Alright so there's no doubt perhaps my best friend is getting bored, getting me in matches. It's the third time now! BUT I'm no complaining because she gifts THE GREATEST gifts ever. This one topped the LOT. I should also note that I'm currently in a hobby project with a different friend to reach 100,000ft at the edge of space, so I've been having a lot of meetings about launching to space recently....

So I went to play video games at my friends house yesterday, because you know killing zombies is fun, and my present was waiting for me.. she'd said she got her brother (who's an aerospace engineer in training) to help.... and then I saw it... THE NASA SPACE SHUTTLE; HOME MADE!!!

IT was so awesome, looked like so much effort had gone into creating it.. and it had... they had even made it so that it opened just like the REAL SPACE SHUTTLE and my presents were the payload!!!! I mean come on how awesome is that? I feel she deserves all of the giftee awards on planet earth for that! & her brother a pat on the back for helping out!

I was super excited, but that was just the wrapping! Inside was a whole host of presents ready to be delivered to the International Space Station...wait... I mean, ME :D.

It was a super nice day in London (RARE) so we say in the garden drinking Pimms while I went through it all!

The first thing I opened was hand painted egg cups by her! I'd complained about not having an egg cup that week so she'd remembered and made me amazing space ones!!! The alien one one the back says "James' egg" in a speech bubble :)

The next thing was a model of the space shuttle in nanobricks! Which is going to be so fun to make I can't wait, I mean now I have a space shuttle, I need a mini model of it, right? :)

The next thing I opened was something I've wanted for EVER. NASA STICKERS! There's no doubt these will be appearing on my laptop and anywhere else I can find to stick them ASAP. Or maybe I'm supposed to use them to decorate my new space shuttle! :D

Next up was my organic cargo to go to the ISS... my very own mini Alien! I had trouble blowing him up, but eventually... he lives! I shall call him Steve. All aliens should be named Steve.

Next up was a pocket guide to launch vehicles! Super cool little book and one I can't wait to have a proper flick through, will be awesome to look back on how we've progressed, and I might pick up a few pointers for the aforementioned project!

Next was MOAR STICKERS. I mean who can have enough stickers? right! These were cool little fantasy ones... my personal favourite is the alien with three arms... I've also considered recreating a scene from gravity with the spaceman ones ;)

Next up was a DVD of "In the Shadow of the Moon" which I've actually never seen! But also I'm a huge Ron Howard fan... including his latest RUSH film (GO WATCH IT!) so this is awesome, whether my best friend knew this or not IDK ... but lets give her even more credit and say she did :)

Next up was some spaceman food! Cookies and Cream, Ice Cream Sandwich OBVIOUSLY. Clearly the best space man food! This is so a have your cake and eat it situation.. I want to try it, but it's SO COOL. Dammit!!! I quickly thought to this months Apocalypse exchange too and wondered if it'd last in an apocalypse.... but three years is it's limit, I suppose if you're stuck in space for three years food is the LEAST of your worries ;)

Next was a awesome looking book called " The Very First Light" which investigates the universe and its existence, I'm a believer in M-Theory so I'm excited to se what this book says on the subject and any thing I can learn...

AND OMG THERE'S MOAR STILL. I thought that was it but then hidden in the bottom there was one more thing, and perhaps the cleverest of all. Because how AM I going to fly my new Space Shuttle without THE MANUAL. Yes A Haynes manual to the Space Shuttle! So frigging awesome! I mean I have a Haynes manual for my CBR motorbike, but I'm assuming this new manual might be a little more complicated ;) ;)

I mean, seriously, this was RIDICULOUS, so insanely awesome, the effort that went into creating the shuttle and the payload, with all the presents wrapped in handmade star wrapping, and of course plenty of STAR GLITTER. It was possibly the best present I've had with all that effort and I loved every bit of it, so well done I just hope that reddit likes it as much as I do and rewards her for all the AWESOMENESS that's in this.

P.S I apologise for the amount of times I used the word awesome, being British. But hey I'm excited!

P.P.S Please excuse her photobombing sheep ;)

TL;DR - My best friend made me a space shuttle and filled it with awesome presents in the payload and it was so good I was blown away!