UNITED KINGDOM - DAY 7

Today was our day. We could do what ever we wanted to do. We did go on a bus tour of the city with a guide that had been planned for us which we thought it was a waste of time.

We wandered around the city and saw Molly Maloney (famous from the song 'Cockles and Mussels') and then we found a statue of Oscar Wilde. Felt like we walked for miles and miles as we wandered trying to find the Viking experience. Finally found it. Well worth the time and aching legs. The girls thoroughly enjoyed trying on viking helmets and chain mail. It was a fascinating exhibition. It was upsetting to find out that back in the late 80s they discovered the archeological ruins of a viking settlement where they had plans to build a new council building and even after major protesting and three years they still built the building and destroyed the find. Archeologists used that three years to try and find out as much as they could about the settlement. The girls got to see real skeletons and artefacts from 57AD and upwards.

We slowly made our way back to the hotel only to immediately head out to dinner with a huge group from our tour. We went to a food court that provided a multitude of variety and we sat and enjoyed the food and company.

It was so nice not to be rushed around from place to place, or on the bus, off the bus, see this, see that, etc. Personally we have not enjoyed that aspect of the tour. What we have seen is great, however next time, we will do it ourselves in our own time and pace.