Getting there as a Games Maker

Mmmm coffee!

Finally Saturday 18 February 2012 arrived - the day of my Games Maker Orientation Training. It was going to be a long day involving a very early start, travel by planes, trains and automobiles and ridiculously tight schedules but I was determined to make the most of my experiences.

Having read other Games Maker blogs in advance I knew that it was going to be a massively exciting day and one when I'd finally realise what it meant to be a cog in the London 2012 Games Maker wheel. It would later dawn on me what a big deal the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are for the United Kingdom and the huge responsibility that I'll shoulder together with the other 69,999 Games Makers to help put on the greatest show on earth, in the greatest city on earth. But first I had to get there.

My alarm went off at 4.30am and by 5am I was out the door and in the car and on my way to the airport. A quick coffee - with an extra shot of Espresso - in the departure lounge and I was buzzing and ready to board my 7.20am Aer Lingus flight to Heathrow.

My chariot awaits

Mmmm brunch!

The flight was on time and after a little bit of holding in the air above Epping Forest (pretty normal for Heathrow) we descended over the Olympic Park en route to the River Thames before banking right above the North Greenwich Arena and ExCeL to follow the route of the river all the way into Heathrow. We touched down just after 8.25am, sliding gracefully past Twickenham on our final approach.

From the Arrivals area in Heathrow I was quickly onto the tube and then a quick bus ride from Hounslow East to Richmond to meet my wonderful friends, the Clevelys (who have kindly agreed to put me up for the duration of my Games Maker stint in London). A delicious brunch of scrambled eggs, toasted muffin, mushroom, sausages and beans all washed down with several steaming mugs of tea was just the ticket and in hindsight just what I needed to get me through a hectic Games Maker Orientation Training session later on in the day.

Twickenham

Goin' Underground

After saying goodbye and dishing out the hugs and kisses to my lovely friends and wonderful hosts it was time to get excited about the day ahead. Following a brisk walk in the sunshine to the train station at Richmond I hopped on the overground train and was on my way to Wembley Arena ready for the doors to open at 1.30pm with my Orientation Training session commencing at 3pm.