End of 2010

The last day of the year began just as any other - a work day. Thankfully, the English have shown their wisdom in using the calendar year for many important renewals, which meant that while the main boss had surprised us all by saying we could leave at 1pm, we still had a truckload of last minute issues with so much due on 31/12...

Eventually, I got away, and despite the best efforts of the city council moving the docking stations around Westminster, I successfully “Boris Biked” my way across the city to meet up with everyone. I helped a tourist navigate how to use the Boris Bike system so as to allow me to park the bike I’d used (because the docking station was full). She needed to take her bike so I could park mine, if that makes sense. But I digress...

After a longer walk than intended, I met Sheryl, Rodney, Vanessa, Zara n Jarrett in a small pub opposite Big Ben at around 6ish. A bit later, Paul and Anna arrived, as did Tony and Lydia, and we proceeded to have a merry old time until it was time to make our way onto Embankment.

Embankment itself is the long road that runs along the bank of the Thames from the Houses of Parliment/Big Ben before it becomes Thames St at the Blackfriars Bridge. And for nearly its full length, this road was closed to traffic for the night, which gave around 200,000 of us a good view of the London Eye and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on the opposite side of the river.

We went in through the bag check and joined the already massing crowds on this road. We didn’t head too far along it, but found a spot that gave us a good view between some trees, and proceeded to plant our pile of bags (of drink and goodies). For the next three and a bit hours we were entertained by the BBC DJ’s that were broadcasting all along Embankment, as well as by those around us.

With Big Ben constantly chiming to remind us of the time, the atmosphere grew as the closer we got to midnight. Eventually, the final minute was displayed upon one of the large high-rise buildings across the river for all to see before the fireworks (and 2011) began. A very spectacular show too.

Funnily enough, once the fireworks were over the partying didn’t really kick off as many people left the area to try and avoid the masses of people that would be inevitable at the nearby tube stations. We kicked on for a bit, before we too bit the bullet and began the trek to the nearest open tube station to get us home - we made it in at around 3am...

Certainly a worthwhile exercise and a good experience to have done New Year’s Eve under Big Ben like that. Nowhere near as stressful or as madhouse as we’d expected, but then our preparation had been quite wise in byo’ing all our stuff, meeting early and getting an early place. Oh, and also to have dressed warmly, considering that the temperature was somewhere between 3C and 5C!!