Thursday morning. Day 4! My last day in Muswell Hill before heading deeper into the city to stay with some other friends. Today I head to Arnos Grove to visit the New Southgate Cemetry where Shogi Effendi's shrine is located; a significant man who spent his last years in London and received the upmost commitment as the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith from 1921 until 1957 when he passed. As I arrive I realise just how big this cemetry is but it was hard to miss the 12 foot high white marble pillar shining up through the trees with an illuminating gold eagle perched on the top. I approach the shrine which is surrounded by a small garden bed, a long path and two black and gold gates at the entrance. As the sun shone down it almost seemed like it was shining down specifically on the shrine leaving the rest of the cemetery dark and shadowed. Feeling humbled and so blessed to be here, I approach the gates walking towards the shrine where a 3 tier marble square sits surrounding the marble pillar. I won't go into the emotions you feel or how beautiful it is when you are standing there in front of such a sacred monument but I'm sure you can imagine...

Before long, I notice a Mother and daughter approach and stand beside me. We smile and pay our respects before they turn to offer me some beautiful rose petals they had collected at the sacred shrine of Baha'u'llah in Haifa, Israel where they had just come from. I felt very privelidged to receive such a gift.

Long story short, we leave the shrine together and start talking. They are from Canada and the Mothers name is Kathy and the daughters name, Mackenzie. I tell them about Alaee who is the care-taker of Shogi's shrine and we find him in his office which turns into a great history lesson from Alaee on the significance of the materials of the shrine... this all marked a very special experience in my travels...

I return home, lug my 17kg pack on my back and head for the tube where I will go to Old Street...

At Old Street station, my friends Josh and Gloria await;; Josh is the cousin of a friend of mine back home. We immediately get along and spend the evening laughing and getting to know each other. You can see the London Eye from their apartment and I am grateful to have made it to my next destination with such good company and hospitality again.