Tuesday the 16th of July 2019

Today a visit to London and as Alex had his choice of seeing Spiderman the week before, it was now my turn. So we booked tickets to the BFI, on the SouthBank, to see Apollo 11. It is almost 50 years to the date since man first walked on the moon. I remember, very clearly, how I insisted on watching the moon landing, much to my mothers objections. The landing took place on the 20th of July at 21:17 BST and that was already past my bedtime and Neil Armstrong first stepped onto the moon at 04:56 BST. My stubbornness, passion and insistence paid off. I stayed and watched the whole time, promising my mother the world, or the moon, to be able to do so.

So 50 years hence, I sat in the cinema with my son Alex, and watched original and unseen footage all over again. Amazing memories flooding back and a great sense of pride, that mankind achieved this feat.

Little did Alex know that this was a rouse to lure him into London and take him up to the Shard, which was one of his birthday wishes.

As we arrived at the Shard Alex was ready to go home and looking for the train station to take us home. As we looked up at the Shard, I asked him if he would be brave enough to climb it and he was up for it. It was then, that I sprung the surprise, he was so excited. We walked in and into the first lift that took us to the first stage and then into a second lift that took us to the 68th floor. We then walked the final four floors, to the highest viewing point allowed to the general public.

We were going to stay until sunset, but Alex was tired, after a whole day in London. So we set back to Waterloo by taxi,  only to be welcomed by train cancellations.

We managed to get the first available train out to Hinckley Wood and then an Uber to Esher. We later found out that a school boy had been knocked over and killed by a tracing at Chertsey/Woking. Just shows how fragile life is and one must ensure to make the most of it.