Gallery • 23 Photos

On Friday April 15th, 23 students and 15 chaperons hopped on a bus to start their life changing journey. The trip started with a four hour bus ride to JFK Memorial Airport. It was originally supposed to be two, but traffic caused a two hour backup. We finally arrived at the airport with only ten minutes to spare. We made it through security and had to walk about a half mile to our gate. Then, had to wait twenty minutes to board. Most kids and adults stopped at Shake Shack for their last taste of American food for eight whole days.

After a grueling six hour plane ride with mediocre airplane food we landed at Heathrow Airport in Greater London TW6, United Kingdom. After getting off the plane we met our spectacular guide from EF Tours named Tony McGrath.  As soon as we were off the plane we were on a bus on our way to our hotel. We dropped off our bags and went to a little open mall for lunch and embarked on an amazing tour – first stop Covent Garden. Covent Garden is a little square surrounded by shops, it resembles an American outlet mall. After about two hours there we walked Piccadilly Circus, which resembles New York’s Time Square but smaller. We then had four and a half hours to walk around and shop. After, we walked to dinner and had chicken pot pie and ice cream for dessert.

Our second day in London started off with a bus tour around London. Then a fabulous stop on the famous Abbey Road, where The Beatles once walked. After we took a trip to Buckingham Palace. Many of the kids took blades of grass as well. Many of us were also surprised by the fact that you had to pay for public toilets. After we took the bus to the London Tower. We stopped and mostly everyone got their first taste of fish n chips. Then, while touring the towers we discovered the beautiful views of the Tower Bridge. Following the London Tower we took the metro to Westminster Abbey and saw Big Ben and Parliament. All the kids took a break from all the walking and took the time to take in their surroundings by sitting on a lovely green in front of Big Ben. Walking to the London Eye we were told our dinner was take away and we would have to eat it in the green behind the eye. All the kids and one chaperone went on the London Eye and explored the sites from up above. The other adults were in a pod next to ours. We walked back to the hotel and ended our adventures in London.

In the morning we traveled by train from London to Paris. It was about a three hour ride and had many beautiful scenes of the French countryside. When we hopped off the train and went straight to the inner city of Paris.  After lunch we walked to Notre-Dame and got to go into the cathedral and experience the rich art work and many stain glass windows. Some of the kids on the trip went to the bell tower others went to get the best ice cream in Paris as suggested by Tony. Later that night we went on a river boat ride to see the sites. “The river boat ride was an extraordinary experience; to be able to see each and every bridge in Paris was remarkable,” said Eric Cruz, junior at NHS.

Our second day in Paris began with breakfast then a bus tour around Paris to see the sites. While on the bus tour we got to stop in front of the Eiffel Tower and take pictures. Most of the students went to McDonald’s; so American. They then went and watched some street performers. Even one of the students, Eric Cruz, joined in and danced with them. After we met at the ferris wheel and waited about forty-five minutes for Mrs.Dunn and Mrs.Stewart while they returned from the Louis Vuitton Paris store. We hopped on the metro to only discover a pickpocket who had robbed one of the chaperones of three hundred American dollars. We went to Montmartre the highest hill in Paris. Tony our tour guide made us promise to do a grouped “wow” when we reached the cathedral.  We finished our night with dinner and a trip back to the hotel.

Day three of Paris consisted of a trip to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa amongst the other great pieces of art. Then a trip to the Opera house where The Phantom Opera was filmed. Many spent hours in the Opera house. After the opera house we went to hotel grabbed our bags and went to catch our night train. The night train experience was cramped for many being in a tiny room with six people and not being able to move, but for others it was a magical time and had room to move and had a great night rest after bonding with their roommates.

We arrived in Italy at 6:30 in the morning, got breakfast then proceed to catch our four hour train ride to Rome. After arriving in Rome we ventured out to see the Coliseum after eating a great lunch and a bunch of gelato. We also got some rocks from the Coliseum. Most of our time spent in Rome was spent walking and eating gelato. We also explored the Forum.

The last day of the trip we went to the Vatican, which is actually a small country. We saw the Sistine Chapel and the Saint Peter’s Basilica. We walked around near the Pantheon and went to the Piazza Navona. Eric Cruz once again danced with street performers. We walked to the pizzeria where they served us many different pizzas and dessert. The people who bought items to be blessed received them at dinner. We walked back to our bus and had our finally ride to our hotel, where there was an extremely loud 18th birthday happening. We all packed for the last time and hung out in our rooms.

We left in the morning to fly to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam we flew home on a double decker plane. When we flew in we got to our bus and drove home. We arrived home and everyone was very excited to be home. One girl on the trip even had a promposal done as we arrived. We all had an amazing time and made new friends.