The office I work in some of the time is just about 2 miles from the Olympic Park, which means we get to do battle with the Olympic-Lane-Induced Traffic Chaos, and temporary parking restrictions which are increasing my exercise level on a several-times-a-week basis at the moment (not in itself a bad thing, unless it's raining), Oh, and some banners which make the High Road look ever so slightly like an elongated supermarket car park. (This effect is being increased by the amount of cars apparently parked on it as a result of the congestions caused by item one above). However, it also means we get some of the fun stuff - actually seeing visible evidence of the Games being here, in my original home town, for example. Seeing everywhere all spruced up, freshly painted, and decked out in its finery...
...this morning the entertainment stepped up a notch. Today was the day that the Olympic Traffic lanes have come into play, and as a result the area around the office was pretty much gridlocked. Pretty sure it's likely to even itself out in due course, but this morning chaos reigned. Colleague C turned up in a state of some excitement - "You're not going to believe this, but half the Greek Cycling team are out on the pavement up the road there!" As he and Female Partner R are Greek Cypriot this caused a ripple of excitement, and she and I shot off up the road, me with camera in hand, to see what was occurring.
As we trotted up the road, we were passed by this chap...
...So not just the Greek team doing battle with the traffic then! Further on, at the front of the line of Official Olympic Cars parked at the roadside were several members of Team Korea too! R's target was the Greek team though, and pretty soon we found them preparing to get on their way...
They were in no rush though, and extremely friendly, happy to pause for photographs to be taken, and to have a chat with a passing local cyclist who looked extremely surprised to see a load of international cyclists standing at the side of the High Road!
Entente Cordiale reigned, and clearly any Inter-National rivalry hasn't kicked in yet as all the countries gathered together and eventually rode off on their way, sticking neatly to the cycle lane but perhaps moving ever so slightly faster than the residents of Leytonstone may be accustomed to. Whether they were doing some kind of training circuit, or indeed heading by a slightly roundabout route for the Olympic Park, we don't know, it certainly made a cheery start to the morning though!
I wonder what other excitements the games hold for us?!
Robyn
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