Today began with us taking the tube for the first time to go to the Florence Nightingale Museum. The tube itself was very crowded, which made it a bit of an adjustment compared to how we had been getting around previously. Despite that, it was still a cool experience being able to use the London Underground, especially since it is such a major part of the city. Once we arrived, we took some pictures on our way to the museum before heading inside.
We only spent around 30 minutes in the museum, but it did not feel particularly rushed. Even though I am not a nursing major, it was still interesting to see some of the history behind Florence Nightingale and her contributions to healthcare. Given everything we had learned earlier in the trip, especially during the nursing conference and skills labs, it was interesting to see how some of those ideas connect back to her influence. Overall, it was a quick but worthwhile stop.
After leaving the museum, we had free time until later in the evening when we were scheduled to go to the Moulin Rouge! The Musical. During this time, Regan, Jackie, and I went to Westminster Bridge to take pictures. The area in general was very cool, and it was one of those moments where you really feel like you are in London. We took pictures of Big Ben as well as the London Eye, both of which were really impressive to see in person.
However, shortly after taking pictures, the day took a very unexpected turn. Regan realized that she had lost her wallet. At first, she was clearly stressed, which made sense given the situation, but she eventually started to calm down as we began retracing our steps to try and find it. While doing this, we ended up witnessing something that completely shifted the mood of the day. We saw first responders actively working to restart a tourist’s heart and resuscitate him.
This was honestly a very shocking moment. It is not something you expect to see while walking around a city as a tourist, and it immediately made everything feel much more serious. Even though we did not know the person, seeing something like that happen right in front of us was intense and a bit difficult to process. That moment stuck with me for the rest of the day and definitely changed the overall tone, at least for a while.
After spending time retracing our steps and unfortunately not finding Regan’s wallet, we decided to move on and went to a small café. While there, I got a hot mocha, which was a nice way to sit down and decompress a bit after everything that had just happened. From there, we made our way to Camden Market. The market was definitely crowded, but it had a really nice atmosphere. There was a lot going on, and it felt like a very lively and unique part of the city.
Later on, we linked back up with Allison and Ella and took the tube closer to the theatre. By that point, things felt a bit more relaxed again. Before the show, we stopped at a local place to get dinner, where I ordered beef croquettes. The meal itself was good, and it was nice to just sit down and have a relatively normal moment after everything earlier in the day.
After dinner, we headed to the theatre for Moulin Rouge. This was my first time seeing a live theatre production like this, and overall, it was a really great experience. The theatre itself had a really nice atmosphere, and from the start, the performance was very engaging. What stood out to me the most was the music as well as the overall message of the show. I found myself really drawn into it, and for most of the performance, I was on the edge of my seat. It was one of those experiences where you kind of lose track of time because you are so focused on what is happening.
Looking back on the day as a whole, it was definitely one of the more eventful and emotionally varied days of the trip. It started off fairly normal, then quickly became stressful and even somewhat intense, and then ended on a very high note with the show. That contrast between the more serious moment earlier in the day and the enjoyment of the musical later on made the day stand out a lot.
If I had to describe today, I would say it was unpredictable. There were moments that were fun and exciting, but also moments that were unexpected and a bit difficult to process. Overall, it is definitely a day that I will remember, both for the experiences we had and for how quickly things can change.
As the day came to an end, it really started to set in that this was the last full day of the trip. While we still had a little bit of time left, this felt like the conclusion of everything we had been doing over the past couple of weeks. Looking back, this experience has been a lot more meaningful than I expected it to be. From everything we learned at BCU to the places we visited and the people we met, it all added up to something that I know I am going to miss. Even just the daily routine, like walking to campus or spending time with the group, is something that became normal very quickly and is now suddenly coming to an end. Overall, this trip is definitely something that will stick with me, and it is going to feel strange going back to normal life after this.