ENGLAND

CONTINENTAL DRIFTER
A Bird’s “Eye” View of London
by Elliott Hester

Steve Davey, author of Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die (BBC Books/London/2004), knows a great attraction when he sees it. Having traveled the world to document locations for his scenic book, the British writer/photographer has a recommendation for anyone traveling to London.

“Check out London Eye,” he says. “It’s brilliant!”

Built in 2000 in cooperation with British Airways, London Eye has become as much a part of the city’s identity as Big Ben or Westminster Abbey. Standing 443 feet high on the south bank of the Thames River, London Eye is the world’s tallest observation wheel. It’s also the United Kingdom’s most popular paid tourist attraction. Each year, more than 3.5 million people queue up for the carnival-like ride that offers spectacular views of the city.

After buying my ticket, however, I remained skeptical. From the ground, the massive 2,300-ton attraction resembles a glorified Ferris wheel. Yes, it’s the 4th tallest structure in London—only the One Canada Square complex (770 feet), British Telecom Tower (620 feet), and Tower 42 (600 feet) are taller. But would my tourist dollars have been better spent on a Thames River cruise? A visit to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum? A day-trip to Legoland Windsor?

When I took off on the 30-minute London Eye “flight”, I realized the answer was “no.”

Unlike Ferris wheels that carry a handful of passengers in suspended gondolas, London Eye utilizes “passenger capsules.” Egg-shaped, air-conditioned and made primarily of glass, the 32 passenger capsules look like escape pods attached to a circular space station. The futuristic capsules, which represent London’s 32 boroughs, weigh 11 tons each and accommodate up to 25 people.

Mounting rings positioned on the outside of the main rim allow the passenger capsules to rotate as the wheel revolves. This makes for dramatic 360-degree views from the top of wheel.

As my capsule began to rise, I felt as if I were floating above London in a bubble. The wheel turned at the almost imperceptible rate of 0.6 miles per hour. That’s twice the speed of a fast-moving tortoise.

On a clear day you can’t see forever. But you can see for about 25 miles from a London Eye passenger capsule. Looking south past Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, I followed the muddy Thames past Lambeth Bridge to MI6 Headquarters, where the British Secret Intelligence Service (and its famous fictional agent 007, James Bond) launch covert overseas operations.

Farther along the Thames, I could barely make out the four white smokestacks of the defunct Battersea Power Station. As the capsule climbed, I watched the river snake through a landscape of shrinking buildings that faded into the horizon.

At static viewing platforms like Chicago’s Sears Tower (or revolving platforms like Sydney’s Centerpoint Tower), perspective is limited due to the fixed altitude. But because the passenger capsules are constantly changing altitude, and because they allow viewing in every direction, London Eye is perhaps the world’s most comprehensive viewing platform. (The view of Cape Town, South Africa, from the top of Table Mountain is perhaps the most stunning, however.)

From London Eye, I got a bird’s-eye view of Whitehall Court, Buckingham Palace and Wembley Stadium. I could even see 18-feet-high Lord Nelson’s Column which stands at the center of Trafalgar Square.

From the top of the wheel, the views are even more amazing. Covent Garden, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the British Museum, Tate Modern Gallery—many of London’s most popular attractions lay before me like Monopoly board game pieces.

In addition to the expansive city views, London Eye offers the excitement of a traditional Ferris wheel ride. Instead of 3 or 4 people in a gondola, I shared the experience with 20 strangers in a passenger capsule.

Romantic couples can rent a private capsule for two. The “Cupid’s Capsule” flight comes with a bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne served by a host. Like all trips on London Eye, it last only 30 minutes. But the complementary truffles and $600 price tag will make it a memorable flight.

Next Stop: Bergamo, Italy

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