Ringing in my Jubilee Year on the Thames, with fireworks

I turn 50 this year, and I plan to make it a year of exceptional celebration.  Seizing the day, every day.  Because you never know how many days you may have.

After two bouts of cancer, despite having the "all clear", the statistics for a long life are against me.   At least, so say the insurance companies that won't offer me life insurance for any reasonable price.  While I have every intention of seeing 60, 70 and beyond, the situation does give me a special perspective on milestone birthdays.  And one hell of an excuse to party.  Thus I have decided that, in royal fashion, I shall declare my 50th birthday to be the excuse for a whole Jubilee Year.

Mr. Bencard, entering into the spirit, thought 2014 should be kicked off with flare.  Thus last night found us aboard HMS President, moored on Victoria Embankment with a clear view of the London Eye, base for the town's New Year's fireworks.

This was certainly not a budget option for starting the new year, with tickets at £230 each for our riverside table.  That got us piped aboard in naval ceremony, into a cocktail lounge where we got a glass of champagne each and a few canapés.  (If you worked hard, you might be able to snag four from the less-than-abundant servers.)  Then in to a three-course dinner of deeply average banquet food (goat's cheese tart, chicken breast, strange and not very successful attempt at chocolate baklava) with half a bottle of wine each.  You could top up at the bar where the good news was serviceable wine at £17.90 a bottle.  A steal by London restaurant prices.  A DJ spinning non-stop dance classics from just past midnight, and platters of bacon sandwiches circulated at 2 am.

If that were the extent of the party, you'd feel deeply ripped off.  Of course, it wasn't.  What you're paying for here is location, location, location.  And the ability to see fireworks without the crowds and effort.  The masses gathered from late afternoon and stood for hours in the cold, steady rain for 15 minutes of dazzle, then had to fight the mad crush to get home.

We sat at our riverside table all evening, from which we merely needed to stand and gaze out the window to see the show.  True, we missed the official soundtrack … though our DJ provided his own … and the much-publicised, coordinated scent sprays.  These were supposed to make this the world's first multi-sensory fireworks show.  We coped with the loss.

And our view was from the side, rather than straight on.  Not a problem.  I'd rather invest my money in comfort and convenience than spend my time and comfort on a central view.  I wouldn't do it every year, but as a one-off, the riverboat party is probably worth the investment.

Besides, we saved money on the public transport.  As it does every year, the Underground runs from midnight to the wee hours, free to all.  That's almost £9 back in the Bencard coffers.  How will we spend it in Jubilee Year?

Come back soon and discover.