MY FIRST EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE IN LONDON
BY WANJIKU THUKU
WITHMY FAMILY MEMBERS (THE QUEEN’S LAND)
I must say 2023 has come with so many blessings, love, and pleasant surprises. I got to see first-hand God’s hand and light move over me and my family members, as we travelled for the first time to London and Cambridge (the Queen’s land). Lo and behold it was a magical yet memorable experience for all of us. From seeing archaic monuments ,building with medieval/renaissance/Vatican designs, dining and wining at various restaurants/eateries in both towns, taking a cruise ship, two sightseeing bus tours and two walk tours through the town of Cambridge and London, to attending the most angelic cathedral service at the St. John's Chapel, it was a very long two weeks of fun,music,emotional and grand moments for me and my family members. Witnessing my youngest brother graduate from one of the most prestigious colleges found in the heart of Cambridge Town-Wolfson College. We celebrated all his achievements in great song, dance, and ululations as he was the second and only Kenyan to complete his Master's Degree in Finance (something that we are all immensely proud of him for achieving over the last three years).
We got to also go on a shopping spree at the John Lewis Mall, Marks and Spencer shop as well as Sports Direct, try to understand what a certain boat riding activity called ‘Punting’ is all about, the mathematical bridge at Queens College, learning from Ordelia and the other tour guide more about pristine colleges like King’s College and Trinity College, the automobile industry comprised of Sporty and Luxurious vehicles including electric cars and cashless systems used in shops,eateries,taxis and malls.
Seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, especially my nieces and nephew, proved to me that we need more family trips/vacations just to reunite and reconnect to celebrate all special occasions within the family plus support each other through thick and thin. More highlights from this particular trip to London were going to the Buckingham palace ,seeing where some movies like ‘James Bond’ ,’Spiderman', 'Harry Porter’ and ‘Mission Impossible’ were all shot over the Tower of London Bridge that overlooks the River Thames including ‘Mr. Bean’ television shows, the Old Shakespeare Theatre ,popular Broadway musicals like ‘Lion King’ and ‘Les Incredibles', plus the ever so magnificent ‘Madam Tussaud's Showroom’ with real celebrity models made of clay or other materials which feels so surreal.
All in all, it was an amazing experience ,full of laughter, lots of emotional moments, a lot of pomp,cheer,color,songs and cheers but most of all love and understanding that we all need each other with God’s help and guidance, royal welcome and vvip treatment from the Kenya Airways Team on the Dreamliner 787-8 Airbus which flew us to Heathrow Airport in London and brought us back to Kenya in one peace with the paramedics who were all so kind and understanding towards my parents(both got ferried on wheel chairs through the medical assistance officials and we got to both destinations in one peace also pushing my dad on a wheel chair through the lovely streets of Cambridge on graduation day as well as through the Wolfson college during my brother’s campus tour (which we also took my nephews,nieces,my sisters and husband to go visit to decide on colleges that interest them after doing IB Curriculum in Finland Helsinki. God is truly an awesome wonder to be together with all my family members, friends, and in-laws on this special trip to London.
Additional Highlights:
❖ Staying at Leverton House with my sister on New Market Road 734
❖ Riding Bicycles or taking scooters and grand ‘Panther’ taxis to move around the city of London and Cambridge Town like true vvips/mvps.
❖ Cambridge is purely marshland developed by communists and colonialists
❖ Getting to eat McDonald's, street food halloumi from the London Food Market, 'Five Guys’ Chicken Burgers with extra toppings, Jumbo Fries, Giant Milkshakes as well as Thai Tapas(Giggling Squid Restaurant) seafood meals served with noodles, egg fried rice(which was actually a Vatican chapel before) and PHO Vietnamese shrimp-chicken soup with noodles and extra veggies using a wooden traditional spoon and Chopstix(that has its own private pub upstairs).
❖ Get stuck in a washroom on the Kenya Airways flight and at Café Nero on the streets of Cambridge (required a code or special method to open and close both doors).
❖ Drinking pure chocolate hot drinks at Cue Nacao coffee shop with my siblings, nephews, and nieces.
❖ Shopping at Tesco and Aldi Hypermarkets plus Boots convenient stores with my elder sister for household items and under garments like stockings or sweet treats (chocolates and sweets.
❖ Getting lost on the streets of London with my siblings and the kids just to get to Buckingham palace as well as running to the last sightseeing red city bus on our way to Piccadilly bus stage for our random dinner plans.
❖ Most people in London and Cambridge are either obese,disbaled , old or depressed, beggars are there but decent clean air in both cities, lovely weather (with a cool breeze),’friendly people with a few racist ones, tasty food, expensive lifestyle but worth the investment, experience and much more.
❖ ‘Big Ben’ is the nickname of the bell inside the tall tower building known as ‘The Queen’s Tower'
❖ King Henry the eighth founded trinity college after completing his coursework in Cambridge town
❖ Seeing the most beautiful birds in the heart of Cambridge town including swans, seagulls (during the cruise ship ride on the London city tour) and pigeons of all colors, shapes, and sizes.
❖ Cambridge Town is also known for its exquisite botanical gardens and great massive grasslands/meadows, Wembley arena and warner bros studios
❖ The sterling pounds currency is extraordinarily strong to the Kenya shilling that is 1 pound=173kshs
❖ Some of the famous colleges in Cambridge were founded by Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin amongst many others
