The London Eye

A prominent landmark in South bank, just across from the Big Ben on the other side of the Westminster Bridge is the Coca Cola London Eye. An icon of London along the Thames for nearly 2 decades.

Costing a whopping £24.95/adult and £19.95/child (March 2017 prices), it doesn't come cheap! However it has become such an icon that there are many replicas of the "eye" on river banks across the world.

According to an Internet trivia, the London Eye receives more visitors per year than the Taj Mahal or the pyramids of Giza. It is not considered a Ferris (or Giant) wheel but the world's tallest observation wheel with 32 capsules representing the 32 boroughs of London. 

 

Ferries whizz past the London Eye on the Thames, ferrying people from across the banks of one of the most important rivers in history - the Thames.

People on the Queen's walk look up and gape at the capsules and the views it must be offering people that were lucky enough to get onto it.

All this while the Eye rotates at a snail's pace of 26 cm/sec, offering a flight across London in as little as 30 minutes.

The queues start early at the ticket offices located in the County Hall just across from the entrance to the eye. Tourists line up eagerly to cough up the sky high (pun intended) asking price just to have "been there and done that"! The tickets go so fast that within an hour of opening the morning tickets are sold out. Most of the times visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets at their website (https://www.londoneye.com). 

A short 4D movie takes the visitors on a virtual ride before queuing up for roughly 20 minutes to board the capsule. A quick security check and then we line up to enter the large glass capsule.

Cameras at the ready, your 30 minutes flight begins now! Views all around are plenty. On a clear day you can see up to 40 kms in every direction, they claim! Sadly, the number of clear days on London's weather calendar aren't many.

You can see the Thames curving to the east...

Follow the river and then you see some iconic buildings and landmarks (St. Pauls Cathedral, The walkie-talkie and The Shard) to the east...

Then follow the Thames to the south, catching sight of the Westminster Bridge, the houses of Parliament, the Westminster Abbey and further...

Do not forget to the smile at the camera just as you near the bottom of the wheel. After a quick glance at the 360º views, you disembark from the capsule and visit the shop to see your photos and perhaps, for buying a couple of souvenirs.

Tips

1. Westminster. 
Use the exit to Westminster Pier for quick access to the Westminster Bridge.

2. South bank and the area near the London Eye is always crowded; keep an eye on your belongings though there have been rare cases of theft.

3. Tickets are very expensive. However there are some offers always around. There's the Kellogg's grown-ups-go-free offer, where you only pay for a child ticket - a cut-off coupon found on certain Kellogg's cereal boxes at certain times of the year in the UK. There is a 2For1 offered by National Rail. Visit https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/london-eye for more details. Tesco's club card vouchers also entitle you to get the tickets at certain times. If all fails, you can always save more by purchasing combined tickets for more than one attraction that you're intending to visit in the UK (https://www.londoneye.com/days-out-in-london/)

4. Time your visit to coincide with sunset. If that is not an option ensure that the sun isn't directly behind or above the Houses of Parliament. Use https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/uk/london to determine the position and angle of the sun. The Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are on the west and are the most photographed attraction from the London Eye and the sun shining directly into the camera isn't a favourable scenario.

5. It is always a good idea to purchase tickets on the day of the ride as the weather is quite unpredictable in London and a £25 wash-out isn't on top of everyone's list. If purchasing tickets for the day it is always a good idea to purchase the tickets in the morning and return in the evening to board. There's so much to do in the area in the meantime.

6. If you do not feel like spending the £25 for the 30 minute flight, you can get similar views for free from The Sky Garden at Fenchurch Street. Read more here - The Sky Garden.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

 

The Hogwarts castle

The world of Harry Potter!

No other character has gripped book lovers as much as the Harry Potter series in recent times. Many believe it is true.. many wish it were true! For further joy there’s the movies that were released based on the book. Daniel Radcliffe remains “The boy who lived” though he has moved on to portray other roles. No one could portray Hermione better than Emma Watson. The actors, the sets, the props are so real.. they bring to life the words of JK Rowling. 

The Great Hall

The teachers in the Great Hall

It’s the dream of any HP fan to be able to feel what it’s like to be in the world of magic.. in the world of Harry Potter. Universal Studios has come up with a themed attraction in many of their parks.. but wait, there’s something more real in London.

The Warner Bros studio tour of The making of Harry Potter! The original sets, the original props, the original costumes and even some of the CG that was used in the movie are brought to life in the exclusive tour. These sets were retained from HP1 as the decision to make subsequent parts was decided long ago. Unlike a lot of other movies where they pull down the sets to make way for another set in the studio, the sets of the HP series were retained until Deathly Hallows part 2 was made. After which they decided to let the fans revel in the “magical” atmosphere! The entire studio and back lot of Warner Brothers at Watford, just a few minutes out of London, has been left as it were after the last shot of Deathly Hallows Part 2 was filmed. 

