The London 2012 Olympics Are HERE!!!

Hello athletes and athlete wannabees! ;)


It was only a week ago that we were highlighting the changes we have been seeing in and around London, but as today’s the day it all starts we thought we’d bring you a Friday Olympic update!

We have well and truly gotten into the Olympic spirit this week; it was London’s turn to welcome the torch and although we weren’t together, we were able to catch it at different parts of the city.

Sarah weaved her way from Victoria to Sloane Square with 3 other girls from work to see it pass and was lucky enough to have it go by just a metre or so away – literally right in the action.

Laura, on the other hand, had to use her height to see over the masses that had gathered near Trafalgar Square but still managed (as always) to get some great footage.

The Olympic torch, in our humble opinion, has been a secret success of this Olympics – we touched on its journey last post but to think it has passed by within a mile of where every person person in the UK lives and on every single stretch it has been greeted by so many people is incredible. As it goes by there is a strange sense that you are part of something big or that you have just seen something you will remember forever. It’s brief, and even without the media floats you are still witnessing this relatively small torch that has travelled the entire UK. It makes us feel proud to have been there!

We actually caught up again with the torch when it was welcomed by a 60,000 strong crowd at Hyde Park. The ‘Torch Finale’ was an evening of music organised by Coca-Cola. Because we are working women we were only able to get there for 5:30 so had missed some bands but watched Katy B & Mark Ronson, The Wanted and Dizzee Rascal.

We were joined by Martha and her flatmate Jules and while they headed to the bar we headed to the Coco-Cola tent - and as well as picking up random merchandise we got our pics taken with a torch – yay! It also gave us over an hour of chatting and hugging and generally being all lovey-dovey!

Once reunited, the 4 of us headed towards the stage and witnessed the torch arrive on stage. It lit a huge cauldron that burned brightly for the whole night.

The Mayor of London, Good Ole' Boris (not his official name, but that's what we like to call him) made a very touching and inspirational speech. Love Boris!! Here's his speech and the lighting of the cauldron - we were in this giant crowd!!

The things we’ve seen and done in Hyde park havebeen some of our most random experiences. We love it as Winter Wonderland, it’s great to cycle around – or run around finding Easter eggs! We’ve seen running races and rollerbladers and now we’ve seen it covered in bark to host the Olympic celebrations! All the rain we’ve had, had turned it into a mud pit so the solution was bark!

The party itself really got started as it got dark though. Dancing in bark = painful! But with Dizzee Rascal putting on quite the show it was an amazing evening! It also turns out that we know far more The Wanted songs and actually really like Dizzee Rascal!!!

Our celebrations continued into today – the papers greeted us with front pages highlighting that the ‘Best of British’ is getting ready for the Opening Ceremony and Olympics. We had lunch at Trafalgar Square with Town Criers and a bagpiper. Were given freebies at the station and the outfits, oh the outfits….everyone is in the party spirit. Well we presume that’s what it is and people don’t normally go around draped in the USA flag (well, besides Laura of course) or with the Union Jack painted on their faces!

Sarah even got a call from her Dad to say that he had seen the mayor’s speech at the concert last night and conceded he finally gets it! Today is a proud day to be British, it is great day to live in London, and seriously, what's a bit of extra traffic when you get look back and say ‘I was there!’ Seven years in the planning this will certainly be the most memorable Olympics for us. Sarah was 23 (the age Laura is now) when London beat Paris to host 7 years ago and the scenes of celebration back then still get talked about now so we can only imagine the hours of memories our kids will have to sit through. We're just glad we are together to welcome London 2012 Olympics!

And if you are visiting the UK for the Olympics - we found this article that may help acquaint you with our way of living?! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18983558

We hope you are enjoying the Opening Ceremony - we know we are!! We've moved our couch all the way up to the TV so we can be a part of the experience haha!!

Love always (and let the games begin!!)

Sarah & Laura xo