london

London Eye

January 16, 2012 By Danny

For all the talk people make of London having a lot of security, it’s great eye is something of a disappointment. The London Eye is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel and it sits right on the banks of the River Thames. At its height you’ll be sitting at (443ft) 135m above the river atop a diameter of (394ft) 120m.

Although the London Eye is no longer the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, as it once was, it is still the tallest one in all the world that is cantilevered. (If you don’t know what ‘cantilevered’ means, take a close look at that photo….you might notice the photographer is under the supports and that there are no supports on the other side of the wheel.) Since 2005 it has been the center of New Year’s Eve celebrations and will feature prominently in the upcoming 2012 Olympics.

IF YOU GO: Don’t worry too much about the temperature on this ride, each of the 32 capsules is climate controlled and quite comfortable on the inside. The biggest concern you should have about the London Eye is finding the best London flights from wherever you are to Heathrow or Gatwick to give it a shot. If taking the underground to visit, you’ll want to get off at the Waterloo or Westminster stations.

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Jim Bahn via a creative commons license.

Photo: Double Decker Bus

October 20, 2011 By Jillian

I’ve been on a lot of buses, from London to Patagonia buses seem to be the way the world travels. London’s double decker varietals are somewhat of a tourist attraction in addition to being transportation around the city. Double decker tours seem to have sprouted up in every major city around the world- the familiar red domed roof often replaced with open-air seating.
Interestingly enough the British aren’t the only ones with the double decker buses for transportation purposes, we traveled on two story coach buses in Argentina and Peru – they were some of the nicest buses we booked tickets on!

In the words of British statesman William Gladstone, “The way to see London is from the top of a bus.” After all, what’s more iconic than the London Double Decker?

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series

IF YOU GO: There’s loads to do in London besides ride the bus, but I’d definitely try to include one or two bus trips on your journey. Strike up a conversation with someone or just look out the window – buses often go through neighborhoods you’d never find on your own. London is a popular tourist destination so don’t forget to book a hotel in London before you go.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Metro Centric via a creative commons license

London’s Third Olympics

July 17, 2011 By Guest Blogger

The Games of the XXX Olympiad are coming to London, making it the first city to host the modern games three times (1908, 1948, 2012). For years, London has been upgrading and building to host these games, and by all accounts they’re set to be amazing. Millions of people already have tickets to see the world’s greatest athletes battle it out for Olympic gold and millions more will be doing everything they can to get a taste of the action. Whether that means watching on TV or making the effort to get into London in order to soak up the atmosphere – all of the United Kingdom, and the world, are counting down the days until it begins.

The Games already have 120 nations with qualified athletes and that is expected to rise to over 200 before the torch is lit. The sheer quantity of people means that travel will get expensive and booked quickly. Although London is doing everything it can to increase capacity; rooms, flights and tickets are selling out quickly, making it an absolute necessity to use discount travel websites. Easily accessible to the action, there are some deals to be had with a Gatwick hotel and parking package, making sight-seeing in town and on the road mega easy.

Be sure to check out more than just the Olympic Games if you do make it to town. Besides the athletic events, London is also hosting the Cultural Olympiad, which has already begun. It’s a four year arts festival that will culminate with the big London 2012 festival. Performances feature international artists from musicians to actors, dancers and visual artists from all over the world. Besides the cultural arts, the Olympics are also going green! Olympic Park will incorporate 45 hectares of wildlife (and upgrades) and organizers have even planned to run the Olympics on as much as 20% renewable power! The really nice part of these Olympics, just like many others, is that they will be spread out not just in the main city center. It’s easy to hop around and get to know parts of the country not served by the Underground (which is also being upgraded for the games). Many of the main events are outside of the center, so check out hotels outside of central London for some of the best deals. Good deals are sure to be had at Stansted airport hotels, Dublin airport hotels and even discount Manchester airport hotels, which offer quick access to transportation all over the British Isles.

The Olympics aren’t just for foreigners, either! The UK Olympic Committee has made sure that the people of Great Britain aren’t going to be priced out for events, so even if you live in the UK now is the time to find a good hotel or travel package. The Games will be an amazing spectacle and a huge portion of the country will want to be involved. Countless more from across the world will want to do the same. It’ll make London a fantastic place to be next year and beyond. Finding affordable lodging and transportation are the keys to getting to the Games.

Photo Credit: Telegraph UK

London Eye

Photo: Double Decker Bus

London’s Third Olympics

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