Travels in a Tin Can

The Kennedy Space Centre (KSC, not to be confused with a fried poultry
restaurant chain...) was quite an expensive place to visit - we paid nearly $35
(about £19.50) each and that was with a discount. However, there was a lot to
see and if you spent the whole day (as we did) you definitely got your money's
worth. There were two IMAX films, exhibitions, live shows – a Q and A
session with a genuine spaceman, a coach tour, activities, gift shops
(including a toy that is 'voiced by Buzz Aldwin’), and restaurants. The highlight
for me was the coach tour.
We were driven out towards the shuttle launch sites and could climb an
observation gantry to get views of various launch pads. Once again the most
striking thing was the scale of the features. For example the vehicle assembly
building has a US flag painted on the side, and the coach we were on could
have driven down one of the stripes. It just all looks so small on TV. I also
enjoyed sitting in several of the original space vehicles in the 'rocket garden'
(a reference to rock gardens that I only just worked out!) The rockets are so
cramped its a wonder that the astronauts are not still in them as living
displays!
There was a risk of the Centre being a bit 'look how great we are' at
times, but the human cost of the space race was not glossed over and a
memorial to those people who have lost their lives in its pursuit was
prominently placed within the Centre.
By the time we left the Space Centre we were feeling a little ‘spaced
out’ having seen similar footage of the shuttle launch dozens of times. We
were not even done for the day however as our tickets included free entry to