Thank you to our, schhh, Secret Games Maker for the following post. Have you guessed their identity yet? Is it Kim Collins or a member of the Korean Badminton team - we can't say, sorry.
Day 4
Got there pretty easily today, but did have to wait to allow a certain Chris Evans to cross the pathway in a transport buggy that apparently kept breaking down! Nice bloke and had a short chat with him before he went off to do whatever it was he was doing this morning in the OP.
Got up to the venue media centre and checked in and got 2 Games Maker pin badges as a 'Thank you' for the work w...
Got there pretty easily today, but did have to wait to allow a certain Chris Evans to cross the pathway in a transport buggy that apparently kept breaking down! Nice bloke and had a short chat with him before he went off to do whatever it was he was doing this morning in the OP.
Got up to the venue media centre and checked in and got 2 Games Maker pin badges as a 'Thank you' for the work w...
e're doing. Went off to find the TL for the day and see what my duties were. Easy enough start as I'd be on the 'tunnel' and that's basically welcoming the photographers to the Riverbank and helping the guys and girls that haven't been before with where they can and can't go. Nice game to start with with Australia V South Africa. Some very nice ladies to watch out there on the 'Smurf turf', especially the Aussies
After tea-break it was time to get settled for Netherlands V Korea and if you thought the Aussies were hot, then the Dutch go to the whole next level! Also helps they are such lovely people too and very polite.
Lunch was next after this game and simple selection today - lamb rogan josh or macaroni cheese with mushroom and spring onion. I went for the mac and cheese with peas and swede mix (swimming in pepper) with a salad. The macaroni was very tasty, but got put off the rest of the veg and salad as the salad was a rocket salad and as I say, the veg was swimming in pepper. Quite a few people had complained to chef about it, but he did say he was happy to take on board comments and would try and rectify things tomorrow...Watch this space! Best bit was as we sat down the British pair in the lightweight mens sculls were racing the Danes in a tense finish and we were all cheering them on. Some of us were then singing the national anthem as the girls got their gold medal. Also heard the roar from the main stadium when Bolt, Gemeli, Chambers and Ennis were in action. I dread to think what tomorrow night will be like if any Brits get anywhere in the 100m finals! Mind you, I'll probably hear the roar at home when Jess gets her gold tonight - GO ON JESSICA!!!
Back to my usual spot in the far corner behind the left hand goal as you look at the 'standard' pictures on TV and got soaked with a downpour, while it was also bright sunshine. Very strange weather, but it is London in August, so what did we expect? Went to dry a bench for a German photographer from one of the big agencies, but he had a poncho he was sitting on so politely declined. As the game ended I was walking back to our office and he called me over and said "You guys have done an outstanding job so far for us. You've made this the best games I've worked at and this is my 7th one. Nothing is too much trouble and the service you are providing is brilliant." He then shook my hand and I was thanking him and a Korean photographer came over and asked what we were talking about so the German gentlemen told him and the Korean was nodding his head in agreement and then gave me a limited edition Sports Illustrated pin badge and said "Thanks for making this the best games. You guys are working so hard to make this as easy for us as possible, we don't need anything as you get and give us all we need".
It's comments like that that have made the Games for me. It's a great feeling being thanked for your efforts and given a small gift as a token of appreciation for what you do. I've seen some of the shots these guys are taking and they are outstanding and quite obviously the reason why they are the best at what they do. I'm there purely to enjoy the experience and what the Games has brought to London and the country and the little things like that just take it to the next level really.
There has been a marked change in people's attitudes on the trains and that I've noticed in recent days. People are all talking to random people with things like "Did you see so and so last night? What a race?!" or "What are you seeing at the Park today?" etc etc. It's also been great seeing so many families out and about together in the OP having a great time and really enjoying the experience. I know there are haters out there, but I really think this is the best thing to have happened to the UK in a number of years. It's bringing people together and it seems much more of a 'community spirit' and much less "Oh I won't talk to them" type of feeling about like there has been in recent years.
After tea-break it was time to get settled for Netherlands V Korea and if you thought the Aussies were hot, then the Dutch go to the whole next level! Also helps they are such lovely people too and very polite.
Lunch was next after this game and simple selection today - lamb rogan josh or macaroni cheese with mushroom and spring onion. I went for the mac and cheese with peas and swede mix (swimming in pepper) with a salad. The macaroni was very tasty, but got put off the rest of the veg and salad as the salad was a rocket salad and as I say, the veg was swimming in pepper. Quite a few people had complained to chef about it, but he did say he was happy to take on board comments and would try and rectify things tomorrow...Watch this space! Best bit was as we sat down the British pair in the lightweight mens sculls were racing the Danes in a tense finish and we were all cheering them on. Some of us were then singing the national anthem as the girls got their gold medal. Also heard the roar from the main stadium when Bolt, Gemeli, Chambers and Ennis were in action. I dread to think what tomorrow night will be like if any Brits get anywhere in the 100m finals! Mind you, I'll probably hear the roar at home when Jess gets her gold tonight - GO ON JESSICA!!!
Back to my usual spot in the far corner behind the left hand goal as you look at the 'standard' pictures on TV and got soaked with a downpour, while it was also bright sunshine. Very strange weather, but it is London in August, so what did we expect? Went to dry a bench for a German photographer from one of the big agencies, but he had a poncho he was sitting on so politely declined. As the game ended I was walking back to our office and he called me over and said "You guys have done an outstanding job so far for us. You've made this the best games I've worked at and this is my 7th one. Nothing is too much trouble and the service you are providing is brilliant." He then shook my hand and I was thanking him and a Korean photographer came over and asked what we were talking about so the German gentlemen told him and the Korean was nodding his head in agreement and then gave me a limited edition Sports Illustrated pin badge and said "Thanks for making this the best games. You guys are working so hard to make this as easy for us as possible, we don't need anything as you get and give us all we need".
It's comments like that that have made the Games for me. It's a great feeling being thanked for your efforts and given a small gift as a token of appreciation for what you do. I've seen some of the shots these guys are taking and they are outstanding and quite obviously the reason why they are the best at what they do. I'm there purely to enjoy the experience and what the Games has brought to London and the country and the little things like that just take it to the next level really.
There has been a marked change in people's attitudes on the trains and that I've noticed in recent days. People are all talking to random people with things like "Did you see so and so last night? What a race?!" or "What are you seeing at the Park today?" etc etc. It's also been great seeing so many families out and about together in the OP having a great time and really enjoying the experience. I know there are haters out there, but I really think this is the best thing to have happened to the UK in a number of years. It's bringing people together and it seems much more of a 'community spirit' and much less "Oh I won't talk to them" type of feeling about like there has been in recent years.
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