"There's no way we will fit in there!" I thought to myself as the harbour pilot turned the Concordia towards a tiny inlet of the Thames River, guarded, might I add, by a drawbridge and lock. Yet by George, we just squeezed through. The ship sat patiently as the lock filled up with water and we were released into the East India Trading Docks just next to Canary Wharf. Just glancing around you could tell you were in a city that had been around for centuries; London is a city rich with history, culture and spirit.

Anxious to see the city, we all headed off the ship to explore...right after we spend two hours tediously and meticulously furling the sails. A few others, myself included, had been to London before, so naturally knowing exactly where the nearest McDonalds were located was paramount. Leading the expedition, Tom and I made our way to Piccadilly Circus via the famous London Tube. Upon arriving in the core of London the whole city just seems to explode before you in one big blinding blur of colours, smells and tastes. Being in a foreign city is one thing, yet being in a foreign city at night is completely overwhelming as everything begins to look the same after a certain period of time. After a successful night on the town we headed back to the ship, stomachs full and wallets empty in the usual fashion.

The next day was declared a free day, much to our surprise. However, that being said, port program free we headed out for our first real day in London. Those of you who have been to London know that you can just about spend your entire life in London and still never see all the sites and attractions, however that didn't stop us from trying. First stop was at the London Dungeon, followed by Tower Bridge with a quick pop over at the Tower of London, pursued by a visit to the London Eye, Parliament and Big Ben. Of course we didn't actually go into any of theses attractions, as London is probably the most expensive city in the world and being poor students, we found ourselves with lots of exterior shots of famous buildings. On a lighter note a small group of us did get into the famous Westminster Abbey, the remarkable structure in which most of England's Monarchy is buried. The Abbey is a magnificent edifice with beautiful architecture and art that has been carved into the stone. You can't take photos inside, but we managed to snap a few of Sir Isaac Newton and William Shakespeare's tombs.

For me, London was just as beautiful as I'd left it and even better when you can tour it on your own terms-- isn't that always the case? I'm proud to say the rest of the trip was spent indulging in the English contribution to world cuisine: fish and chips and a pint at the local pub.