New Year’s Eve London: Fireworks on the Bridge

May 22, 2015

New Year’s Eve in London is celebrated along the Victoria Embankment area of the River Thames where the London Eye and Big Ben are situated. I was lucky enough to witness the London fireworks while I was pursuing my Masters of Law from Cardiff University, Wales.

New Year’s Eve London: Fireworks on the Bridge

Getting There

On the 30^th December 2013, my friends and I booked our Megabus tickets to London, and the next day, we boarded the bus to the city of dreams, fashion, glamour, romance and where hearts of young and old beat alike. It took us approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the Victoria Coach Station, and from there, we walked to the Victoria tube station.

Accommodations

Our next mission was to find a hotel. We boarded a tube to Edgware tube station and arrived in Sussex Gardens, where we had book a hotel called, Four Stars. The owner, a Pakistani man, was kind enough to give us a discount for our stay.

After eating at Fatoush, an amazing Lebanese restaurant in the area and walking around Londinium, we headed to the Victoria embankment so that we could settle in for the firework show. Luckily, we reached the bridge only 15 minutes before it closed.

Ticketing

Though in 2013, I did not need to purchase tickets, that changed in 2014 and only those with tickets were allowed in the viewing area.

The Experience

It was a cold and breezy evening, though it became warmer as it became more crowded. I could see people from across the globe, and I knew that it London really was a melting pot of cultures. The atmosphere was very festive, with people dancing and singing, as the DJ played popular party songs. Seeing happy people made me happy, and I had a smile pasted on my face.

new years at london eye

Finally it was 11:45PM, and it seemed like it would never be midnight. We’d waited for hours to see the 12:00 fireworks show.

The theme of the 2013-14 fireworks was ‘Firsts,’ and a projection prior to the fireworks featured the Mayor of London, Mr. Boris Johnson talking about the many ‘firsts’ that had come from the United Kingdom and London itself. He then explained that these fireworks were the world’d first multi-sensory display, featuring fruit-flavored sweets and radio-controlled bracelets available to revellers. According to an information leaflet, these sweets were to be eaten prior to the display in order to prepare spectators for the flavors that they were going to experience that evening. Scented mists and edible flavored foam were also sprayed throughout the performance. The countdown began and was accompanied by the chimes of Big Ben, and a timer projected on the Shell Centre.

At midnight, the fireworks were launched off the London Eye, lasting for about eight minutes. My eyes were glued the entire time. I knew that I was witnessing one of the best fireworks in world along with other 500,000 people. The music was in perfect synchronization with the fireworks, which were a mind blowing sight. Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another. That night, I danced with my heart, and created a wonderful memory with my friends that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

New Year’s Eve London: Fireworks on the Bridge photos by Unsplash and Rani Singh.

About Rani Singh

Rani is currently working as a legal associate in a law firm in Pune, India. She is from Assam, a beautiful State in India. Rani loves law and wants to teach law at some point in her life. She also loves traveling, folk music, new cuisines, and nature. She obtained her Law degree from Cardiff University. While studying she lived and travelled across the UK and Europe. She hopes to see the whole world one day!