11.30 pm
"My Stock, can we play guns before we go to bed?"
"really! you wanna play guns at 11.30?"
"yeah!"
"and your not tired?
" nope..."
"well lights are going off soon!"
"aahhhh Mr Stock can't we have a little longer!"

11.45 pm
Lights off!

11.46 pm
Silence!!!!!!!!!!!

11.47pm
Snoring!

Now 7.15am
Silence!!!!!!!!!!!
Just opened a can of Dr Pepper and... nothing!

So... That's it! Have we seen London! Yes! Big time!

A massive thank you to the children who have been just amazing! The comments from public have been constant! So proud! We are all exhausted but... We would do it all again tomorrow (well... Perhaps after a little rest!) Because it has honestly been a pleasure to lead a trip with such well behaved, well mannered children. As I'm typing this another man has asked where we are from... "I can't believe how well behaved they are!"

A huge thank you to Mr Tranter... He has been brilliant on this trip. For me, Mrs Mathews and Mrs Calver this is our jobs - this is part of it. But it has been 24/7, very little let up and most of all extremely tiring and for a volunteer that is a huge ask. I'm so grateful for Mr T's help - thank you!

And finally... Mrs Matthews and Mrs Calver. This does come with the job but unlike normal, the children are still with us after 3.30! Thank you for everything that you ve done during the trip. You have been so positive (except when we'd been walking for hours, or when I woke you up this morning singing 'Good morning to you' from singing in the rain!) And just helped this trip run like clockwork.

Finally, thank you to the parents for supporting this trip. I am so pleased that every single one of our children were part of this experience. I hope they will remember it for years and years to come. SATs are important but over the last couple of days the children have learnt things that you cant learn in the classroom.

Mr Stock

Busy busy busy! We had breakfast on the boat and then went straight in to a session where children dressed up as crew. We then explored the ship which was massive! "MIND your head" I said 2 seconds before head butting a solid metal hatch! I'm fine! I'm brave! It must have been the onions that brought tears to my eyes!

Then we hopped on a boat from just outside the Tower of London and bobbed our way down to the Maritime museum where the shop was a huge hit! Sales of 'mood rings' have now gone through the roof.
"Mr Stock the mood ring says I'm grumpy!"
"Well are you?"
"Ummmm hmmmmmmm yeah!"
"Well then it works then!!!" : )

We spent some time in the park and them jumped on the DLR train to Westfield. Or Westerfield as the children called it! (I think that's it Ipswich!)

Then we trawled the shops! The girls dragged Mrs Matthews kicking and screaming into Claires Accessories (who says the adults couldn't learn something new on this trip!) and I was dragged in to Primark as the boys suddenly felt they needed sun glasses.

Then to the station and home..........

Not long now..... The worlds longest day! But all are still awake on the journey home thanks to a years supply of haribo! We ve got the girls trying to guess the name of the sleeping man opposite "I think he looks like a Steve!" We ll see when he wakes up! We ve got the boys devouring Pringles and jelly beans in all sorts of revolting flavours. Mrs Calver is trying to stay awake and Mrs Matthews is swaying back and forth in the other carriage! Mr Tranter looks like he's asleep and me... I'm just tapping away with the blog! Unless the one light bulb at Trimley Station's signalling box doesn't suddenly burn out again we should be home at the expected time! See you soon!

As we had removed the cable car from the itinerary I thought it would be a good idea to experience a different form of transport to reach the Maritime Museum. Its the second time this week where the children have said that they feel posh! : )

Well another day comes to a close! Its been super busy but very exciting. The day was finished off by an amazing west end production. Matilda was brilliant! We had excellent seat, made even better by the fact that we used the booster seats to lift the children higher. Even the child sat behind the lady with the world's biggest hairdo was able to see.

When I planned this trip, the was the day I was looking forward to the most! It was about showing children things that they might not normally see or experience on an average school trip! We can teach English and maths in school but some of the things the children have learnt cannot be taught in a classroom! From travelling on the tube, to walking past and listening to some really obscure characters, from workshops led by a crazy scientist and most off all being away from home, organising themselves and looking out for their peers. Great day! Knackered! Sleep zzz zz z 

Numerous journeys on the tube today. Children have now sussed out how to read that tube map and tonight we managed two trains to get us back. As expected the trains were busy but at least 3 people commented on how amazing the school was and well behaved the children were! One lady asked where the school was because she wanted to send her son... I think she was a little shocked when she realised she d have to drive her child 2 hours to get to school! Perhaps she thought we were much closer - it must ve been my Dagenham accent that made her think the school was a little. more local.   : )