TRIP TO LONDON’S WEST END

Last month, I was fortunate enough to take six adult participants on a fun-filled trip to London alongside my fellow staff member, Beck Fletcher. The main purpose of this trip was to check out London’s West End and the many spectacular shows it had on offer. We packed in as much as we could in the nine days spent there and managed to enjoy one show a day!

Most of the shows were musicals which included School of Rock, Mamma Mia, The Tina Turner Musical, Book of Mormon, Lion King, Matilda and Aladdin. The group loved them all as each one was memorable in its own way. We were amazed by the talented children in School of Rock and Matilda, sang along to some of our favourite Disney songs from Lion King and Aladdin, and had some of ABBA’s catchiest hits stuck in our heads for days after seeing Mamma Mia.

Apart from musical shows, we also had our fair share of laughs. We saw The Play That Goes Wrong, a slapstick comedy that had some of us crying with laughter as one disaster led to another and it all became laughably awry. We also enjoyed the Faulty Towers Dining Experience. As we were being served our three-course meal, we laughed at poor Manuel who was lost in translation due to Basil’s abrupt requests as Sybil cracked the whip in an attempt to maintain order.

As many of these shows were in the evening, the group explored London during the day. We checked out markets, admired the city’s most iconic and famous landmarks, and bought souvenirs from the many gift shops we visited.

After such a big trip, we all went home tired but eager to share some of our favourite memories. Ally being the Harry Potter fan, enjoyed the visit to Platform 9¾ at Kings Cross Station. Brent loved admiring the view of the city from the iconic London Eye. Jess wore her Beatles wristband every day after walking across the famous Abbey Road crossing featured in the band’s album of the same name. Paul was excited to use his drumsticks purchased from The Hard Rock café after checking out all the rock memorabilia. Robbie loved waving hello to people crossing London’s many bridges as we cruised along the River Thames. Tyler was fascinated by London’s dark history after a visit to The London Dungeon.

It has been an absolute pleasure getting to know each other better and sharing new experiences with the group over the course of the trip. We all had such a wonderful time and made some unforgettable memories. It was incredibly amazing!

Paulo Tangga

Just another of the many wonderful trips which allow people with disabilities the chance to explore the world through Interchange Outer East’s extended holiday service.