After our wonderful visit to the Cotswold’s, we went to the Chelsea Flower Show in London. The venue was crowded with so many people. As our group was mostly seniors, I wished there had been more seats available here and there at the venue, even though there was a huge seating area where you could sit and enjoy the live music.

We visited an elementary school in Croydon and we had a little cultural exchange with little students there. There was a Japanese Calligraphy teacher in our group and she demonstrated writing some students’ names in Kanji characters. We taught them how to count up to 10. It was a lot of fun. Then after our visit to school, we had a home visit with a Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin. They were another wonderful couple you’d like to meet. I met them last year when I was on my first narrow-boating trip. We had only an hour to visit then, but we kept in touch, and later I explained the goals and aims of the tour I was planning. They were kind enough to invite us into their home. We even got together with their neighbors and friends. It was another wonderful experience in getting to know many new people. There are some people you instantly make friends with and stay friends forever, while there are people you see every day but never exchange words. So it was certainly a special reunion for me.

When you’re on a trip, you get to visit wonderful places, but you rarely get to know local people unless you live there.  So it was such a wonderful occasion for all of us.

My last event in England was to see the musical, “Jersey Boys,” in London. It was one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen! It was another wonderful meeting. I do not mind going back to see the musical many more times!

Coming back from an exciting event, the news that awaited me was the death of my mother-in-law. I was devastated with sorrow. I wasn’t sure if I could make it to see her after this 12 days trip, so I cherished every moment with her before I left. But still, I felt guilty for not being able to be with her at the last moment.

The last 2 weeks of my life was something very special. There are things I cannot just put into words. But I certainly learned and experienced a great deal.

Life is a series of meetings and partings—some good and some sad but I guess that’s what life is.