London hit list: Summer edition

As a series of heatwaves unfurled across the capital, residents ventured out of their warm homes in search of exciting and cooling summer experiences. With the season coinciding with my mother’s first-ever visit to London, I too put on the thinking cap to arrange a series of enticing activities. Tai Chi: Kew Gardens With my parents’ background as landscape designers, garden shop owners, and Bonsai growers, a visit to Kew Gardens was a given – but I hoped to experience it in a unique way. Perusing the list of garden activities, the weekly Tai Chi sessions stood out. On a mild summer morning, instructor Michael Burke led us through an engaging hour-long session. Martial arts-inspired Tai Chi movements were paired with the inspiring natural surrounds of Kew – and helpful anecdotes from Michael on the increasingly publicised healing properties of the practice. Sessions at the Royal Botanical Gardens run from April to September, with tickets from £33 per session (entrance to Kew Gardens is included). After a few moments of appreciative silence to catch our breath, it was off to explore the gardens. The treetop walk is reminiscent of the ‘Boomslang’ in Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch Gardens, a...