Please fasten your seatbelts for take off, the exits are located here, here and here... (London Eye)

Member Name: Boonoiy

Product:	London Eye
Date:	03/10/02 (1042 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Incredibly interesting and fun, Inexpensive

Disadvantages: Journey on the tube

It's not a ride, it's a FLIGHT!.

And don't you forget it!

OK, firstly, an apology. I've been lured away from Dooyoo recently by the massively appealing popcap website - Dynomite has finally released me from its vice-like grip and I've found a few moments to write about the great London Eye in all its splendour.

So let's roll (back into the swing again already eh? Only been away for a fortnight!).

The eye.
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Found on the embankment (south side) very close to either Westminster or Waterloo underground stations, the eye is a major feature of the London sky line. At a huge 450 feet tall and taking up to 25 (up to indeed - always full, just look at the queues!) people per capsule/pod/thing it is a far better investment into London tourism than the Dome ever was.

So, what about my experience with it? Quite simply, FANTASTIC!

I'll talk you through it...

Booking:
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Now, there's a number of ways that you can book up for the eye, the easiest (for me at least) was online.

Simply go through to the website (www.british-airways.com/londoneye) and be prepared with the date and time of your "flight" and your credit or debit card, then follow the instructions on the screen. I found this incredibly easy to use, the site points you in all the right directions, the "BOOK NOW" link is very easy to find (not hard-sell though) and takes you, through another browser window, to the booking forms and Ts&Cs, via a little special offers bit - what discounts for groups, private parties, gift vouchers etc. These all have a book now button next to them so you simply need to find the one you want and click through to make your booking. Prices are very clearly displayed throughout the booking process too. Here's the list for the record:

Adults - £10.50 + 50p booking charge = £11.00
Kids - £5.00 + 50p booking ch
arge = £5.50 (Under 5's free!)
Seniors - £10.00 + 50p booking charge = £10.50

So, not too dear for a good long half-hour's sight seeing.

Other ways to book are by phone or in person on the day (but expect a BIG wait if you do it this way.) and the prices don't vary (as far as I know - I did it online, there may be no booking fee for the turn up and buy option - ho-hum)

Getting there:
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I've lived in London for quite a while now and am fairly familiar with the way of it all, the traipsing through streets thing and getting crushed to near expiry on the tube are second nature by now. Not so for my poor Mum and Dad though. We chose to go along on the tube to Waterloo (International - apparently) and walk up from there, simplest option really. The Northern Line took us in immense discomfort to Waterloo (you could also use the Bakerloo or Jubilee lines - depends on where you're coming from) and then it was just a case of following the signs to the eye.

Very, very easy to get to.

Once there:
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Oh my good God in heaven, help us!

The walk up to the eye is quite nice, there's a big forecourt, nice street vendors where you can get a hot-dog or ice cream (hugely expensive but you're in London after all!) and a wall of people queuing to get on.

What you need to do, if you've made your booking by credit card, is to go and collect your tickets - a simple swipe and you'll get them printed off and then it's time to join the queue yourself!

Now, my Dad, upon seeing the queues almost had a breakdown. We were off to Proms in the Park (not my usual thing but it was his birthday after all) at 5.30 that evening and, with an expected "take off" on the eye at 1.30 we joined the queue at the time we were advised to - 1.00. There must have been 5000 people in this queue (maybe I exaggerate but it certainly l
ooked like a lot to me) and the thought of civilisations growing up and dying out in the time it would take us to get on was not far from my Dad's head. Panic sets in, we go off, leaving the rest of the family to keep our places, and get ice creams for one and all (aren't we sweeties?) and lo and behold - by the time we got back they'd already moved up about 1000 of the 5000 places - in only 10 minutes we'd gone down by a fifth! Cool or what?

So, the queues are intimidating to look at and there's not really anything to do to alleviate the boredom of standing in line but they do go down quite quickly. By 1.40 we were on our "flight." You have to get on while it's moving - not too bad really but could be a problem for some, the good people who run it will stop the thing for disabled or elderly people who've arranged this via the booking line (have to call up for this service to be included in the ticket).

You're on and up!
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LOOK AT THAT VIEW!

On a clear day they reckon you can see for up to 25 miles from the top of the eye and once you're on it you will not be surprised.

I went on with my family and girlfriend who is terrified of heights (what a good sport) and we bought (for £2) a little guide of what you can see. The pod is labelled inside as to which way you're looking. North, south, east and west can all be found really easily and, with the guide, you can spot most of what's what in London. The buildings are all marked out really well and the interest in what's where is phenomenal. Even my girlfriend was not scared as she got so interested in looking for the landmarks.

The ride is so smooth and the views are so spectacular it was well worth every penny spent!

Overall:
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What can I say? How anyone could not enjoy this half hour is beyond me. I loved the whole experience, the ease of booki
ng was great, the queues went down really quickly and were very well managed by the staff and the ticket collection went swimmingly. Very interesting trip, very clean, very nice and very well managed/maintained/run overall. If you're in London anyway or are visiting for a while and have yet to go on this majestic monument to man's innovation and vision then what are you waiting for? I would really recommend this to anyone who has yet to have a go on it.

Brilliant!

That's all I have to say about that.

Summary: