Happy 21st Birthday Calum

Calum in the M & Ms store

Calum and me in Neal's Yard.

Calum with his special birthday dessert.

Lunch arrives at the Oxo Tower brasserie.

Lola, me and Calum on the South Bank

Calum's birthday presents

The key to the door
On Sunday 2 October, Calum turned 21. They used to call it 'The key to the door' but nowadays 18 is seen as the 'big' birthday. However, 21 is still a very significant milestone and we wanted to celebrate Calum's 21st in full and make it a day to remember - which is exactly what we did.

Good morning sunshine
Amazingly Calum's birthday fell on the one of the hottest days of the year. We awoke to glorious sunshine and it was like a summer's day, even though it was the beginning of autumn. We couldn't believe our luck. The sunshine, part of a freak Indian summer (which sadly only lasted a week) lifted people's spirits and brought smiles to their faces. We smiled all day.

Gifts galore
Although we had decided to give Calum cash for his birthday (what every impoverished student needs), we wanted to make sure that he still had presents to open on the day. We wrapped them in 21st birthday paper with matching tags and piled them onto the coffee table. Being a graphic design student, Calum appreciated the colour coordination. His eyes lit up when he saw them and he expressed delight and surprise - exactly the reaction we were after. We had to get up extra early as we were catching the train to London, but we didn't mind. It was all part of the occasion.

Sunny South Bank
After arriving in London we caught the train to Waterloo and walked along the South Bank to the Oxo Tower where we had booked lunch in the brasserie. There were people everywhere - taking boat trips, going on the London Eye, visiting the book fair or simply basking in the sun. There was a great atmosphere and it felt like being on holiday as there were so may tourists. All around you you could hear different languages - London at its multicultural best.

Lunch with a view
The Oxo Tower brasserie is situated on the eighth floor with stupendous views over the Thames and we were able to enjoy them to the full as the weather was nice enough to sit outside. The brasserie was busy but we were looked after very well by our lovely French waiter, Christopher. The food was fantastic - both delicious and beautifully presented. It really did taste as good as it looked. When Calum's dessert came, it had Happy Birthday written on it, a nice touch. It also came with two Harvey Nichols chocolate truffles. Christopher also took a photo of us all at the table and presented it to Calum in a special silver frame.

A spot of sightseeing - with added colour
After taking Lola to Waterloo to catch her train back to Bournemouth, Joe, Calum and I did some sightseeing. Our first stop was Neal's Yard with its beautifully coloured buildings followed by a visit the brightly coloured M & Ms store where we posed with cartoon characters. We also took a trip to Chinatown with its brightly coloured shops and lanterns.

Late afternoon saw us catch the train home from Kings Cross. Even the delays couldn't dampen our spirits.

It had been a perfect day - and a perfect birthday for Calum.