A weekend of Olympic Bliss (and not a great deal of sleep.)

What a week of brilliance, disappointment, surprise, expectation

 Blog continued 7th August

Well, the title and that part sentence were all I managed to get out before the eye lids started to droop. Fell asleep watching Olympic coverage at about 9.45. Very unusual for me, especially on a Monday when I'm home alone. It's usually 2am and about five hours sleep.

I think our 16 hour day of Olympic madness on Saturday still hasn't quite managed to leave the system. Utter exhaustion, jubilation and a dream realised. My dad and I have been talking about a home games since I was knee height of a grasshopper (another fabulous northern expression) and to watch the athletics was our dream, so I guess we only half realised it. But what a day and what an experience! It was lovely to have my parents and A there.

It all started at 8am. We left the house to try and watch the women's triathlon in Hyde Park and we arrived home around 12.45am. So here's what happened in between:

Trying to see the swimming in the serpentine was particularly difficult due to obvious height issues, but there were a few genii there, that had thought to bring step ladders. Awesome! They must have been super local or had a car round the corner or something, but you can't knock the forward planning. Love it! There was one guy on a short two step ladder and then two guys crammed onto a six or seven rung ladder. If I could have climbed a tree without seriously injuring myself, I may have done that, but I settled for the ultimate tiptoes and straining the old neck and eventually I caught a glimpse of arms and figured it was either people swimming in the lake or a body in the lake. But as people were cheering I guessed the former.

Then it was a quick run to the main road to watch the cycling. As soon as the swimmers had passed there was this mass exodus, everyone having the same idea. Hundreds of people drifting over to the barriered roads to get a decent vantage point, which eventually we did after having to cross the road, or should I say be squeezed across as a group. Your feet almost didn't touch the ground. We were swept across on a wave of people but once everyone spread out there was more than enough room and it was only two or three people deep on our side, so we could see pretty well.

Then came the brief wait for the first of seven loops of the cycling. Yes, we would see them all seven times just by standing here. You can't knock these free events. (Plus it's much better than the road race cycling the week before when we waited for half an hour and they shot past in about 20 seconds, never to be seen again.)


Blog continued 8th August

It was great to see a complete assortment of flags from all over the world, the pavements awash with colour and national pride. It was also nice to see so many kids out. A lot of my kids have been palmed off on their Grandparents or whisked away on holiday rather than be in London for the Olympics. It seems wrong to me. They live in London. It's their city and instead of celebrating the wonder of having a home games, they're getting rid of the kids so they don't get caught up in what......? The quietest tube journeys ever? Dead streets? No planned station closures. An explosion of patriotism.? Dunno. Just seems a little harsh to me. The kids that have stayed are really getting into it and a few have even managed to go to events and watch. We're talking about it everyday and we even had our own mini-Olympics at school, which they loved.

Anyhoo, I digress..........Britain really does love it's underdogs and losers. This Ukraine lady was at the back of the Triathlon cycling and not just a bit behind, very close to being lapped, behind. But every time she came round she got a bigger cheer than the leaders. We really do stand by the phrase: It's not the winning it's the taking part that counts.

After the seventh and final loop of the cycling, we could see a couple of British girls in about 4th and 6th, really in contention for a medal. (We didn't get one but it must have been close. We didn't get to watch any of the running as we took the opportunity to skoot off to the Olympic Park. He he. Giddiness.)

And so, we hopped on the tube, again expecting it to be rammed, but no, not even the Central line to Stratford. There was plenty of breathing and maneuvering room. Practically unheard of! Two stops away and I'm getting very giddy! I'd painted my nails for the occasion and was wearing my new team GB t-shirt and amazing headband with two union jacks on it. My mum got one for her too. We looked awesome! Of course!

Approaching the park from the station at Stratford is just incredible. You feel the excitement just bounding around between everyone. The volunteers are there, lining the streets, pointing out flags and countries and speaking in various different languages, greeting you and genuinely making you smile. We'd expected long queues but including security it probably took us less than five minutes. Honestly, it's an organisational dream! If only Standstead could be that quick when you're trying to catch a plane. (I've always found that such an odd expression.....who could ever catch a plane? Superman? Maybe........)

And hats off to the military that had to give up valuable leave to ensure top security at the park and other venues. I salute you. Really top job and like I said, organisational dream! Everything was running like clock work. A well oiled machine.

When you first enter the park and see the stadium it is incredible. Yes you've seen it on the tele a million times but in the flesh it's even more impressive! And boy am I jealous that I won't actually be going in it. Lucky buggers with tickets. Urgh! But it's fine. I get to spend the entire day here and go and see hockey later. Whoop!

We decide to check out if there's any slim chance for another ticket to something happening today. We arrive at the box office and they say there's nothing except Orbit tickets, so we queue for about half an hour and get tickets for later in the day to go up the wonderful Orbit sculpture. A and I love to, well for choice of a better phrase, go up stuff. Every holiday or weekend away we always find something to climb up and the largest tower or viewing platform. We just have to.

Then it was off for an explore. Again London rocks! The facilities are great! Loads of toilets and really nice. I never had to queue once all day, not even later in the day when it was rammed. And for a woman that really is the test of good toilet planning. Women always have to queue. But no Ladies, not at Olympic Park Stratford. He he. There were tents everywhere selling a range of foods, to name but a few:

Indian, Pie and Mash, Fish and Chips, Deli stuff, Gourmet Sausages, Hog Roast, Cornish Pasties and even a champagne and Oyster bar. There were so many that you barely had to queue at these either. Amazing! And seating was everywhere. Little tables and chairs or benches with parasols. Awesome!

We skooted off after a well earned beverage, to find the big screen and generally have a mooch. We passed the water polo arena, various shops, the Gloriana boat thing that carried the flame and of course the BBC building. Following the swarms and passing many a volunteer doing a grand job, we found the big screen and settled down to watch a bit of rowing, athletics and eat our picnic, beautifully wrapped in union jack napkins, courtesy of mum. It's all in the details!

We managed to see Becky Adlington on the stage at Park Live, while she was being interviewed, the sun pounding down on us. Then it was time to work our way back to the Orbit for our tour. Whoop! We got a good glimpse of the Hockey venue, Basketball Arena (The Marshmallow) and Velodrome on our way back and also some choice outfits. My favourite had to be the Dutch. Those orange suits with matching ties were really great! I do love the Dutch. Their supporters are always so colourful and a little whack-a-doodle. Though I did see a few union jack one-sies and waistcoats knocking about. Team GB supporters were in their element.

Going up the orbit was well worth it. I know £15.00 is a lot, but when you're already there and you know there's no chance of you getting tickets for anything else, then you might as well just pay the extra and have an amazing view of the whole park and the whole of London. It really was fantastic and I know my parents really enjoyed it. We could see right in to the Stadium though it was a shame the morning athletics had finished and there was no one inside. Still, it gave me goose bumps. I want in there! And I ain't giving up until Sunday evening! I will keep trying.

We witnessed an amazing storm passing over London and saw it progressing towards us, passing over us and then clearing. For a cloud geek like me it was pretty awesome and we waited out the brief showers in the Observation deck of the orbit before climbing the 455 steps down. Really great and I love the sculpture itself, reminds me of the Helter Skelter I used to go on all the time in Blackpool when I was a kid. Fond memories!

It was refreshment time again and whilst waiting for a table I found the most amazing sight: A circumzenithal arc. A most rare and fantastical thing. Essentially a sun-bow. So I'm in awe, gushing and screaming and pointing, while everyone else is oblivious to the wonder above them. And I'm thinking, can this day get any better? I mean, seriously, I'm at the London 2012 Olympic Park and I'm surrounded by excitement and success and amazing skies and I'm completely happy! So I stare up for about five minutes, blinding myself whilst everyone else carries on regardless of the natural wonder above their very heads. I will be sending a photograph to The Cloud Appreciation Society, of which I am a proud member. I wonder if they'll put it on the website, that would be nice!

Anyhoo, cloud geekiness aside, we went back to the big screen to watch some tennis, Murray and Robson getting themselves into the final and securing at least a silver medal. Amazing day! Then it really does get better. A family my mum has looked after for years is at the Hockey the session before us and we meet up with them afterwards. It was weird to see them there but also great!

Then it was time to grab food and head for the Hockey arena. Hog Roast sandwiches all round. Nom nom. And not bad for £8.00. They were massive! I even couldn't finish mine. The temperature was starting to drop and extra layers were added. As we took our seats, our £20.00 seats that were amazing. We could see the whole pitch. Really, why would you want expensive tickets, you probably would see less as they'd be behind the goals. We had a great vantage point. Now I'd decided I was going to support the US in the first game but of course we ended up sat behind a group of New Zealand lads, so I quickly changed allegiance and we all cheered the Kiwi's to a 3-2 victory. They deserved it too, played bloody well.

There was a kid behind us that I would quite happily of thrown off the stand (Sorry, but he was like 8 or 9 and didn't stop talking and shouting out random stuff the entire time. Slightly annoying.) but I resisted. A was freezing and we all sat with my mum's union jack flag/scarf draped over our legs for extra warmth. The wind really picked up and we were shivering through most of the second game. Ahhhhh August, such a baltic time of year. Ha ha.

In the second match we decided to support Germany but they lost 3-1 to Argentina. Have to say most people were distracted through the second game as we could partially see the big screen of Park Live and were watching Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah win. The stadium would erupt and a few seconds later the Hockey Pitch would, but not for the hockey. Sorry ladies but GB was having the time of their life in that stadium and our hearts were in their with them. Still a fantastic night, but we were all glad when the match was over. Warmth and sleep was definitely needed.

The walk back through the park at night was amazing. I had to of course stop and take pictures of everything lit up nicely. Then we lost me dad, but thankfully it was the one time he had his phone on and he called us to find out what happened. We found him again by the aquatics centre and then made our way slowly back to the overground at Stratford which rather conveniently took is to Kentish Town West, a mere stone's throw from the flat.

I have to salute everything about the park. Even down the teams of people changing recycling bins, every two minutes and the toilet attendants, who you never saw but did a stellar job as there was always soap and towels and toilet roll. And the army and the security and the volunteers and just everything....worked! Not often you can say that in Britain, let alone London.

If you get chance to go, then do it! Experience the once in a lifetime home games and soak up that patriotism that only comes with major sporting competitions...or seems to only come with these big occasions. I'm always proud to be British, but it seems a lot of other people are too and that's great!

Come on GB, there's still a few days left! Sock it to 'em!

And now I have rambled long enough. Sorry it took so long to get this out. Monday I collapsed and Tuesday I wrote part of it and then met up with an old friend I hadn't seen in months. And today is A's birthday and I'm taking him out tonight for the theatre and a meal. Happy Birthday chuck!
And on that note, my lunch break is over.

Ciao for now.