Your critical guide to arts, culture and going out in the capital

  • 101 things to do before you leave London

  • By Time Out editors

  • 91 101 ducktours X.jpg
    Is it a bus, is it a boat? London by DUCK

    28 Take the Duck Tour
    We turn down an alley hidden alongside Terry Farrell’s MI6 building in Vauxhall, pass through a security gate and then motor down a short slipway. The vehicle jolts as the wheels come off the cobbles and on to the Thames-side shingle, then shudders as it plunges into the brown water. The windscreen slumps downwards, towards the domain of abandoned Saxon swords, cut-up bodies and rusting Ford Cortinas beneath the river’s choppy surface.

    I expect to get wet but thankfully the windscreen comes up as sharply as it had gone down and the vehicle remains buoyant. As it should, for this is exactly what it was designed to do. Furthermore it was designed to do it while several angry Germans were shooting at it.
    I am in a DUKW, a half-truck/half-boat, amphibious military vehicle built by the American General Motors Corporation to ferry men and supplies on to the Normandy beachhead on D-Day. Feature continues

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    It has less testing duties now, merely taking 30 passengers a time on an unusual trip along the river we spend so much of our lives ignoring.
    Rebranded as a DUCK, the vehicle has been painted yellow and there are seats where previously terrified soldiers had only standing room, but despite these cosmetic changes the vehicle still has an atmosphere of great deeds about it.

    Sixty-two years later war is still with us, most obviously in the shape of the MI6 building, espionage Legoland for the secret side of modern conflict that looms brashly above the water. But as we chug east it is an older building that brings home present conflicts in an uneasy way. In the water alongside the Houses of Parliament bob a series of hi-tech buoys bearing orange metal spikes and blinking surveillance equipment. ‘If you get too close,’ says the man next to me, ‘they release torpedoes.’ He’s joking, of course. Michael Hodges
    (www.londonducktours.co.uk/ 020 7928 3132)


    29 Get a full head of steam
    London’s only steam railway; Sundays at Kew Bridge Steam Museum (Mar-Nov).
    Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middx (020 8568 4757/www.kbsm.org) Gunnersbury tube/rail or Kew Bridge rail.

    30 Shop for tobacco
    G Smith & Sons has hardly changed since it opened in 1869. Fill a pouch.
    Smith & Sons, 74 Charing Cross Rd, WC2 (020 7836 7422) Leicester Square tub.

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23 comments

  1. Posted by Amonamos on 19 Jul 2008 10:17

    i cant wait 2 come 2 london in the hoildays i am soooooooo excited ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !.....................

  2. Posted by taufik on 13 Jul 2008 16:28

    Have been away from london for long..too long really. Miss london more than any other place in the universe!!! So much, so much to do in london. London has every thing concievable!

  3. Posted by Justin on 06 Jul 2008 15:00

    I'm a Londoner who's lived abroad for 18 years, but come every summer with by boys. This list has given me some great ideas. Thanks.

  4. Posted by BECKY ATKIN on 04 Jul 2008 20:06

    No doubt in my mind that London Town is the best place on the earth...so much to do and see. Fantastic list, and how nice to see the obvious things are not on it! Im def planning on hitting the fish market at dome obsurd hour soon....

  5. Posted by bertie on 23 Jun 2008 20:03

    just moved out of london after four years and im missin it! oh how i love london......

  6. Posted by Ticker on 21 Jun 2008 16:58

    Suprised that the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes is not featured. Everyone should have at least one night at this place

  7. Posted by Trevor Johnson on 11 Jun 2008 12:22

    Green Lanes kebab from Manor House to Turnpike Lane? Why not to the North Circular, just south of Palmers Green?

  8. Posted by faye on 25 May 2008 04:22

    I DON' T KNOW WHAT TO DO IN LONDON?

  9. Posted by mel on 04 May 2008 10:45

    Cool list, and to ignorant person who left neg comment about gay bowling, maybe its for gay people who love bowling and want to meet other gay people and socialise....duhhhh! I think its a cool idea.

  10. Posted by Tatian on 20 Mar 2008 17:44

    thenks for the imfo it really helped me on my report and its not like i wnated to do it in the first place:P

  11. Posted by Andy on 17 Mar 2008 16:14

    Wow! You hardly surprise a Roman but in this case you definitely did it!!! bravi!!!
    Thanks for the suggestions

  12. Posted by Vulprincess The Warrior on 14 Feb 2008 23:06

    i'm doing a report on things to do in london this really helped thanks!

  13. Posted by Rebekah o'connell on 07 Feb 2008 14:19

    people rock!

  14. Posted by Phyllis Manus on 06 Feb 2008 22:08

    London is awesome!

  15. Posted by ladybug on 26 Nov 2007 13:49

    Great! I've lived in the UK for 5 years and will be leaving soon. I will definitely check out some of these things!
    Time is getting short! :(

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