Boy Scout Troop One from Logan, Utah arrived July 17 in London, UK to participate in their fifth international scouting exchange since 1996 with scouts from Ashford, Kent, UK. The 2009 scouting exchange is scheduled from July 16-August 10, and involves six scouts and three adult leaders from Troop One; Scoutmaster Tom Hogan, and Assistant Scoutmasters Randy Martin and Nicholas Major.
July 18 Update from Asst. Scoutmaster Randy Martin:
"Just a brief update, but we arrived in England after a very long set of pretty seamless flights. The only hiccup (think liquid hiccup) was Dan refunding his Minneapolis Airport McDonald's dinner about halfway through the flight across the Atlantic.
We had a somewhat long que at British Customs, but they were very friendly and whisked us right through once we reached the counter. Paul Sillibourne was waiting for us outside the baggage claim and we drove the two hours to Ruckinge, arriving there about 4:00 pm England time (most of the boys conked out during the drive). The boys' host families picked them up between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm, and I haven't seen or heard from them since.
The Peter & Mary Sillibourne, and their two daughters Julie & Claire, took me to see my first castle today....Bodiam Castle - pretty cool! We meet back up with the group Monday morning and begin our London adventure."
Troop One will spend Monday through Wednesday exploring London's main attractions. They will make stops at the Baden Powell house, the Apollo theater, St. Paul
s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Westminster Abby, Buckingham Palace, and will be eating at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Thursday morning, the scouts will depart London for Poole where they will take a ferry to Brownsea Island and spend a night on the soils where scouting began.
Each Troop One scout is partnered with an English scout and their family and at the conclusion of the scouts week-long trips to London and Poole, the scouts will have the opportunity to spend a weekend with their host families.
Further updates on Troop One's fifth international scouting exchange will be forthcoming, and for additional information on sites mentioned in this article, please visit:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-bodiamcastle
http://www.villagenet.co.uk/dr-syn/villages/ruckinge.php
http://www.visitlondon.com/
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-brownsea_island/
-Stuart & Ryan Parkinson, Assistant Scoutmasters, Troop One, contributed to this article, with primary coverage provided by Assistant Scoutmaster Randy Martin.
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