Here we are in Wells...not to be confused with Wales!

Hi all...or Cheers as they say across the pond!

I don't have time to upload pictures or tell you of all the fun things we have done so far but I wanted to touch base...I will get back on later tonight and try to upload pictures and go into more detail about our adventures.

Wednesday was the longest day of all of our lives...hardly anyone slept on the long flight...we were getting to know our friends from Savannah and our clocks were still on southern time! We arrived at 6:30ish am and hit the ground running....our Delegation Manager is a lovely 25 year old girl named Rebecca..she has already memorized all of the kids names and knows a little about each one!

We went straight to Greenwich Maritime and saw where all time is measured from....walked alot...went to an Italian restaurant for lunch (which took forever...most of the kids fell asleep at the tables waiting on food...I really wanted to join them)...from there we went to some underground caves that house 15000 people during World War II....dinner was at a great restaurant about 15 mins. from our hotel....room check was at 9:00 and most of the kids were already asleep by the time we knocked on the doors!

Thursday - everyone was well rested and in great moods! We picked up a blue badge tour guide named "Auntie Bev" who ran us around London - literally! We started at St. Paul's Cathedral (where Charles and Diana were married), then on to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards, we had lunch with Henry VIII, toured London Towers, saw the crown jewels, cruised the Thames River, had a fish & chips dinner and then went to the theatre and saw "The Lord of the Rings"...it was an awesome show and a LONG day! I don't think any of us walk that much or that fast in real life!

Friday - we met a member of Parliment - very funny, very personable....we road the London Eye...the tallest ferris wheel - all but one rode...we have one who is terrified of heights so he stayed on the ground with Mrs. Bonnie and played in the arcade...from there we loaded the bus to travel to Wells - about a 4 hour bus ride....along the way we were able to see Stonehenge...we couldn't stop because they were closed but we got great pictures! We arrived at 5:30 at the Wells Cathedral School to meet our homestay families. The kids were anxious but excited...as we pulled into a crowd of school kids waving at the bus I heard several young men exclaim..."This is where all the hot girls are!" Needless to say they are all having a blast....we said our goodbyes last night and parted ways....we met them all for lunch today and they all have great stories just after one night...some are staying in a mansion so large that the bedrooms actually have numbers on the doors! We spent the afternoon shopping in this lovely village and ran into our kids all over the place...most of the girls have bought outfits to wear tonight...we are going to a concert. Tomorrow there is a bar-b-q and then a party/dance for the kids...then we are off to Ireland on Monday!

Your kids are wonderful, thoughtful young men and women...they are learning alot and most have told me how grateful they are to be American. Please know they are safe and loved!

I don't know when I will be able to blog again but I will keep you posted!

Ms MJ