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Day 3: June 27, 2024
A jam-packed day today, with a ( largely!) recovered group, after the jet lag suffered yesterday. We headed out by coach into central London, and picked up our local guide, Karen, who revealed interesting facts about famous people who have made London their home, such as Elton John, and the Beckhams, and the neighbourhood of Notting Hill. We called at the Royal Albert Hall, a world-renowned concert venue, and then stopped at Buckingham Palace, for a photo call, and Westminster, to take some snaps of the Abbey, a Nelson Mandela statue, the Houses of Parliament, and the Queen Elizabeth II Tower, housing the huge, infamous bell, Big Ben. We also passed the current Prime Minister’s home, at No. 10, Downing Street, and saw the Horseguards on sentry duty. We headed to Chinatown and Leicester Square, to pick somewhere to get some lunch, and then caught the Tube up to one of the Scouting movement’s World Centres: Pax Lodge, in north London. In brilliant warm sunshine, we proudly swore an oath of allegiance, and were each given an attractive Pax Lodge pin, to wear on our uniform. We had a guided tour of the centre, and learned about how Robert Baden-Powell and his wife Olave established the Scouts and Guides. Back onto our newly favourite(!) form of transport, and on to our destination for dinner, a Lebanese restaurant, and then back to the hotel. The sun was still shining on us, as we reached the end pf the day. Time for some restorative sleep, before our final full day in London! Good night!