OT: The list

gtvlusso

I have just had the travel/checks e-mail through for the Olympic event that I am attending (Eton Dorney for the rowing);

Highlights:

'Can take up to 2 hours to get through the security checks' - That will be lovely with a 2 year old in tow, we'll see how this pans out.

'Bring as little as possible with you' - we planned to take camping seats and juniors buggy, we wanted proper seating, but did not get anything through the ticketing process, we had to settle for what was left. We can take own food (as long as it fits in the allowable sized backpack), but liquids only up to 100ml. We can have water bottles filled on site - not sure if this is chargeable. Whichever way, it will be a picnic blanket and no camping seats :-(

'The only way to pay is by Visa or cash' - Thanks a f*cking lot. I have Mastercards only and there is no ATM on-site - looks like I better take a load of cash...lovely.

There is no parking available at Eton Dorney and, according to a quick phone call, there is no allowance for bicycles either......They will be removed if locked up. I have been to Dorney an awful lot for various regattas, there is masses of land and parking that *could* be made available.....and there is bike racks on-site. We picked rowing as we know the site well and had a plan for easy travel for junior, us and my father-in-law.

So, the plan now is to get the train and shuttle bus.....We also need to take the buggy as junior won't walk all the way to the lakeside from the security check.

Luckily I only have 1 small child to cater for, but I would hate to be trying to take 2 or 3 small kids to an event. They really have not made this easy, I am not surprised that there are empty seats....I can only imagine that the people who have not attended events have thought 'that is too much hassle' - whether they be corporate, IOC/Sports members or the public.

[emptyseatsrant]

So, there are empty seats are there...right, well, I have been through all of the ticketing processes and got sweet FA. I can only imagine that there are people out there like me, wanting tickets, in the same position in getting nothing. Most people have now thought 'f*ck this, I am going on holiday'. Then Locog decide to sort out the problem and release more tickets in the first week of the bloody event, so, with half the country disappointed with no ticket allocation and now paying for or booked a holiday because they were not going to the Olympics, they want the very same people, probably now made other plans, to try and get 'next day' leave from work to attend events......Don't know about anyone else, but getting next day leave is not that easy in my job!

Lord Coe has allot to answer for IMHO

[/emptyseatsrant]

TheStone

I think it's been run fairly well so far. Transport is fine.
Security checks at Box Hill took a minute or so and you could bring in plenty of stuff, despite what the ticket said.

Agree on the empty seats and the visa thing, but you don't really want to pay for a bottle of water with a credit card (you'll become one of those people in Boots that I hate).

vermin

I can help you out: Sell me the tickets and watch the rowing on TV - the pictures from Dorney are superb.

gtvlusso

TBH - I am being very reactionary about it.

It has pi$$ed on my plans...more than anything else. I am imagining carnage, but it will probably just be a very long day......

craker

Someone at work went to the rowing on Sunday; she said it was pretty seamless (train->bus to venue) only the buses were operating long before the venue opened so by the time the gates were unlocked there was a huge queue of people waiting to go through. I think she was there at 7 - that sounds a bit too keen for my liking.

All respect to the rower from Niger who had his first go 3 months ago. :-)

gtvlusso

craker wrote:

Someone at work went to the rowing on Sunday; she said it was pretty seamless (train->bus to venue) only the buses were operating long before the venue opened so by the time the gates were unlocked there was a huge queue of people waiting to go through. I think she was there at 7 - that sounds a bit too keen for my liking.

All respect to the rower from Niger who had his first go 3 months ago. :-)

I like this post - 'seamless' is a word I like allot.

*prays to the god of transport*

rebs

are people allowed to take bikes to the rowing and ride along the race? that always looks fun to do!

vermin

rebs wrote:

are people allowed to take bikes to the rowing and ride along the race? that always looks fun to do!

So long as you're the coach of one of the athletes racing, yes.

gtvlusso

rebs wrote:

are people allowed to take bikes to the rowing and ride along the race? that always looks fun to do!

No, that's the coaches only.

rebs

I'm sure other rowing events especially in 2008 hordes of people were riding not just the coaches... i kept waiting for nodderapocolapes to happen... it never did

gtvlusso

rebs wrote:

I'm sure other rowing events especially in 2008 hordes of people were riding not just the coaches... i kept waiting for nodderapocolapes to happen... it never did

Yes, some regattas have 'river bank access' and some fans/team mates cheer the crews on from bikes. At more official regattas, the bank side cycling is for coaching staff only.

Depends on if the river bank can be segregated/accessible.

jds_1981

TheStone wrote:

Security checks at Box Hill took a minute or so and you could bring in plenty of stuff, despite what the ticket said.

Which is then pretty unhelpful..

rjsterry

TheStone wrote:

I think it's been run fairly well so far. Transport is fine.
Security checks at Box Hill took a minute or so and you could bring in plenty of stuff, despite what the ticket said.

Agree on the empty seats and the visa thing, but you don't really want to pay for a bottle of water with a credit card (you'll become one of those people in Boots that I hate).

+1. The transport seems to be running eerily smoothly (LOCOG have presumably made some Faustian pact with the unions), and sitting on a blanket doesn't sound too much of a hardship. I had to stand for the nine laps of Box Hill, with the littl'un on my shoulders for most of it (she was an absolute trooper, and walked the mile from the car park to the event and most of the way back too - I'm hoping I have done enough to instil an appreciation of cycling).

anonymousblackfg

I went to the volleyball last night, again, 2 hour queue warning though it took 5 mins and were left waiting for the other games to finish before you could get your seat, in the whole of earles court there were roughley eight seats while waiting so we joined the thousands of other sat on the concrete not watching the action as they had no other screens up.

That said the action was really good and a great win for the GB girls (even if we did have to run for the 00:14 train when it still hadn't finished!). They are massive underdogs even against Algeria but their first ever win and they fully admit they are trying their all at tese games to get more kids to take up the sport, best story of the games so far in my opinion.