We were introduced to one of our favorite story tellers of the trip at the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), where we were shown many maps and historical artifacts from the early explorers of the RGS. I was in awe, and scrambled to take what notes I could.
I struggled to keep up with all the names, but listened in awe as Eugene (RGS Archivist/Librarian - I'm uncertain of his official title) told story after story of early explorers and their tasks getting expeditions and rented equipment funded by the Society. We heard about many attempts to follow the whole course of the White Nile River to discover where it came from. We learned that Harrods used to have expedition supply departments, and that Burberry got its start as a manufacturer of outdoor clothing and waterproof fabric. I was surprised and very intrigued by the stories of the many early 20th century attempts to climb Mt. Everest, and how the introduction of using oxygen to aid efforts was very controversial. Aussie scientist George Finch was responsible for both the first portable oxygen tank and the down jacket, and with oxygen the 1922 expedition reached 27,400 feet, less than 2,000 feet short of the top. Even after all that, the first successful expedition to the top wasn't until 1953.
The massive table we sat around while Eugene told these wonderful stories was lined with maps, photographs, and artifacts exemplifying the 2 million items the Society now holds in its two storage facilities. There was a "hot" side and a "cold" side of the table, relating to regions of the world documented; Africa vs. Mt. Everest, for example. We got to wander around the table and look at everything, but it was the first of several visits where it felt more like a class than a tour, which definitely served as a change of pace. Listening to captivating stories is never a bad thing in my book though, so I enjoyed it.
With our free afternoon, several of us popped over to the Sherlock Holmes Museum to revel in the consulting detective's Victorian-era digs. The detail in the decorations was quite impressive, and it was fun to nerd out at being at the actual 221B Baker Street - right in our neighborhood!
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