Another view of a beautiful city (London Eye)

Member Name: eilidhcatriona

Product:	London Eye
Date:	24/07/09 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Spectacular views of London

Disadvantages: It ends too quickly!

The London Eye is one attraction in London that's hard to miss. It dominates the skyline, and on a clear day there are even points in West London, several miles away, from which it can be seen. When you're near it you can't help but find your eyes drawn to it - although you have to watch very closely to see it moving, as it goes so slowly.

I first saw the London Eye 10 years ago, when it was under construction. It was laid out across the river, and it really was quite a sight. However, the first time I saw it after I moved to London in 2006, it was at night and it was all lit up. It was stunning. It really does look fantastic at night. When I walk along the Embankment, whether night or day, I'll happily stand and look at the Eye for a while.

I should say that I love London. Despite missing Scotland, I can't imagine not living here now. Even after more than two and a half years, I can happily spend a Saturday afternoon wandering around central London, goggling at the sights and feeling amazed that I actually live here! So for me, the chance to see all these incredible buildings from up above was not to be missed.

I've now been on the Eye twice, and I loved both times. A standard "flight" as they call it costs £17 for adults and £8.50 for children, but if you book on the website in advance you can save 10%. By doing this you can also select which time you want to go on the Eye. For both my visits the tickets were pre-booked, and you simply collect them from the ticket office half an hour before the time you are due to board. The price may seem high for such a short experience, but I think it is worth it and I would pay it again quite happily.

On both flights I've had to wait a few minutes before boarding. I think at very busy times, maybe weekends in high summer, it could take longer - but my visits were a Saturday evening in June and New Years Day, both times you might expect it to be busy, so perhaps it never gets worse than a few minutes wait.

When boarding, the wheel continues moving but it is going so slowly that you barely notice. For wheelchair users they do stop the wheel. The capsules each hold around 10 people, so at busy times you do have to share with others - unless you're there in a large group. But quiet times you may be lucky enough to get a capsule to yourselves, or with only a couple of others. There are special tickets available where you can book a private capsule or a champagne flight for a special occasion.

Once we had boarded, before I knew it we had moved out over the river, and already we were starting to get wonderful views. I'm not scared of heights, or of rides of any sort - I love rollercoasters and all sorts, so I had no worries about the Eye. However I was a little disconcerted during the first quarter of the flight, and I think this is because we were moving upwards and further out over the river, with nothing between us and the river. Once you are a little further up, the machinery and structure of the Eye are below you, and so it gives you some sense of security I think. This is of course just me - no one else I've been on it with had this feeling, and then of course there are those who will have a much worse reaction. In this situation there is an emergency button and you can talk to a member of staff. If you're not too far round the wheel they will reverse it, but if you're halfway round there's no point so you just have to finish the flight. I have been on it while it has reversed, so it does happen.

As soon as you're a quarter of the way up, the views become rather special. Before long you can see any number of landmark buildings, including Buckingham Palace, St Pauls, Canary Wharf, the BT Tower, the Gherkin...the list goes on. If it's a sunny day the views are incredible, but even if it's cloudy you can still see far and wide. I've never been on it in the rain, so I don't know how the views are affected in rain. Personally, my favourites are Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament. The Palace looks wonderful from above, set in amongst so much greenery. And although the Houses of Parliament are in fact the closest landmark to the Eye, it is such an incredible building that to see it from above is wonderful.

The flight around the Eye takes about half an hour. When you approach the end, watch out for cameras which will take your picture - you can buy it as a souvenir if you want, but sometimes the capsule itself makes the photo come out badly. I bought one from one of my visits, but it's not brilliant. There is a souvenir shop with the usual keyrings and stationery, and more interesting gifts such as models of the Eye and books on the construction. I've never bought any of these, but if you are interested there is a reasonable selection.

I thoroughly enjoyed both my visits to the Eye, and I see no reason why I won't go again some day - it's an experience you can keep going back to. Whether you're a visitor or a resident I would recommend you take a flight on the Eye, it gives you a completely different perspective on London. I found it a relaxing experience (aside from my slight disconcertedness early on), as you feel very much a part of London, but you're away from the noise, the crowds and the traffic.

Summary: Not to be missed, whether you're resident or tourist