Ruby Grimshaw gets excited about the Olympics

When I realised that I was not going to get any tickets for the Opening or Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games, I felt rather petulant and wished that I had not agreed to go on a walking tour of the Olympic site with my friend L from Bolney. After all, why did I want to see how preparations were going for a party to which I was not invited?

Yet I was so glad I went. The success of conducted walking tours depend on the calibre of the guide and our Blue Badge lady was excellent. Before being allowed to pin on her Blue Badge she had to sit an examination on the history of the area. I learnt so much about Stratford and the borough of Newham and the reasons for choosing this economically deprived area for the Olympics. We heard that the Olympic organisers are keeping their promise of recycling all excavated materials – ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ is their slogan – and are well on track to finish on time. The stadium was impressive with its encircling metal lacework (surplus gas pipes!) and we caught a glimpse of the first pieces of turf being laid inside. In the distance the athletes’ accommodation block was already up, complete with a school, medical centre and park so that after the games the area should become an attractive suburban area.

“I’d pay a lot for a gentle canter around the course to inspect the jumps”

We were a mixed bunch of walkers, including some from NZ , America and Australia plus, some elderly English ladies(even older than me) with sticks. Our Blue Badge lady must have had some dire experiences in the past because she was very obsessed about us crossing the roads safely and kept stopping to lecture us about the traffic and made us promise to wait for the Green Man. At the end of the tour we landed up a few hundred yards from our starting point of Pudding Mill Station (lovely name). The American man had to be told at least four times how to get back to it. Perhaps they don’t do a lot of walking over there.

When I found that I had only got four tickets for the Eventing at the Olympics I was at first disappointed. Now I have learnt that a lot of people haven’t got any tickets at all and I must count my blessings. The equestrian events are being held at Greenwich. Now that’s a tour I’d pay a lot for – a gentle canter around the course to inspect the jumps. I wish.