Almost 20 years ago, I moved to Guildford, which is just 40 minutes from London on the train. Being so close to our capital I imagined that I would be going there all the time to see the sights, but the sad fact is, when you live locally you are much less likely to take in the tourist attractions than you would be if you visited on holiday. I had travelled across all of Europe, visiting all the main tourist spots, museums, cathedrals, statues, etc – but hadn’t done the same in my own capital city despite going to London several times for work or for nights out.
About 10 years ago I decided to make a conscious effort to “play tourist” and had managed to visit the Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, and the Shard. I’ve gawked at Buckingham Palace, crossed Tower Bridge, walked through Hyde Park, visited the Natural History Museum, and seen the Cutty Sark. I even took an open top bus tour once (although there was alcohol involved so I don’t remember much!) One thing on my list remained – to go on the London Eye. Built in 2000, it has become an iconic part of the London landscape, and until the Shard opened in 2013, was the highest observation point for London.
When I published my first blog, an insurer I work closely with, Dual, got in contact with me. Not only did several people there sponsor me for my 500-mile challenge, but all came back with encouraging messages. In particular, one of the Development Underwriters, Rhiannon, noted that I’d put the London Eye on the list, and offered to take me to help me achieve my goal!
I was delighted to accept and we eventually got a date in the diary. Weather had been quite changeable but we were lucky as the day dawned bright and dry. We met at the ticket office and the queue was enormous! Tickets are normally around £23 each (although there are some 2-for-1 deals available) but for £9 extra each we could get Fastrack entry – a definite win!
In the (much shorter) queue, we were invited to pose in front of a green screen, so that they could superimpose a London skyline behind you. Probably useful if it was rubbish weather but the view was fine so we didn’t bother. Our turn came and we hopped onto the moving capsule. It doesn’t stop moving but it’s so slow you can easily walk on/off without worry.
Our capsule had about 20 people in it, and whilst the walls are transparent there’s only really 2 places you can get a good view without the metal struts obstructing you, so it was a bit crowded for selfie purposes! One kid was practising his English as he read the sign that said, “Please do not lean on the doors” as he climbed all over the door mechanism. I had to step in and explain what it meant, I could just envisage him triggering the door and falling out! (he didn’t).
The views were fantastic, you have the classic old buildings of Westminster on one side and the striking new buildings of the City on the other side. The ride takes about 30 minutes which is plenty of time to see your fill. I’ve written about my fear of heights before, but I didn’t feel scared as I felt well encapsulated! Not to mention it’s mostly over the water so I didn’t worry about going splat on the floor!
Rhi and I had a great time and finished off the day with a bit of lunch at a lovely Dim Sum restaurant on South Bank called Ping Pong (!) Great food and brilliant service, and it wasn’t actually too expensive so well worth checking out!
In summary, it was a great day. The company was excellent and I’m glad I’ve finally ticked the London Eye off my “must do” list. However, I have to say, if you’re less bothered about going on the Eye but just want to have a great view of London, I would go to the Shard. I went a few years ago with my parents and it was absolutely amazing. The views are much better and you are higher so less obstructed.
The only downside with the Shard is that, being in the centre of the City, you don’t get the same iconic view of all the new buildings (Shard, Gherkin, Walkie-talkie) all clustered together.
All in all though, a definite win. Have you tried to see your home town or local attractions through a tourist’s eyes? Maybe you can take a bit of time out to do that and experience your surroundings with the same appreciation that you have for the places you travel so far to visit.
For more information, please visit:
- Dual Private Clients:
- London Eye
- View from the Shard
40 things... 