notes from the dorm

The half-term break at Colchester Royal Grammar School lasts about two weeks, so there is more than enough time for boarders like me to do whatever we want.

Rather than spend all our time studying, we decided not to waste a great chance to explore Britain's culture.

On the first day, we went to watch the renowned production of The Phantom of the Opera at a London theatre. The performance was way beyond my expectations. Listening to the superb orchestral music and the heavenly voices, I was lost for words.

Visiting museums was another highlight of our vacation plan. Inside the British Museum you can catch a glimpse of almost everything that ever took place in history. Exhibits range from the Egyptian mummies of 3,000 years ago to Indian cutlery of decades ago. The museum is a massive collection of meaningful objects accumulated over the years from different cultures. For us travellers, there could be no better way to see all the best bits of cultures around the globe in one go.

We also visited other museums, including the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, and the National Gallery. These visits gave us a chance to study the history of the world from different perspectives in an enjoyable way.

Travelling between different museums had its drawbacks though; we were so exhausted by the time the last few days of our vacation approached, we were too tired to visit other places far away from Colchester. But we still managed to end our holiday with something unforgettable by watching fireworks at our school.

It was a minor fireworks show compared with the ones in Hong Kong, but we were able to watch them up close. It feels so different seeing the fireworks rocketing into the English twilight.

The countless stars were almost half as bright as the fireworks, turning the clear sky into a blanket of sparkling diamonds with occasional golden tracks and sprinkles.

Those two weeks are on my list of best memories as a boarder.