London for New Years Eve has been on Grandma’s wish list for a good for years, so we decided to go.
For this trip to London, rather than our normal wandering and museums, we went full out and booked ‘experiences’.
Our first full day, a long one, was New Years Eve, so we set out in our sparkles for the full day.
First port of call, the Van Gogh immersive exhibition. The exhibition was interesting. And you could colour your own painting, which made for a nice change and relax.
But for a 5 year old the best part was the immersive room, where you are surrounded walls, floor and ceiling with Van Goghs paintings, except that they are alive.
We also did the Virtual Reality experience, but to my surprise Bean did not like this at all. So she sat on my knee whilst I enjoyed it.
Next stop was Back to the future musical – very fun.
Then onto dinner – in an Asian fusion restaurant ‘Inamo’. Chosen for reasonable value (given as it was NYE), something we all enjoy eating, and the tables….. they were made of screens and you could sit and play games on them – individually or as a group!
Great until the food comes – then time for serious eating.
After filling up on good food we headed in to the long queue for the fireworks (ticketed only).
And then began a long cold, but thankfully dry, wait. Worth the wait?? The wait lacked atmosphere, but the fireworks were amazing. Not sure that we will do it again though. Maybe a once in a lifetime…..
A late start after a seriously late night, after a quick quality coffee and hot chocolate stop, we headed for the BBC Earth Experience.
A 70 min rolling film footage, narrated by David Attenborough, covering the 7 continents, on enormous screens all around you – it was a phenomenal experience and I could have stayed all day.
There was a couple of smaller rooms too. A magical water room where you could ‘create’ bioluminescence and walls of bubbles.
Another room with micro-photography.
And of course a final message from the great man himself as you exited.
Leaving passing some crazy ‘live’ street art, via a few streets of Christmas lights and a quick trip to Hambleys toy shop, just to see it, we had tickets to the Sky Garden.
These are free, but you need to get them 3 weeks in advance when they are released.
They do some great cocktails amongst other normal drinks and with no rush, you can relax and take your time over them with a view over London. Unfortunately for us the weather had turned wet, so the outside balcony was closed.
Drinks finished, we toured the garden part of the Sky Garden.
Our final day was a trip to the Tom Hanks Moonwalker immersive film at the Light Room, an amazing building near King’s Cross in the newly developed Coal Drops yard. The area itself is well worth a visit.
The film was a little old for a 5 year old, but she remained entertained enough to sit still. And hopefully learnt something at the same time.
It was a busy few days, took a lot of organising, but was well worth the effort. Museums next time…. But now time to go home and start 2024.
Around the world with Evie Bean 