So yesterday was the first actual Olympics-day-stroke-workday and thus the big test if anything/everything would work.
Anecdotal evidence before this was that traffic was at much lower levels than normal for instance in Piccadilly Circus, where I was on Friday. And Monday on the Cromwell Road, a major artery that runs right by our street, it was like a ghost town. People I've talked with think Londoners have just totally heeded the advice not to drive. I also think a ton of people have gotten out of Dodge and those with cars obviously have the wherewithal to do so. Anna also reports from commute hour that the Piccadilly Line normally a nightmare at that time was "dead". Who would have thunk the Olympics would solve our transport problems?!
Even the PM braved the Tube!
And from my run yesterday, I can also report that:
- The Olympic Live Site in Hyde Park is enormous and pretty, and appears well-run, and is also a secure site, which wasn't obvious from the video I saw. It evidently has the largest Olympic viewing screen in the UK.
- Russia Park, which they've constructed in Kensington Gardens, is a terrible place to hang out if you dislike long-haired, longer-legged-than-you-might-have-imagined-possible, catastrophically pretty young Russian women.
- I ran by two Team GB athletes, and a coach, who were strolling the park! Before I could think of anything cleverer to shout, I shouted, pumping my fist, "Team GB!! Good luck!" (I've now got an offical Olympic Team GB logo t-shirt to wear for the remainder of my runs this fortnight…)
Tommorow: Cycling time trials at Hampton Court! And this Saturday we may actually brave the Olympic Park itself! Very exciting. Hmm… maybe we can even score some of those tickets that have been going begging…