Evening tour of London?

[Karl V]

Now I know that driving your Atom / Nomad after dark is not everyone's cup of tea. I also know there have been a few club visits to London over the years and the last one was only 3 months ago (https://www.ariel.club/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=17383) - but I go out for a spin through London of a Sunday evening every now and then just because it is so damn pretty with all its bridges and historic landmarks lit up. Houses of Parliament, London Eye, The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace...

I'll be honest, the traffic is not great. In fact, it is the opposite of a Dawn Raid where you set out early to enjoy empty roads that are otherwise a blooming nightmare to drive. But on a Sunday evening, it is more about putting on a show and soaking up the countless tourist's photos; being part of the fabric that is sundown London.

And to make this story even less appealing, if you have read this far and are still slightly intrigued, I have found that the Autumn / Winter months are the better times to visit; purely because the sun goes to bed by 5pm and you can do a tour of London and leave before Tess and Claudia reveal the results of this week's Strictly loser.

Driving down Oxford Street / Regent Street / The Strand / Pall Mall at 6pm under the Christmas decoration lighting is a great experience in my book, even if it is a bit of stop / start due to congestion. Wrap up warm and let the engine enjoy the cold air while Father Christmas touches you with his spirit (?)

I thoroughly enjoyed the Nomad Salisbury Plains trip today (https://www.ariel.club/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=17561). Not just because we found great tracks or because the Nomad was impeccable throughout, but because we were a hoon and did daft stuff together.

So before I come over all emotional, anyone else out there tempted by an early December evening tour of that there London with all the pretty lights?

London.jpg (849.05 KiB) Viewed 1275 times

[AlanP]

Karl, absolutely. (Usual Ts and Cs apply)
A

[Karl V]

7th September already.

Only 3 more Prime Ministers until Christmas.

Doesn't time fly...

[Sir Nick]

We could be up to visit Santa in Bond Street

[Karl V]

I hear Santa will be at Spearmint Rhinos this year.

We should check just to be sure.

[Karl V]

Quick bump on this to see if anyone is (still) interested.

Looks like light switching on will start to roll out across London soon...

[Sir Nick]

Depending on the date and time, we could pop along the M4 for 2 hours...

[GraemeW]

Possibly...if we have a warmish dry evening, if we have no salt on roads, if, if, if, and if I haven't SORNed my car

[Karl V]

I'll put you down as a definitely shall I Graeme?

[Karl V]

Given how persistently piddly it's been recently, I'll probably just do a spur of the moment trip to that there London over the coming weeks.

Not sure it's worth putting any real planning effort in given the rain of late.

If anyone wants to join - at some point - with minimal notice, please shout. Otherwise, I'll see you on the other side...

[Karl V]

I think I'll head into that there London this afternoon. Should be a nice and bright with sunset being around 4pm.

Then home in time for tea...

[GraemeW]

I wish I could join you, but I'm putting finishing touches to 2020 Calendar, and Atom is SORNed in garage with a dead battery :-(

[Karl V]

Yes Graeme, I do have a spare passenger seat if that's what you're asking ;-)

Just trying to decide which one of the kids to force into a magical tour of twinkly town. Seems they're now fighting over who has the most homework to do instead.

Never thought I'd see the day...

[Karl V]

I'm trolling old threads...

So we never did pull off a late night tour of that there London last year to see famous landmarks all lit up in Christmas wonder-glow.

And of course since then, it's now £15 to pop in before 10pm, any day of the week, just to see drunkards without face masks leaving Leicester Square nightclubs before running them over and shouting "Lockdown".

So what's the difference between a night time drive and dawn raids? The Dawn Raid was conceived to have the roads to ourselves and tear up a sleepy London at 5am, as opposed to having the road to ourselves and tearing up a drunk London at 10pm. Without the sparkle of Christmas lights.

But it does mean night time driving... Which could be fun. Maybe...

[fesuvious]

Biggest issue for me is it's 2hours each way just to get there and back. Otherwise the idea of it is a proper boat floater.