Heya’ll

So around 7.15pm this evening the Olympic Torch was expected to arrive in Worcester.

Having finished work at 5.30 I decided to go and see what all the fuss was about, I nipped home, grabbed the camera and made my way into Worcester City centre and found a spot on the bridge over the river which was just before Worcester cricket ground where the torch was destined to end its journey.

For anyone who doesn’t know the bridge, it’s pictured below:

What seemed like the whole population of Worcester waited in a big crowd alongside the road, all along the Droitwich Road, all along the High Street in Worcester City centre and all the way down to the cricket ground. The weather was so good, the sun beat down on everyone and everyone was in good spirits, though we waited… and waited… until a pack of Police bikes appeared from around the corner, blue lights flashing, everyone got ready… and no runner appeared, then it happened again… it happened a few times basically, then a Samsung coach came, a Lloyds TSB coach came (…Lloyds TSB annoyed me, I’ll come back to that in a minute) a Coca Cola coach came, no runner though!

It then occurred to me, I could never have been a runner with the Olympic Torch because however childish it sounds I’d have legged it like I stole it, I guess that’s not in keeping with tradition(?) as most people I saw throughout the day on the live webcam took a gentle saunter or a relaxed jog, waved at everybody and maybe that’s what it’s all about.

You see I started off today vowing I wouldn’t go and see the Olympic Torch Relay, I mean why bother, you get to see a torch go by with a flame which was ignited just a few minutes ago a few hundred metres up the road, neither that torch, that runner or that particular flame will make it to the Olympic stadium on this journey, the runner will whizz past (or not as the previous runners proved) and then… go home.

I did go though, because on the way home, along the same route the torch itself would later take, I saw hundreds of people lining up and an exciting, happy atmosphere on my journey home, which lets face it is a good enough reason on its own. If you love the Olympics, well then I’m sorry but I fail to see why, but give me a reason to show partiotism, excitement, happiness and a sense of community and I’ll be there with bells on.

Yes it could be argued that I would go to the Olympics to support our athletes who represent their country but those stadiums and arenas will be filled with people who’s dream it is to particpate, who’s dream it is to participate, who want to be their to support their family members or friends perhaps… but am I going to spash out on a ticket just so i can say I was there? No not really, I’d be depriving someone who wants to be there of an opportunity to be at the Olympics and of all the stories I have to ‘tell the grandkids’ I really hope the Olympics wouldn’t be the cream of the crop, I have more ambition than that.

If you love the Olympics then I’m sorry this blog post probably isn’t for you, but the Olympics isn’t for me, I do hope our athletes do their country proud though

* Yes Lloyds-TSB, every street, railing, building had bunting up today, red, white and blue for obvious reasons, NOT green and white bunting Lloyds TSB you idiots, and this is a main sponsor for the olympics?
I really havn’t liked Lloyds since they joined with TSB, what a stupid move, it’s like Aston Martin joining forces with Kia and calling themselves Aston Martin-Kia forever more… you just wouldn’t!

Here are some videos and pictures below of the days events:

Some of the vehicles (and a few unofficial runners) which arrived before the olympic Torch onto the bridge in Worcester as it made its way to Worcester cricket ground.

This truck had a TV screen on the side which would just fill the wall in my appartment, and you’re damn right if I could have it up on there I would have

Olympic Torch is taken through Worcester

For more pictures of the Olympic Torch reaching Worcester Click Here