Olympic Park

In the morning, we got up stupidly early, but the Tall South African was keen that we didn't miss a single minute of our time in the Olympic Park.  So even though our tickets didn't start until 10 AM, we got there by 9 AM, and made it quite efficiently through security.  The security detail was all military guys, which we concluded later must be why it was so efficient, as those guys didn't worry about making an impression or anything, but just got everyone through.

Once through, we then decided to go exploring.  He had a pasty for breakfast, I got myself a Diet Coke (need the caffeine in the morning, even if it cost a ridiculously expensive £2.30 for one!) and we went exploring the BMW exhibit.  He was enthralled by the cars, I couldn't care less, but I did have to admit the view from the top was spectacular.

We also poked around the Olympic store for a bit, and I debated getting something, but on the whole it was all over-priced so I figured I'd come back later if I really wanted to.

We wandered all of the way around the stadium, checking out the people drinking at 10:30 AM in the fancy private exclusive area, and noting all of the interesting multi-national foods available.  The Tall South African got himself a coffee, and then we decided to go explore the other end of the park, now that we'd gone through all of the gardens and river walks.

As we passed a reasonable view of the stadium, I got one of the Games Makers to take a photo of the two of us with my iPhone, which I posted on Facebook.  This would turn out to be very important later, when some folks from my running club also in the park saw the photo, and managed to meet up with us as a result of it.  The wonders of modern technology!

We wandered down to the hockey arena and the Velodrome, and spoke to some of the Games Makers outside an information booth about how we could get recycled tickets later on.  They were so cheerful, super-nice and helpful, it was really awesome talking to them.  The Tall South African also surprised me by being quick-thinking enough to take a photo of the day's schedule posted, which I never would have thought to do.  One of the Games Makers made a crack about this is why I probably kept him around, implying that we were a couple.  Which, let's face it, a lot of people think anyway given how much time we spend together, so I just smiled and let it slide.

We then found our way to the park with big screens for watching events, and as we walked down the path, I couldn't believe it when we ran into CBDG!  I remember him saying that he'd gotten an Olympic Park ticket for this day as well, but there were hundreds of thousands of people in this park.  What are the chances that I would run into him here?

Anyway, we made polite conversation for a bit, but I noticed that he didn't suggest we join up to do anything, nor did I, even though it would be the usual done thing when being with someone.  For once, I was grateful for the Tall South African being there, as who knows what CBDG thought of me being with him, but he's the kind of guy who intimidates other men (mostly because he towers over them).  I didn't bother explaining to him who we had just run into, and he didn't ask, because I think he suspected anyway.  Luckily after only about five minutes of chatting, we were able to move on, and go find a spot to watch the rowing.

We did that for a while before deciding we were hungry and it was time for lunch...unfortunately just as all of the various venues broke for their lunch break as well, so we navigated the swarms of people pouring out of the hockey arena, the velodrome, the basketball arena, the aquatics centre, the water polo arena, and more, all at once.  I nearly lost the Tall South African in the crowd several times, and it finally became clear to me why there were so many Games Makers perched on high life-guard style chairs with megaphones, just being there to direct the traffic!

We finally did manage to make it back to the international village I'd noted earlier for lunch, where I got a burrito, he got a sausage, and we went to sit in a park and watch some kids play a game he used to play when growing up in South Africa.  In fact, it was fun sitting and listening to him tell me stories of his childhood in South Africa, where apparently they never left the country or really travelled, but enjoyed a sort of idyllic childhood as a result.

We then got a few beers and went to sit on the lawn to watch the sports some more, after concluding that we didn't want to spend hours queueing for hockey tickets.  A little while later, a guy from my running club called, and I suggested that we go meet up with these running club guys, who were planning on queuing for the water polo.

