matching, it allowed us to travel uniformly to signify we were a group. People recognized we were Girl Scouts and would stop to ask us where we were heading. I highly recommend this tactic. After many photos, hugs, and goodbyes we passed security and entered the terminal. We got dinner and started the long anticipated wait. During this time, we went over last minute details of the trip. I had my hair pulled back in a braided bun. This way, it would not get tangled and it would be ready for the next morning. Braiding your hair is also a great way to pass time in the terminal. We finally boarded the plane. I had never been on an international flight and was especially excited for the personal TVs. However, we were expected to arrive in London the next morning, early. We would still do things that day, so it was critical we all got sleep. Therefore, I avoided the temptation to watch movies all night and went to bed. During the flight, flight attendants will go around offering drinks, snacks, and even a meal. Although I was too tentative to try "plane food" others around me tried it and said it was quite good. On the TV they also had games, music, and a plane tracker. I especially liked the plane route because I could watch the plane pass over land. At about 9 am England time or 4 am EST time we arrived in London. I watched as the plane landed at Heathrow Airport. The next step was getting through the line to get the passport stamp. This was the longest part, taking about 1 hour. Next, we went to customs, a bathroom, and to get the checked bags. To enter into the city of London, we took the train.

We went to Kings Cross Station to visit Platform 9 3/4. The line took about 30 minutes, but was definitely worth it. At the front of the line, you borrow Hogwarts accessories and take your picture. There is also a Harry Potter store with patches. For lunch, their is a big cafeteria with plenty of options. Keep in mind, we were hauling all our luggage with us.

We took the tube to Pax Lodge to drop off the bags and check in. We explored Pax Lodge, unpacked, rested, and got dinner. We walked about a block to the Gourmet Burger Restaurant. The burgers were so good, they reminded me of home. Exhausted, we all turned in for an early night.

London Eye (7-9-17)

As our first full day in London, we woke up early to do a pinning ceremony at Pax Lodge. I also bridged from a Cadette to a Senior Girl Scout. We all packed a sandwich lunch before heading to Victoria Station.

Along the way we got lost, but had fun doing it. Once there, we got on a Golden Tours hop-on-hop-off bus. It took us around city for about 2 1/2 hours, but due to a bike race, we could not access most of the city. On the bus we had the packed lunch.

A boat taxi took us to Tower Bridge. This is near the tower of London, which we will explore more later. This bridge is a brilliant blue color. We walked across it, to the Tower Bridge pub where I ate my first fish and chips.

We took the tube to London Eye, where we had evening reservations. From the eye, we could see London from an aerial view. We saw Big Ben and Parliament from above and took lots of pictures. Afterwards, we headed back to Pax Lodge. We explored the lodge and met Girl Guides/Scouts from many places including South Africa, Great Britain, Costa Rica, and Montana. We traded swaps and patches so that we could have lots of memories.

Warner Studios (7-10-17)

We left for Harry Potter Warner Studios from Victoria Station. They had Harry Potter sets and wand robes from the movies. The set had many activities and was enough to take up an entire day. They had photo opportunities, such as the bridge from Hogwarts grounds. The cafeteria had wizard themed foods. We got butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream. We explored the entirety of the set till six at night.

From the studios we took a bus and train back to Pax Lodge. Abbey Road and Abbey Studios was not far from Pax, therefore we visited there after dinner. I got a picture crossing the iconic street from the Abbey Road album. Any Beatles fan can recognize the scenery. Once back to Pax Lodge, I packed up my bag to prepare for next days' travel.

Changing of the Guards (7-11-17)

On the eleventh, we woke up and had breakfast at Pax Lodge. A troop invited us to attend their pinning ceremony. Although we had already been pinned, it was nice to see the ceremony again as it was our last day at Pax. We then left to arrive at Buckingham Palace, before the crowd. The Changing of the Guards starts at about 10:45, although if you want a good view, it is key to arrive early.

We arrived around 9:50 from the Underground and got a place in the very front. In fact, we had such a good view, we were right up against the gate. Beware there are no seats, so bring something to sit on. At the ceremony, the band played many recognizable tunes, such as the James Bond theme song. There is a special opportunity for Girl Scouts/Guides to go behind the gates and watch the ceremony. In order to do this, be sure to plan and make enquiries beforehand. The entire ceremony lasted about 45 minutes.

On the way back we passed through a park and saw horses drinking out of a fountain. It started to rain gently, but luckily we always carried rain jackets just in case. On the way back to Pax Lodge we stopped to pick up London passes in Leicester square. By then, it had started to pour and we were all soaked. Back at Pax, we grabbed bags and ordered taxis to take us out to South London Scout Center, where we were staying for several days.

South London Scout Center is about 40 minutes out of London. On the way the driver pointed out famous sights such as the Albert memorial, the Queens' stables, and more. We would stay at SLSC for five days, so some of the parents went out to get groceries. Meanwhile, the girls mingled. We met a group of girls from Poland and made them mac and cheese, because they had never had any before. Everyone was fascinated that we sold cookies because they all thought that was just in the movies. The group from the Netherlands thought it was a joke until we told them we would send some to them. My tip is to bring some cookies with you, because everyone wants to try them. We talked to them for about two hours, before returning to our room and going to sleep.