The London Eye

Random Travel Blog:

The London Eye

London, England

I've been blogging a lot about cars lately, which is me being lazy, so I'm going to try to knock off some travel blogs (which are usually the most viewed things I post - by far).  Branelle and I just got back from Europe so I'll try to hit on some of the places we visited while they're still fresh on my mind.  Might as well start with the London Eye.

In a city full of tourist attractions, the London Eye is.....another tourist attraction.  Built in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world for a while.  It's located on the South Bank of the Thames right in the heart of London and directly across the river from Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Abbey.  It's very interesting as an engineering feet - basically a giant bicycle wheel but supported by an A-frame on only one side.  There are 32 sealed and air-conditioned capsules, each representing one of the London Boroughs.   

The Eye just sort of constantly revolves.  Each capsule can hold about 25 people and as one gets to the bottom of the loop (pictured here) they shuffle everyone off - a three person cleaning and inspection crew hops on for a few seconds - and then they shuffle a new group on.  It's really very interesting.  It takes around 30 minutes for a revolution.  It moves slow enough to be able to really take in the views, but still fast enough to feel the motion.  You can feel it stop every now and then as they accommodate people who need special assistance to get on or off.

It's the highest viewing point in London, other than the observation deck at the Shard.  You can see Big Ben in the background here.  The views on a clear day really are spectacular.  It doesn't feel crowded in the pod either.  There is seating, but most people stand and take pictures the whole time.

You can buy tickets ahead of time online, which I have read is necessary during busy times.  It is, surprisingly, the most visited paid attraction in England with 3.75 million annual visitors.  We showed up and just walked to the ticket booth at the base.  I asked for a Fast Pass Ticket (it costs more but allows you to get in a shorter line - I hate lines).  The guy was cool and told us there was basically no wait so it was a waste of money.  He was right - it took us maybe 5 minutes from getting our tickets to getting on the wheel.   

 
So should you do it?  I would say yes.  It's unique and it's iconic (now) and the views are great.  As a general rule I don't talk cost when blogging about these sort of things because what's expensive to one person may be a value to the next. I'm certainly not one to consult with regards to "budget travel".  The Eye is around 20-30 pounds, depending on what type of ticket you get.  I'm not sure I would do it again, but if I took someone to London that hadn't done it I would absolutely take them for a spin.