BHPian Amrik Singh recently shared this with other enthusiasts: April 2025: A hasty vacation/trip (visiting daughters) to Uthe SA was planned. I wanted to include a short time in London on the return. As we prepared our itinerary, we came across the first step – a Visit Visa for the UK. While preparing documents, it was noticed that my Wife’s Passport was due to expire within the next six months. We immediately processed Passport Renewal through ‘Tatkal Service’ and got it in two days, as there was no change in particulars. Applied for a UK Visa and received back passport well before the date of travel to the USA.Vacation in the USA and visits to Canada were enjoyable. Contrary to news of harassment crossing to the USA, our two road crossings to Canada and return (I was driving my daughter’s Car), were quite easy with just the usual questions asked at border posts.My host in London was my Cousin who stays quite close to Heathrow Airport. Our first outing was sightseeing around the Thames, and what could be better than the London Eye? It was a bright, sunny, and partly cloudy day. We took the Metro to Waterloo Station and walked over the bridge to the London Eye (Ferris Wheel). The first glimpses of the giant wheel. Walked to the Tickets Kiosk (Self Ticketing) and chose the appropriate time slot. Free Toilets were used to free and relieve us of extra weight in our bladders, and we proceeded to queue to board the London Ey,e where a surprise awaited us. The street lights /bollards at the base were worth a memory. The queue inched forward to the Security Check, where objectionable items were removed, tagged, retained, and the visitor was given a coupon for them to claim their items on return. As they saw me, an old Sikh man with a white beard, he asked. “Do you have a Kirpan (our ceremonial relic – small Sword) ?” While my answer was negative, my wife came up with an answer in affirmative answer. “Would you remove it and claim it on return?” he asked her. Before we could answer, my cousin came up to disagree. We were asked to step aside for others to get security clearance and continue their way up the ramp. After a wait of a few minutes, another Security personnel up the ramp was beckoned, and we were asked to proceed and meet him. London Eye – The Ferris Wheel doesn’t stop in its slow rotation, and all visitors deboarding/boarding the Capsules take place during its slow rotation. As the full rotation of a particular Capsule comes to an end, the Capsule is emptied at a platform, and it continues its journey further to the next platform to pick up new visitors. The Capsule While we wondered what the Security at the ramp would ask, we were positioned next to the boarding platform. As the next Capsule arrived, emptied of passengers, three of us were ushered in and the gate closed. A 20 Seater Capsule just for 3 of us! Inside, we were free to view the cityscape from any location within the Capsule without jostling others. We, the visitors. Self, Cousin, and Wife inside the Capsule. My Cousin and my Wife. Enough enjoying indoor. Start the journey by looking outdoors.A little above the River Thames Big Ben on the other end Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
