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Colton Sherrill
Ms. Patroni
ENG 111-5552
3 November 2014
The Trip of a Lifetime
Now boarding all passengers for Lufthansa Flight #429 to London-Heathrow airport.
For the first time in my life I was actually excited to be surrounded by a crowd of strangers. The
flight from Charlotte to Washington D.C was a piece of cake, but I knew the next one was a
seven hour flight through hell getting over the Atlantic Ocean. For the West Rowan High School
Latin Club the ten day journey through London, Paris, Florence, and Rome had just begun. This
was the trip of a lifetime.
The company running our trip, EF Tours, must have known how vulnerable a group of
ten high school students and two chaperones would be. Who on earth would leave for London at
5:15 p.m eastern time, arrive seven hours later at 12:15 a.m, and start the brand new day
sleepless in England at 6:15 a.m? We were falling down the slippery slope of jet lag, struggling
to get back up.
Why had many of the other students gone on the trip to Europe? To see the Eiffel Tower?
The Colosseum? To drink legally? When my Latin teacher introduced the trip to us eight months
before, there was one location he mentioned that really peaked my interest, Abbey Road. For any
Beatles fan, if you couldnt meet or even touch a Beatle, this was the next best thing. Abbey
Road is a street in St. Johns Wood where Abbey Road Studios is, and is also the location of
where the Beatles recorded all of their albums. Not to mention the famous crosswalk where they

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shot the famous Abbey Road album cover. For months leading up to the trip my mind was
continuously contemplating the thought of walking across it.
I only had two days to make it happen. Our schedule was booked with visiting Piccadilly
Circus, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St. Pauls Cathedral, and multiple other sites. Walking Abbey
Road was only an in your free time deal. However, free time was not a rare thing. Our EF tour
guide, Ben, would offer plenty of free time, only without a map to guide us around the city of
eight million people. So the four others and I who wanted to see Abbey Road waited patiently for
the perfect time to hire a taxi for transport.
Time was quickly winding down. We were losing faith in Ben due to a band of empty
promises and changes in our schedule. Dont eat fish and chips during your free time,
announced the New Jersey native with a fake Italian accent, We are saving that for our last meal
in London together. It was our second and final day in London, and I was beginning to lose
hope in seeing the globally known street. As our disorganized group crossed the streets of
Westminster, Ben began making multiple phone calls, his voice choking with panic while
arranging dinner plans that shouldve already been set. Eventually we arrived at a restaurant only
to discover it was Asian food. Eating Asian food is a must for anyone going to London... I
mumbled sarcastically under my breath. The tension and frustration between the Beatle fanatics
and our tour guide was building. This so called trip of a lifetime wasnt proving itself so far.
Lets skip dinner, find a taxi, and get there quick! Announced my Latin teacher, Mr.
Daniel. There isnt enough time, and there are no taxis outside this restaurant. responded Ben.
As Mr. Daniel and I look out the window, we see four on standby at the curb. Well be back! I
said ecstatically. So Mr. Daniel, myself, and four other students hopped in the taxi and offered
the driver anything to take us to St. Johns Wood, the location of Abbey Road. The twenty

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minute drive seemed as long as the flight to London. Not to mention another taxi hitting ours
resulting in a dispute between the drivers outside the cars. This was the last thing we needed. I
had already begun changing into the suit I had carried around all day to emulate the Beatles
walking across the street forty-five years ago. The dispute ended and we finally arrived in St.
Johns Wood. Each road we drove by began looking more and more like the one idolized by fans
around the world.
Alright, chaps, here it is! Ill be waiting over here on the corner. Announced the taxi
driver. We jumped out of the car and I was immediately overtaken by an adrenaline rush. The
many signs of sleep deprivation in my body had immediately vanished. My heart was pounding
and my hands were clammy with sweat. This was it. I was surprised by how busy the street was,
but long ago I made an internal agreement that if I was to be hit crossing the road, so be it. I
quickly began removing my shoes and positioned a cigarette in my right hand in order to emulate
my favorite Beatle and all time hero crossing the road, Paul McCartney. Stopping traffic, Mr.
Daniel quickly got in position to take the picture as I walked the zebra cross walk. Click! My
lifelong dream occurring right before my eyes. After the others had their picture taken, we
walked a few feet to the gate of Abbey Road Studios. I was now within thirty feet of where the
music that changed the world forever was created. I had finally found the satisfaction I was
searching for the entire trip.
The next day we continued our journey through Europe to reach Paris, Florence, and
Rome. I had been looking forward to seeing those cities, but nothing compared to London. Of
course my excitement was heightened when I saw the elegant Sistine Chapel and the symbolic
Eiffel Tower, but they just couldnt compare. As I sat in the hotel room during our last night in
London, I began reminiscing on the trip so far. Who wouldve thought my lifelong dream would

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occur right before my eyes? I began realize that with enough time, patience, effort, and luck, any
dream can come true. Knowing this has left me with a brighter outlook on life and gives me hope
that other dreams I have for the road ahead will someday become a reality. This trip helped me
realize that the true trip of a lifetime will be my journey through the life that lays ahead of me.