On our last full day in Florida we first said goodbye to Claire who returned to New York, and then we headed north to Cape Canaveral to visit the Kennedy Space Centre. Another long drive (2.5 hours), but very much worth it. A cool day with not much of a crowd was ideal for seeing the attractions. Star of the show at the Visitor Centre was the Space Shuttle Atlantis. There is a big exhibit and display surrounding the shuttle which itself is displayed tilted to one side. It is an incredible ship full of history and adventure. Don't bother with the simulator - it is very boring and a major disappointment.
We took the bus tour to the launch pads and along the way we saw the giant buildings and vehicles used to house and transport the rockets. We were treated to the story of the Apollo missions which I fondly remember from when I was a kid. The huge scale of everything blows your mind away as we are all used to watching launches on our TV sets where things look so small. Our bus driver was also very entertaining - he seemed to know a lot of astronauts personally.
Space missions mark one of the high points of what technology can achieve. Even old timers like me can look on in awe at rockets and shuttles, and just for a few moments wonder what it would be like floating around in zero gravity. The Kennedy Space Centre is definitely worth a visit.
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