Our ‘lympic Summer

Note: I originally wrote this blog about a month ago, and intended to include comments from Debra in it but because of other events that never happened. I forgot all about it until I received my London 2012 dvd through the post yesterday, and figured better late than never.

 

I hadn’t really thought about it before but looking back I guess the Olympics always seemed like something that happened far, far away, another world almost. It wasn’t until we saw the torch come through little ol’ Rayleigh, that it was really brought home to me that the Olympics really were going to be just up the road. I guess I’ve always thought of the torch relay as just part of Olympic furniture, but it really did make London 2012 seem more tangible and it was amazing to see what felt like the whole town out together. Although I will admit I did find the corporate buses nauseating.

 

 The Olympic Torch in Rayleigh High St, just 30 seconds from our flat.

 

 

Once the Olympics were underway, I almost instantly regretted not trying for more tickets, this was once in a lifetime stuff. I’ve always loved watching the Olympics on tv, but the BBC’s wall to wall coverage - 24 extra channels! - quickly got me addicted like never before. So like many others I bought tickets for the Paralympics, not as a runner up prize but as a way of grabbing my own piece of the experience. In the meantime I continued to watch all that I could until the the last weekend of the Olympics came around and our trip to the Hadleigh Mountain Biking event.

 

 Looking back up the hill at Hadleigh Farm.
 

In this case the Olympics really were on our doorstep, just 3 miles from out flat to Hadleigh Farm and the specially constructed course. The excitement of the day was tempered a bit by the fact we were taking my mum aswell, and because of her ill health we’d hired a wheelchair for the day. We needn’t have worried, from the moment our taxi dropped us at the drop-off point we were taken care of, ferried first by another taxi down the country lanes to the Salvation Army buildings, then the Gamesmakers took us down onto the site in disabled friendly golf buggy’s. We were then able to take her onto a viewing platform and took it in turns to stay with her then explore the venue. The weather was glorious and the track quite spectacular with steep climbs, sheer drops and rocky sections. Sadly Britain’s Liam Killeen crashed out on the 2nd lap, but the atmosphere was fantastic with fans from all over the world. The race was eventually won by Czech Jaroslav Kulhavy, who overtook Nino Schurter of Switzerland on the very last bend of the very last lap, a moment I somehow managed to capture on camera.

Jaroslav Kulhavy (blue) overtaking Nino Schurter to win Gold.

 

After an agonising two week wait the Paralympics finally started, and once again we became just as addicted, this time to Channel4’s superb coverage. I have to admit I hadn’t really watched much, if any, coverage of previous paralympics and was unsure how into it I would get - I ended up spending just as much time watching the Paralympics as I had the Olympics. But again we had to wait until the games were almost over before we had our adventure.

 

 

The Aquatics Centre.

 

The swimming heats began at 9.30am which meant we needed to get the train by 7.30 at the latest, happily none of the transport problems we were worried about materialised. Extra trains were still being laid on and when we arrived at the Olympic Park we were in & through security in no time at all, with plenty of time to get our bearings and some breakfast. The Aquatics Centre was a very impressive structure, sleek and modern, when we arrived it was probably only a third full but filled up throughout the early part of the morning. The noise whenever a British athlete raced was quite incredible (and I’ve been to plenty of football matches), and rocketed to another level when Josef Craig broke the World Record in his S7 400m freestyle heat. We also got to see legendary South African Natalie Du Toit win the heat of her last ever event.

 

The green blur about to win is Natalie Du Toit.

 

 

Our day was not over though as we also had tickets to go up the Anish Kapoor designed Orbit which towers over the Olympic Park. The views from the top were superb, as we were able to see over the whole park, london, and beyond. We would have liked to explore the park more, but it was incredibly crowded so we headed home.

 

Orbit.

 

Debra & I outside the Olympic Stadium.

 

The next morning we were still shattered from the day before but got ourselves up anyway, today we were going to the Stadium itself! Thankfully it started an hour later than the previous day so we had a bit of extra time. After another breakfast stop in the park we headed into the Stadium to find our tickets were in the third row which gave us a great view, just a shame we were on the bend of the track and most of the heats were 100 & 200m over the other side of the stadium! We did have a great view of the morning’s two Javelin finals though, and even though the Brits never really challenged, all the athletes got fantastic support. We did get a Gold Medal moment though when Great Britain’s Josie Pearson came first in the F51 Discus, something I was able to see even though it was at the other end thanks to Debra’s inspired decision to take her binoculars! And that was that, our ‘lympic adventures were sadly over, like many we wished they could have continued forever.
 

　

　

 

 

During the Paralympics closing ceremony Debra looked at me and said "Let’s go to Rio in four years..."

 

Watched #2: On The Road Special

I'm not normally one that criticises film adaptations for not sticking exactly to the book, they are completely different mediums afterall. However I was nervous to see what Walter Salles had done with a book I know so well, having read it at least 5 times. And knowing it so well I couldn't help but notice what was missing, things like Sal's time as a security guard with Remi near the start of the book, and much reduced sections with Terri, and the ride on the back of the farmers truck. On The Road is such a dense book with so many events that to include them all would have been impossible. So the screenplay sensibly concentrates on the story concerning Dean Moriarty.

  One thing that did bug me was the amount of sex in the film, not in a prudish way but it did make it seem like a much higher concentration of sex than the book (ie.all the sex is kept in when other parts are left out). The other aspect of this is the gay sex, something that in the film is right there wheras in the book is more subtley suggested or alluded to.

  These are relatively minor criticisms though when they got so much right. Particularly the feel and themes of the book, it's not a non-stop party like many seem to think, Sal & Dean are slowly drifting apart almost from the moment they meet and becoming more desperate as they go. The environments look authentic, not the usual pristine, neat, polished world of so many 1950's period pieces - it's dirty, sweaty and real. The cinematography is beautiful, filmed I have since discovered by Eric Gautier who also filmed Into The wild, the use of handheld camera's for when sal is hitchhiking is a good touch
and there's a warm, nostalgic graininess to the whole movie.

  Importantly I felt the cast was very good, Salles chose very well picking young up & coming actors for the key roles. Sam Riley is very good as Sal Paradise, pitching him perfectly as the quiet observer & confidant to the stronger characters. Kristen Stewart was quite a revelation as Marylou, an amplified version of the character on the page, more energetic, sexier & more sympathetic. Garrett Hedlund however, is stunning as Dean, he doesn't start the movie all maniacal energy, rather building his madness through the film after each little setback or argument, a feat all the more impressive when you consider that it wouldn't have been filmed in order.

  It was a joy to see this book brought vividly to life before my eyes after years imagining it. Nervous? I needn't have been, now I can't wait to watch it again without those nerves.