Who needs the tube, bus or train when you can take the panoramic route between Olympic venues? After more than a week of traveling by public transport, I decided to go by air.

A cable car system, dubbed the Emirates Air Line, makes the 1-kilometer (0.6 mile) trip high above the River Thames between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks. Not a bad way to travel from the 02 arena, venue for the gymmastics, to the multisport-arena Excel Centre.

Boarding the gondola is basically the same as in the mountains — minus the skis.

During the 5-minute journey, the cable car reaches 90 meters (295 feet) above the river at its highest point. You soak up one of the best views of the London skyline, arguably better than the one from the London Eye, taking in everything from London City Airport to the "Shard" skyscraper.

The Thames shimmers in the sun (on this day at least) and the view of the financial district at Canary Wharf is impressive. As the cable car reaches the end of the line, it descends sharply and the skyline rapidly disappears from view.

— Peter Wilson, Twitter http://www.twitter.com/peterrwilson

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EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.