A grand day out

Yesterday, Mrs FEEG and I trolled along to the Olympic Stadium to see the morning athletics session. It was great fun.

The journey there, after getting up at silly o’clock, was easy; a Thameslink train to St Pancreas, and then, using the Travelcard provided with the Olympic tickets, the Javelin High Speed Train to Stratford International. Very quick and easy.

After a short walk, which did not trouble even my manky knee, we sailed through the security checks quickly and easily. These were manned by servicemen and women rather than G4S people and so they were much more sensible than you come to expect at airports. Then into the Stadium, where we saw some great athletics. The only swiz was that Jessica Ennis had pulled out of the Womens’ 100m hurdles, saying she needed a rest and a few glasses of wine. I don’t blame her. We did see some good runs by the GB women’s hurdlers and 1500m runners, qualifying for the next stages. We also saw that magnificent final discus qualifying throw by Team GB’s Lawrence Okoye. By the noise in the stadium, you would have thought he had won the gold medal. We also saw the petulant sulking by that Algerian runner who decided he did not want to be in the Mens’ 800m.

After that session, we had a a quick, light lunch. Not a McDonalds, I hasten to add, although there are two huge ones in the Olympic park. There was a huge choice of food on offer. The only problem was that there were not enough seats for everyone to sit down to eat it. After lunch we had a quick look round the Park, and a coffee. The Olympic volunteers were all magnificent and very helpful, and the whole atmosphere in the Park was really exciting.

Finally, after staggering back to Stratford International, we got the Javelin back to St Pancreas (yes, I know, just my little joke), where we found, to our delight, a Carluccio’s on the station concourse. Having stuffed our faces with some great Italian nosh, we staggered back home on the train and crashed out, exhausted. All in all, a Grand Day Out and a great advertisement as to what Britons can do, if they are just allowed to get on with things!

14 thoughts on “A grand day out”

  1. Thanks for a great post, FEEG. I think you may have dispelled some misconceptions. Glad you and Mrs enjoyed the experience.

  3. PS Those post boxes painted gold in celebration. I hear the paint dried in record time. Wind assisted.

  5. My friend was telling me yesterday that his wife is one of those on security duty at the park.
    She had a confrontation with a guy about taking in a 2 litre bottle of drink, not allowed and well sign posted I’m told.
    The guy got stroppy and poured the drink over friends wife’s foot, within seconds and before the bottle was empty 2 army guys appeared and marched him off.
    She does not want to prosecute, though informed she can, as she will have to take time off work.
    Instead the police informed her they will keep him in custody till 4 o’clock on that day, especially as he had tickets for 3 o’clock.
    Moral of the story, don’t mess with the army they are big guys.

  6. Seeing it was touted that McDonalds was the only food on offer, how come other other food available?
    Doesn’t appear to add up.

  7. christinaosborne :

    Seeing it was touted that McDonalds was the only food on offer, how come other other food available?
    Doesn’t appear to add up.

    As usual, the sensationalist press got it wrong!

  8. It’s pretty much what I have heard from friends who have made the effort to go, FEEG. They have all had a wonderful time and it’s all worked beautifully. They have nothing but praise for the atmosphere, the transport system and they have all said they will remember this for years.

    Great, I have enjoyed the events I have watched on television and I think we have done a splendid job.

  9. christinaosborne :

    Seeing it was touted that McDonalds was the only food on offer, how come other other food available?
    Doesn’t appear to add up.

    CO. good morning.

    I refer my Honourable Friend to my reply #15 to your previous post hereanent:-

    https://charioteers.org/2012/06/27/more-on-those-wretched-olympics-6/

    Including, in particular:-

    ‘Except that it’s not true as a five minute google would have informed you, had you but bothered. McDonalds is indeed one of the ‘Worldwide Olympic Partners’ and Lord Coe can do nothing about that. But the Golden Arches do not have a monopoly onsite.

    Extract from http://www.londonbusinessnetwork.com/2012-information/catering-for-the-games‘

  10. Great post FEEG

    I repeated your summary of your day out to some mates yesterday, (including the gammy knee and being ‘knackered’ at days end ;)) we’re all avid attendees.

    Nice to hear from somebody who was actually there and that it was a relatively hassle free day (except for the traveling that is, that would drive me mad but we’re all small town boys and would definitely have made the sacrifice ;))

  11. BTW, I forgot to mention. All the venues in the Park look magnificent. The Stadium, in particular, is awesome. Trust a bunch of overpaid, under-performing footballers, Tottering Hotspur (football was one of our less successful Team GB sports) to want to demolish it and replace it with a football stadium. I am glad that is not going to happen.

  12. Howzit FEEG, (me again)

    Watching the athletics from London this evening I once again related your experience and the owner of the pub (a lady) asked me what more or less a day like that costs. So, if you don’t mind, how much were the tickets? and secondly what’s the cost of the other bits? (transport, lunch & dinner)

    Cheers 😉

  13. Soutie: Tickets were about 20 squids per head, including the travel card. The rest was about 50 squids per head, but that did include sharing a rather nice bottle of Chianti.

  14. Thanks FEEG, more than reasonable, I was expecting it to be more, I’ll pass the info on.

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