Tuesday 5 August 2014

Birthday Bonanza!

So after months of making lists and explaining to everyone my not quite so exciting plans, my birthday has finally been and gone again. The past few days have been absolutely crazy what with Richard taking time off work, celebrating his 21st and then mine whilst also seeing friends and family who were keen to give us gifts and catch up with our adventures. I can't ever remember being so tired from just generally socialising. I must remember not to do it again.

On Saturday I got yet another 'fake' birthday celebration with my parents when Richard and I went over for a BBQ and early present opening session. I personally think it is really important for friends and family to see the presents they have carefully selected being opened. I love buying people presents and seeing their reactions which is why I love Christmas so much. With this in mind since moving out I have tried to make the effort to see my family and share important occasions with them. We sat outside and I opened all the gifts from my family with them and Richard, whilst being snapped by my Dad (this didn't swing at all in my favour judging from the pictures). 







I was well and truly spoilt for my 'real' birthday too by Richard, family, friends and my colleagues. I woke up nice and early on my birthday to be greeted by a cup of tea in bed by my two favourite boys. I got ready, made my way downstairs and had a delicious breakfast of bacon sandwiches cooked for me before finally settling down to open my presents. I received some lovely presents and was really spoilt with money and gifts. 



Soon enough we were setting off for our exciting day to London, fully paid for by my wonderful work colleagues. We made it to Leagrave Station bright and early, missing a train into London by seconds (we might have made it if it wasn't for me trying to maintain my dignity by holding down my billowing dress that was convinced it had to bare by behind). We used that opportunity to sit in the sunshine and wait on the next train, reminiscing about the times we used to both spend at the station on our weekly commute to see one another. We were soon aboard another train and headed to St Pancras International after hearing that the London Bridge station was closed for maintenance, from here we decided to head to the shops and made our way to Oxford Circus.

Once here we had to make an immediate stop at H&M on Oxford Street for a pair of shorts for my unruly dress which continued to try and embarrass me. Luckily I found a pair instantly and the exploring continued. After a little while of wandering around the busy streets we headed back to the city centre to make our 2pm appointment at the Shard. 



It is safe to say I have never seen such a smoothly run operation at an attraction in all my life. From the moment you entered you were greeted and guided the whole way which made the experience very smooth, if not slightly clinical. Thanks to our home printed tickets we managed to avoid the ticket office queues and glide through fifteen minutes before our appointment. We were quickly led to security and the usual checks were made to baggage and bodies. No sooner had we made it through and collected our belongings than we were ushered over to have our picture taken in front of a huge green screen. 

Feeling slightly confused and stunned we made it around the corner where we were greeted by yet another official and guided through the arrangements and told to enter a large lift. These lifts were incredible. Beautifully lit by interchanging images on the TV panelled ceilings, brilliantly spacious (perfect for someone who is claustrophobic) and a smooth transition between the many levels you travel to in seconds. It truly was wonderful. 


We made it to the first viewing platform which was simply stunning. The views on this gorgeous, clear, sunny day made for perfect scenes and photo opportunities. As if this view wasn't enough, you could take a trip up to the 72nd floor to the second viewing platform which gave you even better views over the city in a more well ventilated space thanks to the Shards clever design.






Plenty of people were making the most of what is an expensive trip by setting up shop and sitting on the artificial grass floor, watching the city at work below. It was also selfie central which was actually quite nice because you didn't feel like a complete idiot for doing it yourself.




I must say I am very proud of Richard, who is in fact scared of heights for his determination and relaxed approach to reaching 72 stories. We of course had to take a picture to symbolise his true feelings...


Of course with all of this you have London prices and the inevitable tacky merchandise. We saw at least three different gift shops from the parts of the building we saw, which admittedly were few. Here you can find the usual bits of tack you really didn't need nor want yet feel compelled to buy. What astounded me in my research of the Shard and what it had to offer were the prices of food and drink. It has a number of high class restaurants on offer, one of which expected £43 for one person to have brunch. Seemingly ordinary champagne would set you back £10 a glass and a tiny glass at that! It is safe to say we didn't sample the food or drink, instead settling to spend the money we had been given on something we would enjoy far more. 

Expenses aside the Shard was fantastic and I would definitely encourage London lovers to spend their hard earned cash there. The views were stunning and you simply can't beat them, no matter where you stand or visit. It also gives you a chance to appreciate the sheer brilliance of the architecture and creativity behind the building, something I have always admired, even more so now.

After taking plenty of pictures and taking in the views we decided to make our way back down to the ground floor where we could view the pictures that were taken on arrival. It soon became clear that this apparently 'random' shot was actually edited onto a variety of backdrops which could then be selected and purchased. We were shown a variety of shots and settled on the one which depicted us near Tower Bridge. I enquired about the price of a sleek frame that was displayed with an example image which was said to be £32 and came with a memory stick of all the various shots available. We asked about the most affordable package which was a nicely displayed large image of us in a cardboard sleeve. This still set us back £22 but something I felt my colleagues would appreciate seeing and certainly the nicest picture we would have been able to have of us from the Shard that we could keep for years to come. 


We then left the Shard in search for food, something we didn't find until at least 5'oclock simply due to us being initially quite picky and then ending up so far away from anything that we ended up just strolling into a Tesco Express and stuffing our faces with a meal deal. Cheap never tasted so good. This being said in our travels to find somewhere that served the kind of cuisine we wanted we did manage to see lots of things we just wouldn't have come across if it weren't for being dare I say, a little lost.







With our bellies full we decided to head back home, taking that long commute on numerous tubes,hot undergrounds and busy stations back to Leagrave. I must admit despite having a wonderful day it was a relief to make it home, sit on the sofa and rest my feet! It was certainly a birthday to remember and won't be one I will be forgetting anytime soon...

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