We arrived at the station with a sense of unease: would this be a good way to spend my 31st birthday? Boarding the train, we began to discuss our expectations. From television reports it seemed that we could expect crowds, confusion and a huge amount of ground to cover. My greatest concern was that it would be like my childhood experience of the Ideal Home Exhibition: plenty of exhibits but not nearly enough space given over for rest and restaurants and rest rooms. Simply a question of trudging round everything there was to see and then running to the exit for some air.

On leaving the train it was a short walk over to the Millennium Pier, directly outside County Hall, opposite the Palace of Westminster. Straight overhead was the vast Ferris wheel known as the London Eye. It was still not in motion after the safety concerns over one of the pods and there was a considerable band of workmen making checks and alterations. We got onto the boat and settled into the warm downstairs cabin. Already, the signs were encouraging: they had a bar, snacks and washrooms on board. There were large groups of children on the boat who seemed to love the trip and the chance to see all of London's finest landmarks from the water. Just be warned: there is no commentary on the boat, so if your children are inquisitive, be prepared to answer their questions yourself.

As we reached Greenwich and the Dome came into sight, all the children raced to the front of the boat. When we finally came to disembark, everyone crowded at the exit, forcing the captain to be extra careful when pulling in and holding us up a little. The excitement had got the better of us all.