Lazy Sunday...

So – here it is Friday, and I never got around to updating the rest of the Easter weekend… in a nutshell, my Easter surprise trip was a lovely boutique hotel in nearby Richmond – the ‘lazy Sunday’ package at the Bingham… starting with a fabulous long lunch overlooking the river, afternoon stroll, cinema in the evening, and fun Jacuzzi bath (are you supposed to use bubble bath in a Jacuzzi tub? Not sure… it certainly bubbled up to no end!)

As for the movie – we saw Sunshine, really very good, if a bit of a slow starter. The basic premise is that the sun is dying out prematurely (it’s set in 2057) and a team of astronauts has to detonate a nuclear bomb in the sun’s core to re-start it and save the planet from rapid descent into permanent winter… sounds just like those comet bashing movies like Armageddon, but no. There’s plenty of action (especially in the later half of the movie) but it’s much more psychological and metaphysical; what’s it like being cooped up in a spaceship (granted, a very very large spaceship) with 8 people for 3 years of travel, with the mental pressure of being the last hope for saving the all of people-kind, and the very likely possibility you won’t make it back home (a previous mission had already gone missing 7 years earlier). And then this is combined with the majesty of being so close to the sun, what is that like to observe, even through the strongest filtered lenses. So good – and given the special effects, probably much better in a big screen than on the TV. (unless of course it’s a home-cinema sized one, mom & dad!)

Then a fabulous day off still on Monday, with very quick journey time to home - my favourite way to travel! No jet lag, no stiff legs from a long car ride... wonderful!