Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Visited the “London Eye” on Sunday. Jeez, what a thing, &  it was heaving with punters.

Apparently, it is the most visited paid attraction in the UK, 3.5 million passengers per annum, with regular tickets starting @ around £20. Yup, £70 million in ticket revenue pa. The original cost was £70 million, 13 years ago. Nice, although it has endured some skinto-ness, & several changes of ownership.

It is now owned by Merlin Entertainments, who are huge in Theme Parks, 2nd largest in the world, I think. Their other UK “attractions” (very creative use of the word in some cases) include Alton Towers, LegoLand, Chessington, Madame Tussuads, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle (what?), Sea Life Centres, & oddest of all, Chessington Holiday Inn. Go figure that one.     

I intended to book a seat Online, but the “Flexi Fast Track” tickets promised an “average 15 minutes waiting time”, which seemed like corporate speak for an hour, & Ryanair Priority Boarding style added value, so I never bothered, & I swerved going on it eventually. Shame, as a great opportunity to take some botched snaps of London’s skyline.

Incredible piece of construction, though.

Look away though, as I did take some photographs, of a sort. You shall not be spared.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Eye



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_Entertainment_Group


It really is a spectacular piece of kit though, much larger than you could possibly imagine. And no, this photo is not mine.

Click to see full-size image.

[The Camel]

Also, talking about how people off the telly are in real life..

I spent an afternoon last summer with David Mitchell, he was really a good bloke. Funny and interesting.

He stopped for every single photo and autograph request too. Except one, we were late for somewhere when two girls asked for a picture.

"Really haven't got the time" he said to them.

On forum somewhere they probably said he's a miserable bastard.

[tikay]

Keith, you heathen! It's beautiful. Proper class, that. To be fair, hard to imagine a QPR supporter apprerciating class stuff.

[tikay]

Also, talking about how people off the telly are in real life..

I spent an afternoon last summer with David Mitchell, he was really a good bloke. Funny and interesting.

He stopped for every single photo and autograph request too. Except one, we were late for somewhere when two gorls asked for a picture.

"Really haven't got the time" he said to them.

On forum somewhere they probably said he's a miserable bastard.

David Mitchell? I like him so much I think he should be locked in a room with Frank Warren, Max Clifford, & Richard Branson.

[TightEnd]

Also, talking about how people off the telly are in real life..

I spent an afternoon last summer with David Mitchell, he was really a good bloke. Funny and interesting.

He stopped for every single photo and autograph request too. Except one, we were late for somewhere when two gorls asked for a picture.

"Really haven't got the time" he said to them.

On forum somewhere they probably said he's a miserable bastard.

David Mitchell? I like him so much I think he should be locked in a room with Frank Warren, Max Clifford, & Richard Branson.

no accounting for taste. My regard for Mr Mitchell as a funny and v intelligent guy is up there with Fry.

Funny old world!

[DaveShoelace]

David Mitchell is great - possibly on telly a bit too much - but yes, I also put him in the Stephen Fry category. Plus he is the best thing about Peep Show, which is one of the best UK sitcoms in years. 

Question for Camel - does he go on little 'angry at dissecting minor nuances of what someone just said' type rants in real life or is he a bit more relaxed?

Question for Tikay - why no love for Branson? I'm not fussed either way, but figured he would be on your list of man crushes for what he has achieved. Is it the beard?

[AlunB]

Strange fact - we are not allowed to post Photos of children, or anyone under 16, on the Forum next door, nor can we have Studio Guests under the age of 25 if they plan to talk about poker.

Ask Betfair about that rule....

Not really that strange. It's just the rules the ASA impose.

http://www.cap.org.uk/The-Codes/BCAP-Code/BCAP-Code-Item.aspx?q=Test_Specific+Category+Sections_17+Gambling_Rules_Rules+for+gambling+advertisements#c640

[tikay]

So, back to the London Eye, & those photos.

I mentioned the serious amount of people, & thus queues, & I don’t do queues, I am allergic to them, (medical term “impatience”).

In the 1st photo, is the queue, these people all have regular tickets, & have already queued once. Note the queue continues in the upper background. Kiss goodbye to a few hours if you are in that. The Eye has a capacity of 800, & takes 30 minutes to complete an orbit, identical to an orbit at G-luton in the tenner rebuy.

