How to spend a perfect day in London: Madam Miaow and LJ Rich on the Thames

The first few days of what feels like a proper hot summer at last. On Thursday Madam Miaow and LJ Rich skive on the South Bank and then head off to Greenwich for more fun.

We begin our pleasure with selecting a sushi picnic from Wasabi in Villiers Street, followed by a leisurely stroll across Hungerford Bridge to the South Bank, stopping only to look at the skateboard graveyard, the support pier where the skateboarders chuck their dead boards. Oh, and check out some of the best views of one of the finest capitals in the world. London can be a hellhole but it always looks beautiful from Hungerford Bridge.

Then on to the National Film Theatre cafe for a cuppa tea and a place to sit in the sun while we chow down. (You can also do this on the terraces of the National Theatre and the benches along the South Bank.)

LJ sorts the sushi at Wasabi in Villiers Street

The magnificent Hungerford Bridge

The skateboard graveyard

Anna by the skateboard graveyard at Hungerford Bridge

Anna communes with her sushi at the NFT Cafe, South Bank

On to Westminster Pier and a boat downriver to Greenwich where we find the Wheel — a mini London Eye — at the riverside until 28th September.

Anna and LJ on a Thames cruiser just passing Hungerford Bridge

Greenwich and the Wheel (until 28th Sept)

LJ on the wheel above the Greenwich Old Royal Naval College

Anna and LJ get over-friendly with a Smurf

LJ and the blue Slush Puppy

A stroll through the Old Royal Naval College spotting where The Golden Compass was filmed, up to the Greenwich Observatory where I straddle the meridian line like a very small colossus. LJ perches on top of it, rendering her in No Place for a few moments, threatening to open a rift in the space-time continuum.

LJ on the Greenwich meridian line

Anna straddles the meridian across two time zones

Greenwich Old Royal Naval College from the Observatory