For anyone thats interested, or thought of going to London for New Years Eve, here's what you can expect...
Caught the tube in from Epping, 45 minutes ride into Tottenham Court Road, should have the got onto the Northern Line for Leicester Square or Embankment, but decided to walk in hoping to catch Trafalgar Square on the way. Fat chance, took the wrong roads and ended up in Leicester Square..its not that easy to find your way about exactly. You go in the right direction, but maybe meander a bit. No problem anyway, the atmospheres good, plently of people about. I assumed i'd come in to the Embankment from Big Ben way, but somehow ended up comping in from the savoy hotel direction, some way down from Big ben, but the London Eye is clearly viewable. Set up there at about 8.30, plently of people, but all ok. As time went on, the Embankment was absolutely crammed with people by 9.30, shoulder to shoulder, lots of dancing to speakers playing radio 1...a fabulous atmosphere. So so much jostling, but 99% of people are relaxed.
Comparing the savoy end with Big Ben (which we did a couple of years ago)...Big Ben has a much better head on view of the fireworks and then, it was a more subdued, behaved crowd. At the savoy end, it was mental, lots and lots of younger people, more like a rave, but well behaved.
Lots of entertainment with odd guys climbing the trees, dancing, just a whole heap of fun.
Once the fireworks were done, we exited via Savoy Street....it took about 1/2 hour, packed shoulder to shoulder to walk 1/4 mile perhaps ?. An aimless meander with the crowds toward Trafalgar Square, extrememly difficult to make headway against opposing pedestrian traffic.
Made our way to Tottenham Court Road tube station....locked and only letting blocks of people through at a time, so very dense crowds at the entrances. There was a couple with 2 maybe 6 year old boys who looked 'worried' by the crush as we waited. Not sure i'd want to take kids in there...too risky, if you get seperated, you've got a huge problem.
Anyway, into the tube station...what do we do (the wife and i)...get seperated. I waited on each level on the way down, couldnt find here, no signal of course to ring...made my way down to the platforms, still no sign, waited at the steps on the platform for 5 minutes...there she was looking a bit phased. Alls well that ends well, just goes to show...have a plan if you get seperated.
Tube was packed like those japanese trains you see...heaving. As stops go by, it slowly empties. We being at Epping meant we eventually got a seat...eventually.
So, it too us 1.5 hours to get from the Embankment to the Central Line station...its not that far, but just that the volume of people is incredible.
I wouldnt take kids...just too dodgy.
Be prepared to be jostled.
Dont do it if you dont like crowds and noise.
The atmospheres like the biggest rave you'll ever go to.
Loved every minute of it...
Gotta say, i've never seen so many (i assume) foreign nationals. i guess 80% of the crowds were of non British origin...but all very well behaved and having the time of their lives.
Left the Embankment at maybe 00.15...got home to Peterborough at 04.30.
They won't no wot yer it is. hic.
