A shortage of hot sunny days in the city this summer made them all the more special when they did occur. In my case they became the inspiration for replacing the usual Tube ride home from the office with the riverboat from Embankment to Putney. How thrilling to take my place among the savvy commuters and breeze-seeking tourists as we headed west into the sunset atop an endearingly noisy and somewhat fumy old tub. Yes, it meant an extra hour or so on my journey and was marginally more expensive... but what a treat to employ the majestic river Thames as a mode of transport.
But, if you happen to be heading east on the river it's a whole other story. From the grandeur of Millbank to the wastelands of Woolwich, the divine Thames Clippers rule the waves. They’re efficient, slick, high-speed and ever-so stylish — think Bond's arrival in London in The World is Not Enough and you begin to get the picture. These sleek catamarans with evocative monikers such as Meteor, Cyclone and Hurricane (the latter complete with Damien Hirst livery), whisk you past such landmarks as both 'Tates', the Tower of London, the glittering new world of Canary Wharf and onward to historic Greenwich and the Millennium Dome — which has finally found its true vocation as The O2 music venue. With tickets costing from a fiver, a spacious cabin to protect you from the marauding winter elements and, more importantly, a bar serving a very decent gin & tonic, you may want to take up residence.
For more information see thamesclippers.com. Find out more fantastic reasons to visit London.
