Given that London is home to millions of sights and stories, the average London tour doesn’t tend to do justice to them. We often hear the same tales and anecdotes shared in the same way, as we walk the typical sights and the same streets.
Thames Rockets do things slightly differently. One warm September evening we embarked a bright red speed boat at London Eye Pier for a guided tour that genuinely blew our minds. The 50 minute Ultimate London Adventure. We might have started off at the Houses of Parliament, a place we all knew well, but never before had I been told that the flag at the top is the size of a tennis court – and it’s my new favourite fact. We were taken out east past Somerset House, the OXO Tower, the MI5 building, Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard, Millennium Bridge and more as interesting facts and new revelations were told in a fun and interesting way to our merry band of six people – all socially distanced of course.
But it’s once you get past the river police building just up from Tower Bridge that things really start to get exciting. Because that’s when the speed restrictions lift. And the driver cranked up the engine as we zoomed and twisted and curved at speeds of 30 knots – which is 35 miles per hour for those of us without seafaring experience. Tunes blared out, we smiled and cheered, and it was an utter delight to be on board. We often walk along The Thames, or cross bridges over The Thames, but are rarely actually on this river that is the life blood of London.
As we cruised back towards our start point, the sun began to set on the city, and it looked as beautiful as ever. A can of Pimms helped. Thrills and spills aboard Thames Rockets are wholly recommended.
