Even on the foggiest of London days, it is almost impossible NOT to see the London Eye from dozens of locations within central London. This ferris wheel, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is one of the largest observation wheels in the world towering 443 feet (135m) above the Thames River.

From the Eye (assuming a clear English day), you can get a fantastic 360 degree view of London. Many landmarks are easily recognizable such as Buckingham Palace, Parliament Building, and Big Ben. Westminster Abbey, The British Museum, the Tate Modern, and many others are also close by.

The interesting thing about the Eye is that it actually never stops moving, even when passengers are exiting or embarking. The Eye moves slow enough that one revolution takes about 30 minutes to complete. However, if there are slow passengers such as the elderly or disabled, then the Eye will stop to accommodate them.

The London Eye is very accessible and is within walking distance of many major sites. Even though it is not a highly adventurous ride, it does provide an excellent opportunity to get an overview of the London landscape.

We arrived at Waterloo Station by train after a half day of sightseeing at Hampton Court Palace. As we were looking at our pocket map and trying to figure out how to get back to our hotel, we noticed that the London Eye is across the street from Waterloo Station. We decided to check it out before heading back to the hotel.

The London Eye (a.k.a. the Eye) is a 450-foot observation wheel whose purpose is to provide tourists with a panoramic view of the city. Instead of seats like an amusement park Ferris wheel, the Eye has glass capsules with benches that can accommodate groups of people. There is a ticket hall in front of the Eye that houses a ticket counter, a souvenir shop, and an exhibit that explains the engineering challenges that were overcome during construction of the wheel.

We were told that the lines to ride this attraction can be quite long at times. Fortunately, this was not the case for us. We arrived there around 6pm and were able to purchase our tickets and board the Eye right away. The ride (or flight experience as it is referred to in the brochure) lasts for approximately a half hour. The rotation of the wheel is slow enough that your body does not feel any severe motion effects as it might on a thrill ride. As the London Eye slowly revolves, you are able to get a nice view of London and some of its famous landmarks — especially Big Ben and the parliament buildings.

It had been raining off and on that day but by the time we were on the Eye, the rain was coming down in buckets. This was unfortunate for us because we were not able to take any good pictures of the city. Instead, we had to deal with beads and streaks of rain water on the glass of our observation capsule. While I recommend taking a ride on the London Eye, my advice is to avoid this attraction if it is raining.

Standing at 135m high, the London Eye is a sight in itself. After reading the recommendations for the Eye, we knew we had to take a spin. It was amazing to see just how big London is from way up there. It was also very helpful to see where everything was in comparison to everything else. Maps and street signs can only give you an idea of the area, but the Eye can show you how it all looks. At 13BP per person, the 30- to 40- minute "trip" is quite costly but worth it for the pictures you can get! We bought some sandwiches and chips in the lobby and ate them while on board. Each capsule can hold 25 people, but they only put about 15 to 20 in each to make it roomier. The pods have a bench in the middle to sit on if you would like, but most like to stand and take pictures of the view.

One of the things that I enjoyed the most in London was going on the London Eye. The trip is about 30 minutes, and we got the chance to see the sunset on it.

Having missed the IgoUgo opening night extravaganza, we arrived at the London Eye full of perky enthusiasm to find a clutch of people I vaguely recognized, trying to look unrecognizable in an array of hats and sunglasses. It was clear that the excitement of the previous evening had got to a number of the party, and they were not all as pleased to meet the Tomato as he was expecting. He has a method for dealing with this, however, and Mutt was on the receiving end of two days of particularly hard stares.

To build up anticipation for what was to come, our ‘flight’ was delayed long enough for a few hangovers to wear off and for the cheeky one to work his grubby magic on a number of the party. When the call came to board, we headed the charge for the pods – a year of preferential boarding of aeroplanes does that to a family - only to be informed that buggies are not allowed. The Tomato unleashed inside the bubble without restraining mechanism? Is that wise? A further blow was the discovery that we could check only the buggy. The multitude of bags, coats, food and assorted stuff had to remain with us. Bear this in mind, all who follow.

Still, such setbacks often have fringe benefits. We rejoined the rear of the party, largely consisting of friendly female IgoUgo staffers. Smiles and attention for the Tomato, along with a distinct lack of beards (it seems to be facial hair that perplexes – as if he’s not sure which way round the head is). The day was looking up.

The London Eye is a spectacular way to see a spectacular city. Its clever design, placing the cars so they are always on the outside of the structure, ensures incredible views for most of the 30-minute journey. The historic city spreads out below, and everyone begins to snap photos and share their observations. Just over the river to the west is a strip of the most familiar real estate. The imposing opulence of the various government buildings that line Whitehall is book-ended by the reassuring Big Ben and the surprisingly diminutive Nelson’s Column. At the top of the wheel, 135 metres above the Thames, the 360-degree view is complete and encourages a little awe--that’s if you’re not crawling around on the floor or trying to put your hand in the woefully inadequate air-conditioning unit, of course.

The Blonde and I took it in turns to apologise to our fellow passengers, as the Tomato did his best to trip them up or use them as a climbing frame. The Blonde took the opportunity to correct any preconceptions about her that may have developed from my journals, and I mostly sweated.

The London Eye is great. It’s even better than that when it's free and enjoyed with good company, but it does still justify the somewhat steep £11.25 (online) fare.