The Tallest Moving Observation Tower in the World !
The Tallest Moving Observation Tower in the World
13 hours agorea67 in cnI have no idea how this happened but the weather is the UK has transformed into a tropical heatwave! Maybe I managed to bring a slice of it back home with me when leaving Crete. Who knows? Lol.My parents are visiting for a few weeks and they were actually staying home in London while I was on holiday. Now I'm back and welcomed by this "roasting humidity", I thought why not take everyone on a trip to the seaside. The closest one to me being Brighton beach! Another reason for visiting there was to check out the British Airways i360.The tallest moving observation tower in the world!
I am so glad I did as the views of Brighton from above were incredible and breath-taking. Clear blue skies with not a cloud in sight, the calm sea water below and picturesque green, rolling hills in the distance. Awe-inspiring stuff, I tell you!Located at the end of the West Pier, the British Airways i360 is a colossal 162 meters tall situated next to the seafront of Brighton. It was designed by architectural company Marks Barfiedl, who also created the London Eye. To see it before your very eyes allows you to realise just how much planning and effort must have gone into creating this grand structure.This attraction is a relatively new addition to Brighton's entertainment venues with the tower opened only in August last year. It has regular “flight” times every 30 minutes. The ticket prices are £16 per adult (£14.50 if booked online).The whole operation is run by British Airways.
The staff were all sporting the official attire of stewards and stewardess's who all displayed their usual helpful and friendly manner. From the entrance onward, you are treated as if boarding a real airliner. I had to go through the routine checking procedures such as bag searches and a full body scan. I suppose is all adds to the authentic experience they were trying to provide us with.Next up was the “departure lounge”. A small cordoned off section comprising of a ringside view of the tower itself and a few deck chairs facing the seafront for more serene relaxation.Once in the pod, the glass fibre doors shut and we began ascending. The movement was so smooth, it was hardly noticeable at first, lol. Thank god for that as I've always been a little scared of the heights.But this was just perfect. :)The viewing area was very impressive indeed, with the pod protecting us all in a strong steel and glass encasing. There was plenty of room to walk around and take in the 360 degree spectacle showcasing all of Brighton. I was told that on the clearest of days, you could see all the way across to the Isle of Wight in the west! I looked out of it but got too distracted with the other unbelievable sights all around me, lol!Comfortable seating arrangements were provided around the central core for those who cannot bear to look down, lol. Glad I wasn't one of them and bravery managed to get the best of me. :)
On board, there was also the Nyetimber Sky Bar serving a range of fine drinks for all the passengers. With English “champagne” at £10 a glass, it was a little expensive I feel. But that's the image they were trying to portray. A life of luxury and freedom, high up in the clouds above.I can't express how truly stunning the view from the top was! I've been to Brighton quite a number of times in the past but never thought I'd ever view it in such glorious detail. The South Coast being a particularly beautiful sight! However, as you can see, my photographic shots were somewhat hampered by the reflective glass panelling.I do apologise for that but there didn't seem to be a way round it. :(The whole process was ultra slick and expertly delivered. My only mild suggestion would be to say that it could have been more interactive. They did have television screens advertising the different countries British Airways travel to in the pod, but I thought it would have been nice to have some featured points of interest so people could look out for them.The “flight” was over after twenty-five minutes.
The pod came back down (several minutes duration in each direction) and the passengers exited via another glass door into a small exhibition centre and souvenir shop.The exhibition boosted photographs and historical videos explaining how the British Airways i360 was built, which I found very interesting. Not only did it take 200 tonnes of reinforced steel bars to make it's solid foundation, but this tower was also assembled in a very innovative way – from the top down!What a nice little touch to end with!The ride was memorable and the views utterly fantastic and not for the faint of heart. An overall fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone visiting good old Brighton seaside.
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Sort Order: trending[-]vinyprop50 · 12 hours agoHello @rea. Thanks for introducing us to a spectacular structure such as British Airways i360☺️. I had been to Brighton way in 2013 but haven't got any opportunity or a reason to revisit the place. But now since I have got to know about this magnanimous structure, I would definitely be interested in grabbing the very next opportunity that comes on my way to get to Brighton. Thankfully I have had chances to experience London Eye in its full glory several times, so I can only imagine how it must feel on British Airways i360..
Reply·[-]rea67 · 12 hours agoHey there, @vinyprop! This would be the best reason to go back! I myself have been to Brighton a number of times but to view the town below changes the whole purpose of your visit. It's definitely worth it. I've been on the London eye and both are exceptional structures.Hopefully my post gives you inspiration to go there again. You won't be disappointed. Thank you for your lovely comments. :)$0.01
Reply··[-]vinyprop50 · 12 hours agoHey @rea. Thanks for the advice. I will definitely need to pack my bags for my next trip to Brighton. And thanks for responding. You have a great day. Peace ✌️$0.00Reply