The 2nd Photo is the excellent “Fast Track” system, where you just poll up & jump straight on, which, as you can see, works splendidly.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

Stunningly beautiful?

I think it is perfectly awful.

Not enough money in the world to get me to live there.

That comment has caught my interest Keith. If you wouldn't mind elaborating, what aspect / aspects do you find awful?

[tikay]

Official Correction & Apology.

I believe I may have got confused between David Mitchell (very intelligent & bright guy) and Jimmy Carr, who scares me, his eyebrows almost meet in the middle, always a sign of inbreeding.

Sorry.

Click to see full-size image.

[david3103]

Jimmy is possibly one of the most approachable of people. When he's touring, which is most of the time, he always invites his audience to join him in the bar after the show. Few do, although I believe the numbers are growing now that people realise he means it.

My daughter's a huge fan and has nothing but good words for his amiability in that post-show drink.

Sadly he sometimes allows his desire for a laugh to overtake the boundaries of taste. But that's true of many people. The guilty laugh is a common occurrence.

[DaveShoelace]

Never been a big fan of him on TV, but I reckon he is the hardest working man in showbiz, and he is hands down the greatest at dealing with hecklers, through sheer experience I think. Seen him live three times (Got tickets for him as presents three times, off the same people, despite saying I didn't like him) and watching him destroy hecklers was like watching Messi with a ball.

[rex008]

It is now owned by Merlin Entertainments, who are huge in Theme Parks, 2nd largest in the world, I think. Their other UK “attractions” (very creative use of the word in some cases) include Alton Towers, LegoLand, Chessington, Madame Tussuads, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle (what?), Sea Life Centres, & oddest of all, Chessington Holiday Inn. Go figure that one.     

Warwick Castle is a great place with kids. It's an impressive piece of architecture, and was one of the first properties in the UK to generate their own electricity for lighting (1900). Plus, they have a working full-size Trebuchet. And you can't get better than that.



The "hamster wheels" are used to wind it up - 2 men each side. Awesome sight to watch.

Oh, and they own Chessington Holiday Inn as it's on site at the theme park. In fact you can look out the back over the zoo and see antelope and stuff. If you stay there you can get in the park 1hour early as well. Good stuff.

[bobAlike]

So, back to the London Eye, & those photos.

I mentioned the serious amount of people, & thus queues, & I don’t do queues, I am allergic to them, (medical term “impatience”).

In the 1st photo, is the queue, these people all have regular tickets, & have already queued once. Note the queue continues in the upper background. Kiss goodbye to a few hours if you are in that. The Eye has a capacity of 800, & takes 30 minutes to complete an orbit, identical to an orbit at G-luton in the tenner rebuy.

The 2nd Photo is the excellent “Fast Track” system, where you just poll up & jump straight on, which, as you can see, works splendidly.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Tikay, I took my family for a weekend away to London, I was staying at the Park Plaza County Hall.
We must have passed each other at some point as I was at the Aquarium Sunday morning.

When I used to work for the prison service they gave me an apartment for the best part of 6 months at County Hall. Fantastic location and I had 2 parking spaces lol.

Previous occupant of the apartment was John Prescott.

[The Camel]

David Mitchell is great - possibly on telly a bit too much - but yes, I also put him in the Stephen Fry category. Plus he is the best thing about Peep Show, which is one of the best UK sitcoms in years. 

Question for Camel - does he go on little 'angry at dissecting minor nuances of what someone just said' type rants in real life or is he a bit more relaxed?

Question for Tikay - why no love for Branson? I'm not fussed either way, but figured he would be on your list of man crushes for what he has achieved. Is it the beard?

He was very relaxed, but funny too. Amazingly knowledgeable too. Whatever the topic if conversation he seemed well versed in most everything.

One small, amusing rant over dinner about olive oil, but I think that was just playing to the crowd.

How he handled all the autograph and picture requests with such bonhomie was beyond me. Seemed like one in five people wanted to stop him. Would have driven me crazy, made me feel alot of sympathy for famous people.