Birmingham day 10 & 11- Diving and Athletics
On day 10 Vicky was volunteering so I dropped her off at the NEC. Ian and Alex had decided on a 50 mile cycle to Cannock chase to see the mountain biking. I toyed with the idea of tickets for some obscure sport, but decided to just laze.
Vicky had a very exciting day. In the morning Tessa Sanderson came to her desk to say that there would be royalty visiting and could everyone be there to greet them! All the other volunteers, who have spent the whole time dashing off to watch the sports and leaving Vicky to man the desk, suddenly turned up at 1.30 to welcome the Wessexes. They had come from the netball (the Wessexes and most of the others!) and Tessa had organised a full behind the scenes tour. Unfortunately for her, they just wanted food and spent the allotted time in the canteen!
Ian and Alex headed off to Cannock, Alex on my electric bike but with no intention of using any power. That just left me. I showered, washed up, watched some CG, then went back to bed for an afternoon nap. It’s a hard life.
The cyclists made it to Cannock but couldn’t see much so returned via a couple of ‘lovely canalside’ pubs. I picked Vicky up from the NEC feeling shattered after my nap. Then we went off down The Dog and Doublet for a meal where a chance meeting made all Alex’s dream come true. We got talking to a guy on the next table and it came up in conversation that he had completed every London Marathon. It transpires these people are called Ever Presents, and there are only seven left in the whole world. Alex was made up and to be honest the rest of us were mightily impressed. Turns out after we google searched him that he is 71. What a guy.
Day 11 was diving and, the creme de la creme, Athletics. Ian dropped Vicky off, she would join us later at the Alexandra Stadium, and Ian, Alex and I headed for Chester road station car park. Horror! It was full. Next in line then, Wylde Green. Also full, but plenty of room on the road outside. At New Street (or Grand Central as it is now known) we had to cross over to Moor Street, right next door but a world away. It’s a really cute oldie worldie station, even the loos are twee.
We got on a nice train to the Hawthorns, then caught the shuttle bus to Sandwell leisure centre. This time we could have done with Alex’s seat for the swimming, but we’re about half way down the pool. Turns out the diving was pretty pointless as almost everyone competing went through to the final, they were just jockeying for position. We saw some good belly flops though.
Back at Grand Central Alex waited for Vicky and they shuttle bused it to the Stadium, while Ian and I returned to Wylde Green and headed for the JLS Kingsbury Park and ride. It’s great not having to pay for the transport, you just wave a piece of paper at the guard and he lets you through. I reckon you could wave a Tesco receipt!
At the Park and Ride the signage was so poor we ended up somewhere else. No worries. A big guy gave us long complicated directions. And he told the man behind to just follow us! No Pressure. We managed to both arrive at the right place eventually. At the right place the signage was so poor we ended up on the accessible bus! ‘Make sure you get on this bus exactly where it drops you off, right next to the stadium, or you will have a two mile walk back to the Car Park with the other poor sods who didn’t blag their way on this one’, a very nice lady told us.
Obviously when we arrived at the stadium we had to walk round 99/100ths of it to get to our seat. Thank god we got that accessible bus! Ian and I had a 99 each, 99 being the approx cost in pounds, then climbed and climbed and climbed up to row X. To be fair we had a fabulous view.
As the night went on the temperature dropped to sub zero. Thank god I had taken a jumper. We stayed till the (really) bitter end before trudging 999/1000th of the way around the stadium for the JLS shuttle. The shuttle buses have been excellent throughout. Back at JLS we had a two mile walk through an industrial estate that was teaming with late night lorry deliveries. Should have gone for the accessible.
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