It was supposed to be two quick days of travel getting to South Africa, but after our flight was canceled to Johannesburg, the group and I found ourselves stuck in London for two extra days.

At first, we were a little disappointed. We had been looking forward to arriving in South Africa and getting started in the field but now we were stuck in a city we had not planned to visit. Once we got over our initial disappointment, we decided to make the most of our unexpected stay in London. As a group, we all started searching the internet for the best things we could do in London.

We visited both the British and the Natural History Museums where we were able to get a better understanding of the local geology as well as a bonus history lesson. We also managed to fit some site seeing in where we saw the Buckingham Palace and Big Ben Parliament. During this time, the group was able to form bonds before being thrown into the field to work together for the very first time. In hind site, it definitely helped us work better as a team.

While it wasn’t the trip we had planned, our unexpected stay in London turned out to be an adventure we would never forget. Looking back, I am grateful for the unintended stay in London. When we finally made it to Johannesburg, we appreciated the city even more because of the unexpected detour.

So the next time your flight gets cancelled, don’t fret! Embrace the unexpected and make the most of your unexpected detour. You never know what adventures await you.

The photo is from a green screen that was set up in the Natural History Museum!