Standing in the queue

We did that (the Tall South African had warned me that he wasn't going to be making any decision that day, so we were generally just doing whatever I said), which turned out to be a brilliant move, as Sweetheart (the guy) is a very charming guy and everybody, guys and girls, just tend to adore him.  So we had an incredibly entertaining time standing in the queue, going off doing beer runs in pairs, and getting quite tipsy and having fun just standing in the queue for nearly two hours.  We never would have survived it if we had been standing there on our own, but with company the time just seemed to fly by.

It did get quite windy and chilly by the end however, and we were freezing there even while making friends with some guy from Puerto Rico and another from the Bahamas.  No idea how on earth they were coping with the cold weather!  But that was all part of the brilliant spirit of the Games, that we were just making these random friends and everybody was so cheerful and talking to everyone.  At last, a cheer went up, and we managed to get four tickets all together to the water polo.

We raced over to the stadium, where I asked the guy checking our tickets who had won the previous game, USA vs Team GB.  He told me, "I don't know, but they're standing right there, why don't you ask them?"  No way was I going to interrupt and ask the actual players, "Hey, did you just win your game?" but this was all the more part of the awesomeness, having the Olympic players right there to chat to.  (And gosh, they were HUGE!  Nothing but solid muscle, those guys...

In the Water Polo Arena

We got into the arena (where it was warm, thank goodness!) and sat down to enjoy the game.  We got a chap two rows behind us to take some photos, and even had time to get a few more beers.  How perfect!  And Elana and I just had a brilliant time admiring all of those beautiful men in tiny Speedos, while the boys seemed to be feeling a bit body conscious!

Finally at the end of the game, we went out, took some photos with the stadium all lit up at night, and went down to see a water feature that the Tall South African and I had found earlier in the day, this thing that was a waterfall that made words drop down, formed in water, under a bridge.  It was the most amazingly cool thing, even if we couldn't understand at all how it worked.  We stood there for ages, just mesmerised, watching the water fall down.

The Tall South African with the Olympic Stadium lit up at night

We then walked back across the bridge, out of the park, and as we all debated what to do next (the Tall South African and I were on the guest list for a night club, but we were having so much fun at this point it was like we'd mutually agreed to skip it) we decided to take the "Javelin" train back to King's Cross, just because our day tickets were good for it, the trip would only take seven minutes, and we just thought a train called a "Javelin" sounded cool.

Once we got back to King's Cross, the Tall South African led us all to a pub in the station that I'd never known was there, which turned out to be an incredibly charming place.  We all got drinks, and as we sat watching the US women's gymnastics on a television they had going, noted that the food looked good, so we all just decided to stay and have dinner there.  Got to watch Gabby Douglas from the US take gold with a nearly flawless routine, I can't imagine how anybody else even thought they had a chance against her.

On the Javelin train home

It finally must have been almost midnight by the time we all decided to head home, as I think after a full day of fresh air and exercise at this point, we were all pretty tired.  As we said our good-byes, Sweetheart gave me a kiss on the lips, which surprised me a bit, but then again he's the type who does that.  I wonder what the Tall South African thought however when he saw that, as Sweetheart had been making jokes about being in love with me all day long...

When we got home, as a joke on me the Tall South African went up the stairs first, and then locked me out of my own flat!  I stood there in the hallway, warning him, "In about 5 minutes, this is no longer going to be funny..." until finally he got up and let me in.  Later on, I realised I had the keys to get in myself, although was so tired at that point I didn't even think of it at the time!

Although there was one last surprise for me, when we got home and the Tall South African decided to call The Girl, quite irate with her that they hadn't spoken in three weeks.  Turns out, as part of their little silent treatment game, he hadn't told her that he was going to the Olympics today with me, and I've never heard anyone yell quite so much on the phone.  I was surprised both that he seemed fine with letting me hear it all, and also that he seemed to think that this was in any way normal or healthy.  Who can understand people''s relationships?  So with her still yelling her head off at him, I actually fell asleep in the middle of it all, I was just so exhausted...  What a fun day though!