toptobottom, maybe it's me, but when I read what is posted below by two or three folks, I get an awful lot of holier than thou vibe in the intonation. I don't think it is "constructive criticism" to blame him for sightseeing, blame the flight school for allowing him to fly that route on that day, etc. Frankly, it is quite unprofessional for those two or three to read his several sentences and then extrapolate to the point where his instructor and school are declared in the court of pprune to be guilty. Frankly, your decision as to what he and his instructor "should" do is exactly what I am talking about.
If pprune is that kind of "what you should do..." neighborhood, it is a crappy neighborhood, and newbies will shy away.
Frankly, the poor guy was cowed into apologizing for that normal flight - what a kangaroo court.
Big Duke 6, you didn't do a thing wrong, for pete's sake, nor did your instructor. Please don't take anonymous drivel as sound advice. Those who criticized you are off base, and frankly, talking through their hats. Thanks for discussing what you saw, keep posting.
And thanks to the many ppruners who piped in to support Big Duke 6, and offered advice without blame, thanks. That's what we "should" be doing.