telescope – passporttopossibilitycom

One of the things we were most excited to experience in London was traveling by Uber Boat along the River Thames. Instead of navigating crowded streets, we started our day cruising down the river to Westminster Pier. What an easy way to get around London.

From there we walked around Big Ben, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, and admired the magnificent Westminster Abbey. Seeing both landmarks in person was surreal after seeing them in countless books, documentaries, and television programs over the years. Big Ben has the best sound. I kept trying to get a video but was not successful.

We then boarded Thames Sightseeing Boat for the trip upriver to Greenwich. The young man providing the onboard commentary absolutely made the journey. He was hilarious! His commentary was packed with witty jokes, sarcastic remarks, and fascinating history. If you weren’t paying attention, you missed half the punchlines. We enjoyed him so much that we left him a tip when we disembarked.

The cruise itself was beautiful. As we floated along the Thames, we passed centuries of history—bridges, warehouses converted into apartments, royal buildings, and famous landmarks. At one point we even cruised past a former home owned by Cher. It’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to meeting her since COVID canceled the concert I had tickets to years ago!

As soon as we arrived in Greenwich, we stopped at a small neighborhood bakery. We picked up a pain aux raisins, two fruit scones, and a sour cherry loaf. I’m so glad we stopped first because when we returned later that afternoon, nearly everything had sold out.

Our next stop was Greenwich Market, one of London’s oldest markets, dating back to the 1700s. Today it’s filled with local artisans, handmade crafts, antiques, artwork, clothing, and an incredible variety of food vendors. Mom chose a green curry with rice while I enjoyed a delicious Moroccan chicken wrap. Afterwards we wandered through the market, browsing the unique shops and stalls. Mom surprised me by buying the funkiest pair of earrings. I was so proud of her for stepping outside her comfort zone! Then I wandered into an equally quirky shoe store. We continued walking, but when we passed it a second time I finally admitted, “I’ll regret not buying something.” Sure enough, I walked out with two wonderfully funky pairs of shoes.

Our biggest adventure of the day was hiking up the steep hill through Greenwich Park to the Royal Observatory. I do mean hiking—it was a nonstop uphill climb! At the top sits the observatory founded in 1675 by King Charles II. It became one of the world’s most important centers for astronomy and navigation. The observatory is home to the Great Equatorial Telescope, installed in 1893. At the time it was one of the largest refracting telescopes in Britain, allowing astronomers to study planets, stars, and nebulae in remarkable detail. Standing beneath its massive dome, it was easy to appreciate how much of our understanding of the universe began in places like this.

Just to the side of the observatory is one of the most famous lines in the world—the Prime Meridian (0° longitude). This imaginary line divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres and serves as the reference point for world longitude and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), from which all global time zones are measured. Of course, we had to stand with one foot in the Western Hemisphere and one in the Eastern Hemisphere!

The views overlooking London from the observatory were spectacular and well worth every burning muscle it took to get there. We did notice signs warning visitors about pickpockets, so we kept a close eye on our belongings while exploring.

Going back down the hill was almost as exciting as climbing it. The path was incredibly steep. I leaned back while holding Kiya’s transport chair with both brakes partially engaged to control our speed. We certainly made quick work of the descent!

After spending more time wandering Greenwich’s charming streets, we returned to the river and boarded another boat back to Westminster Pier. From there we crossed the Thames to ride the London Eye.

Kiya absolutely loved the ride—except for the very top! Being that high in the air wasn’t quite her favorite part. The slow rotation gave us incredible panoramic views stretching across London in every direction, and the air-conditioned capsule was a welcome break after another warm day of sightseeing.

Afterward we enjoyed dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant before heading back to the river, expecting to catch our Uber Boat home. That’s when we discovered our final adventure of the day—boats no longer traveled back to our pier in the evening. After quite a bit of asking questions, checking routes, and trying to figure out our options, we finally hailed a taxi and made it back to the apartment around 9:00 p.m.

By then Kiya was completely exhausted, and honestly, so were we. It had been another full day of exploring, laughing, learning, and making memories in one of the world’s greatest cities.

We arrived in Manchester in the middle of a heatwave, and the weather certainly made itself known. Our train journey was delayed because the rails had become so hot that trains were required to travel at a much slower speed for safety. It was an unusual reminder of how extreme temperatures can affect transportation.

Our arrival at Edinburgh Haymarket added a bit more excitement to the day. We had arranged assistance to get off the train with Kiya, but when we arrived no one was there. A glitch in the computer system had failed to notify the station staff that we needed assistance. What followed was an unforgettable exchange as the train conductor loudly accused the station employee of abandoning the train, while the station employee insisted they had never received the notification. After about five minutes of spirited debate, cooler heads prevailed, we safely made it off the train, and continued on our way. By then the train’s air conditioning had been overwhelmed by the heat, and we all stepped off looking like we had our own “train glow.”

Moira met us at the station with taxis waiting to take us back to her home. It was wonderful to finally relax, enjoy the cool breeze flowing through the house, and catch up over a lovely home-cooked dinner after a long day of travel.

The following day we visited Jodrell Bank Observatory, one of the world’s leading centers for radio astronomy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Established in 1945 by Sir Bernard Lovell, Jodrell Bank has played a vital role in scientific discovery for decades. Its famous Lovell Telescope, completed in 1957, was the largest steerable radio telescope in the world at the time and remains one of Britain’s greatest engineering achievements. The telescope has tracked spacecraft, studied pulsars, quasars, and distant galaxies, and even helped monitor early space missions during the Space Race. Standing beneath it gives you a true appreciation for both the scale of the universe and the ingenuity required to explore it.

We wandered the beautiful grounds, enjoying a picnic lunch in the café, where the air conditioning was a welcome relief from the heat. They kindly allowed us to enjoy our picnic inside, which we greatly appreciated. We then explored the interactive Discovery Centre, filled with hands-on exhibits explaining radio astronomy, the search for extraterrestrial life, black holes, and the evolution of our universe. It was fascinating and engaging for visitors of all ages.

After lunch, Mom and I walked up to the Lovell Telescope. While we were standing there, we watched it move three separate times. First the massive base slowly rotated, then the enormous dish tilted, and finally both moved together. What amazed us most wasn’t the movement itself, but how incredibly quiet it was. I had expected loud clunks, grinding gears, and mechanical noises, yet this 3,200-ton structure glided almost silently into position. Watching such a gigantic machine move with such grace was one of the highlights of the day.

We finished the afternoon with a scenic drive through the Cheshire countryside before enjoying dinner at The Barn Owl Inn right along side a canal. Between the fascinating science, peaceful countryside, wonderful company, and delicious meal, it was the perfect way to spend another memorable day in England.