Skip to main content

London 2012 - Penultimate Day

national pride in full swing
And my first day home.

I woke early with the sun at 4.45am with the curse of long distance travel - jetlag. So I put on my last clean dry clothes and my trainers and went for a walk around the neighbourhood.  My neighbourhood isn't like any other in the world this week. Nor is it the same as it was a year ago. I live in East London, the hosts of the 2012 Olympics.

Olympic Stadium from the Canal
And what a difference a year makes and an injection of overwhelming funds! My local park will play host to a huge video screen showing the games (I'm excited to be having my welcome home party there) and has a beautiful portrait exhibition along the arenas temporary walls of Londoners hailing from all around the world. 

Olympic Athletes greet me of a morning
On my walk around the borough I found new adventure parks, a lake side organic cafe (with its token Kiwi staff), a group of runners from around the world all gleefully saying "good morning" as I was in awe of their pace (one later used me as a pacer as I walked 1km and he lapped the 5km circuit 3 times!), plenty of helpful people in high vis-jackets but the postman was the best with directions! In my attempts to the Olympics stadium all recommended that I head straight to the new Westfield Shopping centre to take a gander from the John Lewis platform...a Westfield in my neighbourhood         DANGEROUS! I met a friendly retired chap who runs the cricket club. And couldn't wipe the smile from my dial. I was home and the Olympics are on MY back door.

US track team practise at Mile End Park
As I walked home I walked past my running track and discovered the US Track Team having a bit of a run. I believe the guy I pictured won a bronze in the 100m race.

But in true East End fashion I found this image...there is small print that reads "except the 100m"
EastEnd graffiti says it all







Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My My Myanmar

I have been touched, pinched, squeezed and had my back rubbed as I was sick. Myanmar is one phenomenal place which I have so much hope for. Hope for democracy, hope for development and hope for conservation, all in a gradual process without losing its authenticity. I have felt safe, with my large amounts of cash (remember no ATM’s so budgeting became a real past time of all travellers not just the “budget” ones) and in pilgrimaging crowds, in villages and on rickety hill top roads, travelling solo or in a crowd. Not once did I fear for my personal safety or that of my belongings. I had to stop myself on the first day from being so travel weary and closed. I had to trust. I had to open up and Myanmar may well have taught me one of my greatest lessons on my Big Adventure. captive in Myanmar There were moments of democratic desire, like an aged village monk carrying a bamboo log who stopped me to ask “Do you know Aung San?” to which I replied quietly knowing it was a very c
6 comments
Read more

2022 Challenge - Te Araroa trail

Catching up on this blog after a 4 year hiatus.  I arrived back in New Zealand in 2015 fresh off a Rugby World Cup final win and with excitement to settle in my homeland. Life in Auckland has been consumed by working in Consulting and home ownership, spending time with family and friends and enjoying the gifts the New Zealand has to offer.  I've observed I have a pattern of 4 year cycles. There was Valencia in 2007, then the Big Adventure in 2011, Moving home in 2015, and In 2019/2020 I renovated my house and it wasn't quite the challenge that scratched the adventure itch enough. The pandemic has challenged us all and after long periods of isolation, working at home, lockdowns and the heartbreaking reality that motherhood might not be my path in life and with new found reduced restrictions something had to change After winter beached on the couch I have decided to see my own country Aotearoa New Zelaand.  This October I will be taking on the Te Araroa Trail, 3,000km walk from C
4 comments
Read more

Krakow - a pretty market city

After a 24 hour journey from Berlin via Warsaw the city of Krakow was basking in sunshine. I found my hostel easily. nestled in a dead end street (nothing like a homely feeling!) in a huge pension. Travellers Inn was relaxed and easy. They offered a city guide with no bullshit chat about where to eat, what to avoid and what tours to take.  W ith the surprise sunshine I set of on a stroll  ( with the main aim -  Gelato!) taking in the central Market Square and the district's encircling gardens. This led me to  Wawel Palace . The first chance to enjoy a sit down on a dry seat in some heat, and my goodness did I enjoy it. During which I had the pleasure of watching a couple have their wedding photos taken...she Polish, he Scottish and as proud as punch. To me this is a picture of my European experience. East meets West and barriers really are broken.  I moved on from the palace to the Jewish Quarter which strangely was relatively untouched during the war, but was under reconstru
4 comments
Read more