Up up and away! (London Eye)

Member Name: macutmore

Product:	London Eye
Date:	29/05/01 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great way to view London, All the family can fit in a pod, Discounts for a group

Disadvantages: Watch the weather, Watch the demand (Queues)

My first visit to the London Eye was unsuccessful in itself. The 'Ferris wheel' was closed due to gusty winds. It was fairly windy on that day in December. I was impressed that British Airways took vigilance in its safety precautions.

I made my way visually toward the wheel, simply walking toward it from north of the Thames. Arriving at embankment, it's simply a matter of crossing the Hungerford Bridge on foot. This in itself gives a good viewpoint over the Thames. You can spend a moment watching the pleasure boats and see St. Paul's cathedral in the distance.

On arrival at the ticket shop, I took a moment to suss out the ticket buying procedures. It really was just like a flight check in style desk! I found myself looking forward to actually going on the wheel one day when it was less windy!

Some five months later I visited London again and ventured toward the wheel. This time it was a hot sunny day with a slight touch of haze to the visibility.

The wheel didn't look particularly awesome from a distance; in fact it's hard to perceive that it's actually moving at all from far away. You need to study it intrinsically to see it slowly moving and look for people inside the pods. This should at least confirm from a distance that rides are probably on.

At closer inspection the wheel just seemed to grow. It is massive after all! It is, in fact quite an attractive, inviting modern landmark- unlike the Dome was (sad isn't it)!

I'm sure that on my second (successful) visit the price of a 'ride' had increased somewhat! Punters did not seem deterred though. I raced through the 'disguised' ticket queue. Then raced toward the queuing queue, and queued in true British fashion. I remember visiting the Eiffel tower in Paris, and queuing for that, but somehow it was very different here! This queue was a roaming one, it moved continuously backwards and forwards, around and around
, 'eventually' getting somewhat nearer an entry point at the wheel.

It was really difficult to get a perception of what the view or ride would actually be like from the appearance of the awesome wheel itself, (close up). I had a gut feeling that it might be somewhat surprising. Sometimes things look tame compared to what they are actually like- and vice versa- if you know what I mean!

Boarding was exciting and fairly fast- the pods don’t stop for this- it's hop on quick mate (under supervision), after having a good security check and tickets, not taken but looked at on three separate occasions throughout the queuing 'experience'. (Why is there always a 'talkative' loud mouth (nervous) guy in front who has ‘been there, seen it done it, got the T-shirt already)?

Post pod entry and the movement seemed slow. It takes a while to climb before you realise you are getting higher. A very slight sense of air pressure reduction occurs, then you realise that you are very high indeed! When you get to the top a weird perception occurs- you sense that the wheel has stopped dead- or rather you hope it really has. Since the view is spectacular. You can walk around or sit inside the capsule at any point of the pod giving that 360-degree perspective- Superb!

Once you’re on your way down though. You wish you could go around again perhaps, since the whole ride lasts just under 25 minutes, (but it seems like 10)!

Even if you are a bit timid when it comes to heights, you'll have no problem here. The wheel is probably the best introduction to appreciating heights that anyone could ever wish for. Grandma would love it. It's tame, perceptibly safe, enjoyable and a real flight without even boarding a real plane. British Airways should organise 'height appreciation' for groups that suffer from height phobias. The 'facing your fear element' of therapy would work wonders with this
device.

I was itching for a true flight in a true aircraft after this ride, (a very different experience). Talk about an appetiser!

This is without doubt a 'must do' in London today.

Cons to watch out for are the selling of 'disposable cameras' for an arm and a leg just prior to wheel entry, (don't forget your cameras folks), and the ridiculous cost of souvenir brochures that are, of course available! Oh and then there's the usual 'we photographed you in the pod'(CCTV)- do you want your picture?' style sell.

I visited the wheel on a bank holiday Monday (a great time to visit London anyway, since parking is free). It wasn't too busy. I was on it and off it within an hour (including the wait). So if you've had a bad experience with waiting or crowds you've probably been unlucky.

The only things I can fault are the politics. It's Britian, there is the 'rip off' everyones a tourist lark. We should have had a high rise viewpoint (or a UK 'Eiffel tower' long before the Dome was even dreamed of..Why are the pods and engineering French anyway?

Summary: