London 2012: Part 3

And there it is. The London 2012 Olympics, finished.

So I'm finally allowed to tell you what I was doing there! Missing the boat completely on applying to be a volunteer, I applied for a job at the Olympics. So it was that I ended up at 7am on 27th July working at Greenwich Park (Equestrian Arena) in a bright orange uniform, flogging programmes to the horse fans. An experience like no other for me, I learnt that being up and out of the house at 5.30 (especially at the weekend) is like learning about a beautiful secret that no one else knows. The long hours and early starts were punishing, and the weather was well and truly British, with torrential rain and electric storms in the morning and scorching sun in the afternoon. I have a tan line where my lanyard was round my neck, then a small gap of tan before the collar of my T shirt intervened. Proud.

The people that I ended up talking to made it all worthwhile as well. There was the volunteer who showed me how to walk the last part of my commute to work, saving me a daily £2.70. There was the man from Pakistan who I had an hour-long conversation with about Ramadan and marriage and how girls in shorts are like sweets without wrappers. He also gave me a meal voucher, and made me promise not to have sex before marriage. There was the man who gave me a lift out of the park on a mobility buggy, and consequently yelled "Hey, Winchester!" at me every time we met because that was the only detail about me he could remember. There were the numerous spectators who explained to me what on earth was going on every day and managed to get me extremely interested in all of the horsie events. Finally, there was my beautiful, wonderful, programme-selling team. They helped motivate me to make the hour-an-a-half journey every morning, protected me from the scarier customers (chuckle) and created a fantastic send-off in Greenwich Wetherspoons when it was all over.

Seeing us win 3 Golds in the horse riding, and at least another Silver and Bronze, was indescribable. I can't believe I didn't cry any of the times I got to sing the National Anthem with a crowd of thousands, and seeing Kate and Wills wasn't half bad either. I'm so glad I was part of this fantastic event. I'm so proud of Britain, team GB, and every Olympic athlete. And of course, I can't wait to show off to any children/grandchildren that not only were the Olympics hosted here when I was in my prime, I was ACTUALLY THERE.

The Closing Ceremony didn't fail to impress either. As ridiculous as the Opening at the beginning there, and then a celebration of everything that has been achieved in these two weeks. 303 boxes to celebrate 303 Olympic events. Sounds like something we'd come up with. The flashbacks to the moment when a normal person becomes an Olympic Champion were wonderful, and I love the fact that we've brought the whole nation together in an acknowledgement of glorious achievement. To my mind in a ceremony of this kind there simply cannot be too much music, and I was not disappointed. It certainly brought out the secret dancer in old Boris. It's quite difficult to sum up the last section of the closing ceremony, but I think it can be agreed that it was wonderful, and crazy, and what I wish all parties were like, and I know I won't be the only one waking up with Always Look on the Bright Side of Life/Our House/Here Comes the Sun stuck in my head tomorrow morning.

GB, for everything, I salute you.

London 2012: Part 2

Yes, yes I know I'm a little late, but I've been busy! Olympic programmes don't sell themselves you know! More on that later, watch this space...

So in my previous post I argued how the Opening Ceremony was going to be stupendous, and whether you personally enjoyed it or not, I think you have to agree that the effort and sheer Britishness of the event was on top form. Eccentric, creative and brilliant, only Great Britain could have a parachuting Bond Girl Queen, a tribute to the NHS, a nod to the immigrants post-WWII, quotes from Tempest and a hundred dancing Mary Poppinses. The people wanted Britain, and boy did we give it to them.

One of my favourite parts was the whole history of British music, as that was a segment every single person in the country would enjoy at least a part of. Nimrod, The Rolling Stones, Dizzee Rascal; they were catering for every generation.

Something I found interesting, not being a great sportswoman myself, was the way the choreographers incorported a celebration of the beauty of movement into the ceremony, even if it wasn't a celebration of sport per se. I think that way it's more inclusive to everyone, after all, everyone has a body and they can all explore the way in which it works. Not everyone can become an Olympic athlete, and it was nice that the final dance was so moving, not just for the Brits, but worldwide. We didn't want the world to be wondering if they were right about this crazy country all along the whole way through the production...

So, I say hats off to the choreographers, organisers and performers of the wonderful opening ceremony. No one for a minute thought we were going to be competing with the precision and scale of the Beijing Opening Ceremony, as our nations are so different, but the heartfelt beauty and sincerity in the performers enjoyment was lovely, and I think they perfectly portrayed our country's mishmash of history.

London 2012: Part 1

We've been hearing that a lot lately. "London 2012." The news is telling us about changes to public transport and delays on the motorway, the shops are selling merchandise (some of them awesome, mostly of them fairly undesirable),  and people who have managed to score tickets are making you jealous because you didn't get any. All this under the banner of 'London 2012'.
I feel like this is now such an over-used phrase that it's bordering on the likes of 'Christmas' (No, I'm not going to be the thousandth person to go into the meaning of Christmas, worry not). I hear far too many people complaining about the trouble it's going to cause and the money it's going to cost the country rather than the excitement of what's going to be happening in the capital... TOMORROW. So, I want to stir up some enthusiasm in those of you not yet filled with uncontainable impatience at whether or not Peter Pan/12 horses/a village cricket team/Voldemort is/are going to be in the Opening Ceremony. And for those of you already excited, hey, here's some more reasons to celebrate!

1) The first paralympians were British! Coinciding with the 1948 London Olympics was The International Wheelchair Games, in which World War II veterans with spinal chord injuries competed. We started it. That's cool.

2) It has been announced that if any advertisements of products which are supporting the Olympics or any spectators at the Olympics display full or partial nudity, they will be fined £20,000. It seems unlikely to me that we'll get through 17 days without someone trying to take up that challenge.

3) Britain worked pretty damn hard to get the Olympic Games this time around, with the Bid Team being formed in 2003. After 9 years working up to this point, we can safely guarantee the Games and everything surrounding them are going to be sensational, whatever the pessimists are saying...

4) Kate Middleton. Also beach volleyball.

5) The Olympic stadiums! Not only outstanding aesthetically but also incredibly sustainable. The Velodrome is the most impressive. Green to the last detail, it will even use rainwater to flush the toilets!

6) Over 14,000 competitors from 205 countries will be in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. They are all encouraged to follow the Olympic principles of respect, equality, and determination, making this the world's largest peace-time event. In today's world, this is our WWI Christmas football game, no?

The are a thousand reasons to be excited about the London Games, not least because this really is one of those once-in-a-lifetime events everyone tries to make out of everything. You really will be able to show off to your kids/grandkids about how good old London Town hosted the Olympics back in the day...

So cheer up, it's sunny! And happy viewing :)

PS. Good friend Jack Connell knows someone in the Opening Ceremony. I know him, you know me. You are famous by association. Wicked.