Here are some favourite spots inside the studio tour. 

The Gryffindor Common Room

The Hogwarts Express

The Burrow

The Potions classroom in the dungeons with Prof Snape

No. 4 Privet Drive Little Whinging Surrey

“Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney… letters came pelting out of the fireplace…”

Diagon Alley

The wooden bridge in Hogwarts Castle

Dumbledore’s office

The Knight Bus

The place was filled with sets, props and memorabilia from the series that it is not possible to absorb everything in one visit. 

Ollivanders? Fake wand boxes with the name of every member of the crew of Harry Potter!

The visit doesn’t come cheap and it’s not a personal tour either. There are hoardes of visitors anytime of the day and it is very difficult to get that exclusive shot except for the sets that have been cordoned off. The best kept secret is to book yourself the first slot of the day. Even then it can get very crowded. The morning tickets sell out months in advance. The tickets during special events like Hogwarts in Snow or Christmas decorations in the great hall sell out much before. Unless you really want to see them it’s best to avoid visiting during the holidays as it can be very very crowded.

Other options include booking from Golden tours. But these tickets come at a premium and I absolutely wouldn’t recommend it unless you have no other options.

Tickets -

Visit the official website to book the tickets for the tours. If you can't find slots you'd really like, you can check back many times to see some new slots popping open. From my experience this works best around 9-10 am UK time. 

Time required -

Allot, at the very least, half a day. The first half of the tour takes more time than the back lot and beyond. Add more time if you'd be standing in line for the CG experiences. And then some more if you intend to have a meal. There's so much to look and photograph and considering that it'll be very crowded it might take more time to photograph the set like you want to.

Food and drink options - 

Of course, do not miss the butter beer sold in the Backlot Cafe.  It tastes a bit like butterscotch. There are at least a couple cafes but The backlot cafe is when most would be hungry. The menu was satisfactory and the service quick. There were vegetarian options too. The price seemed reasonable compared to the rest of the souvenirs and shops in the studio!

Photography - 

Most of the sets have purple, blue, red or pink lights on them that pictures will definitely not turn out like what you've seen in the movies. Except for the back lot which has the Knight bus, Privet Drive, the bridge and a few other props, everything else is indoors. It's good to bring a camera which allows you to choose higher ISOs or has a lower f-stop to get some good quality pictures.

Shopping -

The souvenirs are pretty expensive. It'd help to order commonly available HP themed stuff off eBay before you visit. Saves a lot of $$ and ££ unless you're very particular about quality or buying a very memorable memento. There are some items that are available exclusively in the souvenir shop here. My children got a pygmy puff and some sweets labeled Honeydukes.

The Sky Garden

London is a very fascinating city! The new and the old co-exist harmoniously. An old church does not seem out of place amidst a group of buildings built in steel and glass. Neither does a 36 storey building right across from the The Shard!

20 Fenchurch Street, or the more adorable name for it locally, the walkie-talkie tower, rises unassumingly among a group of short storied buildings. A well-known landmark in the new and changing skyline of central London, it opened it's top floor to the public just over a year ago. 

A dedicated entrance at the back of the building welcomes visitors to the restaurants and the viewing gallery at Sky Garden. A quick scan of the bar code on the pre booked tickets, an airport style security check and a super fast lift whisks you up to the 35th floor.

A large indoor area with cafe style tables and lounge style couches welcomes you on the 35th floor. There's a cafe selling expensive coffees and drinks. However your eyes are soon distracted by the view outside the supersized windows.

The Francis Golding terrace (closed during inclement weather) beckons you for unrivalled views from Canary Wharf to the Wembley Stadium and everything in between. And if you time the visit right you can marvel at the awe-inspiring vision of the sun setting over the roof tops of London.

After gaping at the views from the terrace it's time to head back inside and climb the stairs to access the 36th floor. If you're wondering about the garden from "Sky Garden" you'll notice it now! The stairs on the extreme left and right are flanked by lush greenery - a garden in the 35th floor indeed, though I doubt if anyone would visit to see the garden!

It's now time to see the cheese grater and the space shuttle or more formally known as Tower 42 and The Gherkin from the bar and viewing gallery at the 36th. 

Once you've marvelled at the views here, a stair just behind the bar takes you to the top floor of the building - the 37th. It's a terrace off the Fenchurch restaurant and offers you, well, even more views!

It's now time to walk down the stairs on the other side and try and spot all the points of interest marked on the glass windows. From St. Paul's to Tate Modern to Tower of London to the London Eye, Westminster and everything beyond!

If you dawdle long enough you can also catch lights sparkling across the streets of London.

And also in the Sky Garden

While your wallet becomes lighter by about £20 if you were to cross the London Bridge to go up The Shard, it's absolutely free to visit Sky Garden. All you need is to book your convenient slot when it opens up (3 weeks ahead) at https://skygarden.london/booking. 

