The Stay At Home Tourist

One day in early March I decided to see London as Tourists do. From a sightseeing bus. I have done this before many times but never in winter, it was still quite cold in March. I chose a no-stop tour that was cheap. Why not it would be cold and there was a very big chance it would be wet to. So I set to work on the internet and found a tour that fitted perfectly what I wanted. A little treat for my wife and a nice way to spend a couple of hours together without spending to much. I know I seem a little tight on the purse strings but it was still early in the year and I still had to pay of the last of the Christmas bills.

My internet search lead me to a tour I had seen about while out and about in London but never tried before. A non-stop tour by Megasightseeing London. Yes part of Megabus so I thought it must be OK. I booked online for two people for the last tour of the next day at 5.pm. I good time I thought early enough for it still to be daylight and late enough for it to be dark when we finish. Well it worked when I visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris a couple of years ago with my daughter. This time as i was with my wife I thought it had the add bonus of being romantic, well as romantic as a London sightseeing tour can be.

On the evening of the trip we arrive at our starting point at Waterloo on the Southbank, just a short walk from the London Eye and the Royal Festival Hall. When we reached the bus stop that said mega sightseeing a young man appeared from nowhere and said the bus will be here soon. I say that as the bus stop was a bit a lone shall we say. between the  two sights but not really on the local tourist trail. I suppose the new development where the Shell Centre once stood had something to do with that. Anyway after a few minutes a big blue bus appeared and the previous tour got off and after the nice young man had checked the bus for the odd left leg that had be mislaid we got on. It was at this point he hit us with a bit of a surprise. We were the only people booked on this tour. As we sat waiting for the bus to move I admit we were hit by a pang of guilt. Oh no would the bus run anyway even if was empty or could the diver slip of early. 

At 5.pm on the dot the bus moved off and the recorded commentary started we put those thoughts behind us. The commentary was good and informative and the evening clear after the rain in the mid afternoon. Over Waterloo Bridge and along Fleet street the evening traffic keeping the pace enjoyable. As we hit the City and crossed the river again at London Bridge darkness was starting to fall and London changed. The building take on a different perspective in thee dark. The Shard and the Tower Of London, Tower Bridge and the city itself all look completely different at night. Back over the River at Tower Bridge and away back through the city towards Westminster. After Blackfriars Bridge the road runs along the river give great views of both the river up to and beyond Westminster the river Thames itself and the sights on the south-side of the river like the London Eye. You can of course also see the sights of the north river bank as well like Somerset House with it's boat-mans river entrance. Although now on the road and away from the river and of course Big Ben at the very end of he embankment.

Piccadilly Circus at Night

Now fully dark the bus made its way round Parliament square with its many statues and view of the The Palace of Westminster and on into Whitehall and up to Nelson's Column and Trafalgar Square and on up to Piccadilly Circus with it's famous illuminated advertising. It had started to rain a little by now but this did not bother us as our bus had a roof over the front section of top deck. We made our way back passed the theatres of the Haymarket before heading back up Pall Mall to St James Palace and up back along Piccadilly passed the Ritz hotel and Green Park and up to Hyde Park corner before taking a short trip up to Marble Arch along Park Lane before going back round Hyde Park Corner to show us Buckingham Palace. The bus can't go right in front of the Palace but yo get close enough to get the idea. then back to Westminster and back to Waterloo where we started.

We had a great time made all the and more romantic by us having the bus to ourselves. We had a private tour of London for a price I could not tell you. Only to say if you know of Mega bus this tour has the the same pricing system so goes up as the the bus gets booked.  I would do it again but maybe next tie with a few more people on board.