Comments on: How to Time Your Trip to London

on 11/22/2005 The London Eye is a must-do in London! It's like a huge ferris wheel, right on the Thames, with "capsules" each holding about 20 people. You get a full 360 degree view of London, and can walk around freely in the capsule to get photos from all viewpoints.

Here are my London Eye recommendations:

1) Book your tickets in advance at www.londoneye.co.uk -- you'll thank yourself later! The lines are very long as it's a popular site. If you book online, just remember to bring with you the same credit card you used to book your tickets. In the ticket building, go to the right and you'll find the pre-ordered ticket kiosks. Just stick your card in and it'll spit out your tickets -- no long queues to wait in!

2) Be sure to show up at least 30 minutes before your "flight" time, even if you book in advance. You still have to queue up to get onto the actual ride, and it can take 20 minutes or more to do this.

3) Go to the loo before your ride! The flight is 30 minutes long, which doesn't seem like a long time unless you *really* have to go! There are bathrooms in the downstairs level of the ticket building.

4) At the end of the ride, they take a photo of each capsule, which are available for sale later. If you want to actually BE in the photo, you have to be at the entrance of your capsule as soon as you hear the photo announcement. If you aren't, then you won't be in the photo!

P.S. For anyone who thinks the London Eye might be "too touristy" -- my British fianc thought the same thing but agreed to go because I really wanted to. It ended up being his favorite thing we did in London!