Concluding Thoughts on the Walks

           My favorite walks were 1) Central Parks, 2) Bankside and Southwark, and 3) Lambeth. Each had remarkable moments, and they have really defined different aspects of my time in London.

          Central Parks is my favorite walk, and it is simply because I cannot believe how incredible it was to take a tour of Parliament, and then to follow the walk route and Trooping the Colour at the same time. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I mean, how can you beat seeing the Queen and Royal Family while taking in the Royal Parks of London.

          Bankside and Southwark was a personal favorite because it was the walk that I led. I was quite nervous that I would get us lost, so I read through all the details in the book. It made the walk go very smooth, even though we hit construction. It also contains some of my favorite places in the city: Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, Tower Bridge, and a Thames' view of the Tower of London. I know a lot of the history in this area, and I felt comfortable navigating it whenever we visited on subsequent days. I really love this part of the city, and I feel a strong personal connection. Walking on Tower Bridge was extremely magical for me. I love this city so much. It is overwhelming sometimes.

         Lastly, I loved Lambeth. We went at night, and it was gorgeous. It was calm and very relaxing. It is also where I discovered the part of the city that I stayed in when I came eight years ago. It has the iconic and perfect view of Parliament and Big Ben across the Thames. You also walk right beneath the Eye. It was a moment for me to reminisce, and I loved it.

(This is my favorite picture I have taken while in England.)

        I have loved this class since the day I discovered a London Walks book in the BYU bookstore about a year ago. This trip has been a goal and dream for me since I came when I was twelve. I have celebrated my twelfth and twentieth birthday in London, and I hope to celebrate many more. I have a strong and immovable desire to live here someday. It feels like home for me, and it is as incredible as I remembered it. I will always look to London as my home. As Samuel Johnson so wisely said, "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."