It’s such a good feeling to arrive in London after all the planning and organizing for this year’s International Media class. Our smooth and comfortable flight on the new British Airways Pittsburgh to London flight didn’t let us down. Wonderful to not sit in a hub airport in either NYC or Philadelphia for hours before connecting to our overseas flight as in years past! Thanks very much to Point Park alumnus Paul O’Rourke, the PR whiz at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, for helping us secure the flight early on.
We met Jan Getz at the airport and our tour manager, David, and embarked on our city tour. He is a wonderful young man, just about to turn 30, who lives in Rome, studied Chinese language and works as a translator as well as a tour manager. And he is a neighbor of Matteo Troiani, our wonderful tour manager of two trips to Italy. We met our London tour guide, Jan, who explained the major landmarks. We stopped to walk around Buckingham Palace and then toured the Tower of London, always a great site for our students to experience.
And of course all London and the UK are celebrating Prince Harry ad Megan Markle’s new baby boy, born today. What timing we have! More on that as we continue our journey, I am sure.
I hardly slept on the plane – watching two good movies instead – but I rarely do. I am always too on edge about the trip each year. We enjoyed our traditional fish and chips dinner at the Northeast Fish Company in West London, not too far from our hotel, the St. Giles. But a good night’s sleep is what I need, and then we begin our media visits with where these trips all first began, Regents. Can’t wait.