Set Up:
When Bond chases Cigar Girl up the Thames in the pre-titles of The World Is Not Enough he lands on top of the O2 after falling from the mooring rope to avoid the explosion of a Hot Air Balloon.
On top of the O2 – The World Is Not Enough
I’ve been over the O2 a couple of times now. Each time is a renewed pleasure. The walks are very frequent and last approximately one hour 30 mins. (Including a shirt induction video and a health and safety talk).
Is this the best pre-title sequence of the series? Discussion thread can be found over at There Will Be Bond. A short video documenting the journey over the O2 can be found here.
Author insert
How much does it cost to climb the O2?
I paid £35 online. The one thing it doesn’t explain online is where the rendezvous point is. When you leave the Greenwich underground station and head towards the entrance of the O2 you will find the entrance to your right. You can’t miss it, it’s heavily signposted.
What to wear when climbing the O2?
You should wrap up warm because they climb come rain or shine. The only time a climb will be cancelled is due to imminent lightning strikes. They will give you safety harnesses, but I recommend wrapping up warm. You will be able to leave a bag and valuables with them before you climb should you wish to de-robe before.
What can I expect at the top of the O2?
You will be offered to purchase a glass of bubbly before you climb that you can drink at the top. I didn’t opt for that but I wish I did by the time I got to the top as it would have been a nice celebratory moment. The guides are great and very informative. You will get to learn a lot about the landscape of London, & they are happy to talk Bond also.
Me on top of the O2
Update: SEPT 2024
If you’re interested in the political history of how the 02 came to be, then the opening 10 minutes of the The Rest is Politics Podcast is a really fascinating insight. My takeaways,
12 columns for 12 months of the year, the height is 52 metres for 52 weeks and the circumference is 365m.
Stuff to do nearby:
It’s free to enter the O2 and there are many places to eat, drink and shop inside. It’s all quite commercial as you’d expect. Perhaps you might want to look at concerts or exhibitions happening inside the O2 to maximise you’re experience. ATP tennis tournaments are held there and any band or artist touring the UK will ultimately play here.
