the old, my perspective of London has
transformed from a mere skyline, to
a modern city that has retained much of its
historical significance with effortless charm.
Swathi Nachiar
Prior to this trip, I had visited
London the year before and thus,
knew that London was markedly different
from many other newer cities. Regardless, I
was still surprised by the various anecdotes
of history found even in trivial items like
post boxes and boot scrapers at the entrances
of some buildings and houses. Revisiting
the city brought back familiar sights of
Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace,
and each place told us a story woven into
the tapestry of London’s rich history. But
what really struck me the most was how,
despite its status as a World city, London has
retained so much of its history, from the
Middle Ages to post World War II. It has
continued preserving every bit of history,
culture and tradition that tells the stories of
millions of people who’ve lived there over
the centuries. We walked around the city so
much that I’m pretty sure that’s the most
exercise I’ve gotten and will be getting in
these holidays. And of course, controlling
a group of four easily excitable teenage
girls like us was certainly no small feat for
the adults who accompanied us. But all in
all, this was certainly a trip we all won’t be
forgetting any time soon. We left London
with heavy hearts, but we’ve gotten to know
SCHOOL
CHALLENGE
2016The iconic Royal
Albert HallOne of the Massive
works of art, that dwarf
visitors to the V&A