We’re more fortunate meetin our friends today! In Seven Dials we meet Clare, Linda and her husband Derek from the USA, who had to wait all afternoon yesterday for their room in the new hotel, and Joke, who has travelled from Belgium. Ollie is also already on her way from Bristol. It’s nice to be back together again. We go for a drink in Covent Garden and enjoy the sunshine on the restaurant terrace.

In the early afternoon, we set off in the direction of Fortnum & Mason – not the direct route, but a leisurely walk along the Thames. And it couldn’t be better weather for the end of October! In the department store, we all look around a bit and then meet outside again. We buy the delicious honeycomb after all, which goes so well with mature cheese.

Then we say goodbye to the others for the time being. While they go to freshen up, Gabi and I enjoy a burger and cheese fries at Shake Shack.

After that, we slowly make our way towards the Royal Albert Hall. We thought about visiting Harrods for the perfume that Gabi is looking for, but we can’t find a parking space nearby. They are all occupied by luxury cars and expensive sports cars, and of course only the latest models. You probably don’t see so many Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Mercedes Maybachs and Rolls Royces parked along the road anywhere else.

We park the car at the Royal Albert Hall and then walk a bit through Hyde Park before the show starts. The big trees look beautiful in the evening sun.

Then “Letters Live” begins. And it is exciting to see how the show has grown from a small appearance at the Literature Festival in Wales to a sold-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall with over 5,000 seats. The concept has remained the same: Letters from or to famous people or with some other importance are read (or rather: performed!) by celebrities or sometimes even by the authors themselves. You never know in advance exactly who will be there. Benedict Cumberbatch is joined today by Louise Brealey, who starred with him in “Sherlock”, TV presenter Sue Perkins, the iconic Graham Norton and other British personalities who I don’t know but are otherwise familiar to everyone. Finally, after a speech that would have been given in the event of an accident during the first moon landing, the young RAH organist plays the theme tune from “Interstellar” on the huge organ. Spectacular!

Yes, that was a crowning finish (almost) to our holidays. And we both agree: this is how it finally feels right again – doing something nice together with friends. The fact that we still mask indoors doesn’t really make a difference.

We are even later for dinner today than on previous nights. The McDonald’s around the corner closed early due to technical problems, but I find a KFC down the street that is still open at midnight. We quickly make our way to bed after the late meal.