Access

Monument, Bank, or Tower Hill

Fenchurch Street, Canon Street

Bank, Tower Gateway

Pompeii

24 August 79AD - A date that will be etched in memory forever. The day the fury of Mount Vesuvius was unleashed on the least suspecting town of Pompei; A walled Roman city with a thriving port in the middle of the Bay of Naples. People sought refuge from the raining of pumice and ash from the erupting volcano but in vain. Chivalrous admirals tried rescuing people from the fury by arranging boats to escape from the fuming mountain. Unfavourable winds on the coast thwarted their attempts. An entire city and its people perished in the wrath of nature.

Centuries later, in the year 1599, the digging of a canal near the river Sarno led to rediscovery of the ancient town that had been preserved under centuries of pumice and ash. A discovery that every historian and archeologist would dream to be part of. The beauty of Pompeii is that it doesn’t stop at interesting historians and archeologists alone. As most of the city remained intact after it remained undiscovered until the modern era, the roads, layouts and most of the original walls, columns, frescoes and mosaics were still intact. This helps even the common man figure things out. 

Seeing the cart tracks on the roads or feeling the walls of houses (gently, of course) from 2000 years ago gives me goose bumps! What would life have been like, back then? Imagine walking along the roads wearing a tunic, chariots passing by with the hooves of horses clicking on the stones, drinking water from a roadside fountain and stepping into an office in the forum that overlooks Mount Vesuvius - a life that could only be imagined now and Pompeii offers enough scope for such imagination!

The temple of Venus	The Forum Baths	The Basilica
A sacrificial altar	Mosaic at House of Faun	Stunning fresco at Villa of Mysteries
Cart tracks on the roads	A large road	A drinking water fountain
A tree lined avenue	House of Faun	Elaborate mosaic work
Ancient vineyard	Amphitheatre

Getting to Pompeii

1. The commuter train, Circumvesuviana, from Naples Garibaldi (or Porta Nolana) costs about EUR2.60 pp and takes about 35-40 minutes to get to Pompei scavi (or Villa dei Misteri station). Contrary to all the reports of pick-pocketing or crowds, this is the most convenient and economical option to get there. We traveled during December and it was not very crowded. You may not get seats as soon as you board but you will eventually. We traveled with luggage and two children and did not find it difficult at all. Be aware of your surroundings and keep your valuables hidden away and you’ll be just fine. 
2. Taxis - The pre-determined fare for a round trip from Naples to Pompeii with a stop for 2 hours is EUR90. However 2 hours is highly inadequate to see the ruins. For a distance of 25kms x 2, the rates seem pretty exorbitant. Also bear in mind most of the taxi drivers will charge you extra (calling them supplements) claiming some reason or the other. If you’re not comfortable with the language, there’s little else you can do but pay what he demands. 
3. Private taxis charge about EUR80 one way. They speak English very well and can pick you up from your hotel or points in the city or even the airport and drop you off at one of the entrances to the ruins. They also offer services the other way around. 
4. The Curreri Viaggi bus to/from airport stops at Pompei along the main road that joins the highway and costs EUR 10 pp.

(All prices as of December 2016)

Time needed

It took us about 3.5 hours to see most of the site, including the Villa dei Misteri which is about a 10 minute walk from the main site. There were many villas and houses that we did not visit. Many villas and areas were also closed for restoration work. It is always a good idea to check the website (http://www.pompeiisites.org/index.jsp?idProgetto=2) for what’s open and plan the visit based on that. Only about two-thirds of the city have been excavated and I would estimate between 4 to 5 hours to see the entire site and spend time admiring the details.

Facilities

There’s a cafe inside the site that serves everything from coffee, snacks to lunches. The prices were slightly above than average. We liked the food quality. There’s also a restaurant opening soon. Toilets scattered around the site. There are free maps and guide books offered near the ticket offices. There are also directions posted along some routes. There are official guides available at the entrance near the ticket booths for a price (I think EUR 10pp) who take you around the site. I also noticed some official staff in some of the villas who answered any questions you might have. 

Tickets

Tickets cost EUR13 per adult and children go free. We purchased the Campania arteCard Tuttle le Regione for EUR32 and that gave us free ride on the Circumvesuviana and free entry to the first two sites that we wanted to visit.

Guide and pre-trip research

I purchased this site guide before I left on the trip. This offered me great insight into the discoveries, the history of the region and the site. I saw the same book being sold in Naples for EUR5 (not sure of the version). There are older and used versions of this book being sold on Amazon (both US and UK sites) for much lower prices.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pompeii-Guide-site-Giovanni-Guzzo/dp/8837095031/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482581194&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=pompeii+guide+peter+giovanni

There is an episode on Pompeii (and Naples) by Rick Steves. 

He also offers a free audio guide on his website.

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy

(Scroll down to see the audio tour podcast (in mp3) and map)