Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new...
Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new system before installing it?
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Well, I did it! Did what I hear you all cry? I went on the London Eye!
Firstly let me explain why this is a big deal for me. As you may have already guessed I have a problem with heights. I am scared stiff of what I perceive to be ‘unsafe’ heights. This means that I can stand on the top of St Paul’s Cathedral and look over the wall with no problem at all, as I feel completely safe up there. On the other hand I can get about four rungs up a ladder (on a good day) and I am bordering on the hysterical!
I have never liked the big wheel at the funfair for the simple reason that I always think that I am going to fall out backwards as the car goes over the top and begins to swing as it does so.
So it was with some trepidation that I actually agreed to go on the British Airways London Eye in the first place.
We were going to down to stay with a friend in London to see the Moody Blues at the Royal Albert Hall (sorry Offy!) and he asked if he should book tickets for the Eye. He has a terrible fear of heights and he had already been on twice and enjoyed it so I figured that if he could do it I could. The other main factor was that I know Dave would enjoy it more if I was with him, bless him.
The tickets were booked on line for Saturday
18th May 2002 at 10.30am, at a cost of £10 per person plus 50p per person booking fee.
Apparently booking on line is easy to do by visiting the web site at www.ba-londoneye.com and, after checking the availability; you just input the details of the flight you wish to take together with your credit card details. You then present the card at County Hall, next to the Eye, half an hour before your flight time to collect your ticket.
You can also book via a 24 hour automated booking line or in person at County Hall. It is better to book in advance if you want to be sure of a specific day and/or time as the Eye is constantly in use and constantly full!
As you have realised from the previous couple of paragraphs a trip on the London Eye is called a flight and you have to check in half an hour before your allocated flight time and join the queue to board.
So it was after about a week of building myself up into a state of pure terror, the day finally arrived and we headed into the centre of London for the big adventure!
We took the tube to Westminster and then crossed Westminster Bridge to reach the Eye. Other tube stations nearby are Waterloo and Embankment and you won’t get lost, as the Eye is so tall that it is visible from virtually all over the centre of London!
Anyway we approached the Eye and I looked up at the 135 metre high wheel with its 32 observation pods and thought ‘Can I really do this?’ Dave had bought me a miniature bottle of Brandy to take with me in case I needed some Dutch courage and I decided that I was going to go through with it no matter what.
We joined the queue after collecting the tickets and the whole boarding procedure was very well organised and ran smoothly – mind you they’ve had plenty of practice haven’t they?
My bag was searched before boarding and we were told that food and drink should not be taken aboard, but they didn’t pass comment on our bottles of water or my miniature Brandy! Maybe others had done the same before me?
As we stood in the queue I was watching the numbered pods going past and was interested to see that the numbering went 11, 12, 33, 14, 15 etc. We’re a superstitious lot aren’t we?
Then came the point of no return as we were called forward to board at exactly 10.30. The pod itself is egg shaped and made entirely from toughened glass, apart from the floor and roof of the pod. I know that I couldn’t have gone on if I had been able to see straight through the floor!
There is a wooden seat in the centre of the pod and a handrail all the way around the edge. The four main compass points were marked at the top of the windows to help you get your bearings. There was also a panic button, to which our attention was drawn as we entered the pod. There was no way I was going to show myself up by pressing that!
There were about fifteen people in our pod, but I understand that they will take up to twenty-five so we’d got plenty of room to move about.
The complete revolution of the wheel takes exactly half an hour and you really don’t feel as though you’re moving unless you look inwards toward the centre of the wheel and then you can see the metal spokes moving round.
The pod itself is attached to the outside of the wheel and is kept upright at all times by some very clever engineering which turns the pod slowly as the wheel turns. It has the effect of feeling very solid and very safe, even for a coward like me.
I spent the first couple of minutes just walking round the pod and generally having a look out of the window in every direction, just to get settled if you see what I mean. As we began to move higher I was amazed to find that I didn’t feel scared at all! I was so proud of myself.
The views are amazing and we could see a long way even though it was quite dull when we were up there. It is fascinating to look down on the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and to see Buckingham Palace looking like a little house! I do wish that I had thought to take my binoculars though – maybe next time….
As we neared the top of the wheel the sensation of movement increased as we could see the other pods around us, but by that time I was OK with the whole thing. Mind you I did drink my Brandy as well – it would have been rude not to! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
As we went over the top I took Dave’s photograph getting the neighbouring pod in the background of the picture and the people in there were waving to us, so it felt quite friendly too.
Just before we landed we were advised to stand at the end of the pod if we wanted a photograph taking, in much the same way that you get your photograph taken on the rides at a theme park. We did this but weren’t too impressed especially at £6 a time! We decided to stick with the ones we had taken of one another during the flight.
Then it was back to where we had started from to alight and it all seemed to have gone so quickly and there was me expecting it to be the longest half an hour of my life.
So, in conclusion, I would recommend a flight on the London Eye to anyone, even those of you scared of heights. If I can do it anyone can.
I want to go on again now, preferably at night. Now that would be interesting.
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I would love to have a go on this. Well done you should be proud of yourself. Fionaxx
Bigbaz 22.05.2002 22:28
I would love to go on this, dont know if I will get the chance though.
If you dont like glass floors then dont visit the National Glass Centre at Sunderland. It has a free observation platform overlooking the River Wear accessable from the car park. What people dont realise until its to late is that as your near the railings that you are walking on glass about 100 feet above the main hall. Its funny watching them as they start to panic when they see people below them and I have to admit it is an unsettling experience. Pity the poor lasses in short skirts as everything is viewable from below..Baz
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Advantages: views over London though Im sure there are better Disadvantages: Long queues, costs too much, poor visibility through the glass when its sunny
fionad86 26.06.2009 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of London Eye, London
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May 20th, 2002
very helpful by (100%):
