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A day in London

WHAT trip to the United Kingdom would be complete without visiting the vibrant capital of London?

In addition to their stay at the University of Hull, the secondary grand-prize winners for the Campaign 4 Rewards (C4R) 2007 contest will also be treated to a overnight trip to London.

Sponsored by the British Council and the Malaysian Students Department in London, the two teams and their teachers-in-charge will have the chance to explore the lively cosmopolitan city.

With plenty of museums, theatres, shopping centres, historical sites and other attractions to choose from, they certainly will not be bored.

Ranging from modern art to fashion and history, there is a museum for almost everything in London.

Entry to famous ones like the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and Natural History Museum is free, and they are popular tourist destinations.

The British Museum, rated one of the top three in the world, has exhibits on everything from prehistoric to modern times.

Among its most famous displays are the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, sculptures from the Parthenon, Sutton Hoo artefacts, Mildenhall treasures and Portland Vase.

And the city itself, with over 2,000 years of history, is full of iconic sites to explore.

Popular tourist spots include the Tower of London where the Crown Jewels kept, the Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral and Big Ben.

More modern attractions consist of the London Eye, Covent Garden with its street performers, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, Madame Tussauds and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Another usual must-do activity while in London is catching a West End musical or play.

The Sound of Music, Chicago, Grease and even The Lord of the Rings are all on show at London theatres.

During their visit, the 10 students and their teachers will spend the night at Malaysia Hall, sponsored by the Malaysian Students Department. The Malaysian High Commission will also be hosting dinner for the two teams.

The sponsorship by the British Council is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of UK-Malaysia ties.

With over 11,500 Malaysian students currently studying in the UK and more than 30,000 doing UK programmes in Malaysia, the educational ties between the two countries remain as strong as ever.

In Malaysia, the aim of the British Council is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and Malaysia, and to increase Malaysians’ appreciation of the UK’s creative ideas and achievements.

Its activities include the teaching of English, providing the latest information about studying in the UK, promoting British education and training, and demonstrating the innovation, creativity and excellence of British science, arts, literature and design.

The organisation has in-house educational counsellors to advise students who intend to further their studies in the UK, as well as a resource centre with relevant reference material and useful publications.

It also organises twice yearly educational exhibitions that provide students with the opportunity to meet up with representatives from UK institutions and find out more about studying in the UK.

In addition, it also conduct annual pre-departure briefings for students, covering topics on visa and immigration issues, arrival in the UK, accommodation, settling into student life, banking, health and insurance.

Source:http://thestar.com.my/