Prepare to shine......

As a rule I'm not much into corporate sporting event hullabaloo, but yesterday the Olympic torch came through St. Leonards on Sea and Hastings so PP and I decided to take the afternoon off and head down to the seafront to experience the 'once in a lifetime' celebrations.

As the rain clouds were gathering we repaired to a seafront bistro, where we had a few glasses of wine and a really rather lovely Olympic-themed late lunch while awaiting the cavalcade.  Unwittingly we were right by a torch handover point, which originally seemed like a good idea but as the news spread the crowds swelled till we couldn't see anything at all.

So we hit on the idea of climbing up onto one of the high municipal planters which line the road.  I had to have assistance from several bystanders, then perched precariously on the edge, trying not to trample the flowers, until reason kicked in and informed me that as we pay extortionate Council Tax charges, that would surely cover a few trampled flowers and outweigh the costs of my ending up in A&E if I plummeted to the ground.....

 Apologies in advance for the rubbish pictures... the lack of perspective here belies the fact that I'm about 5 feet above pavement level.

After waiting absolutely ages, eventually the police motorcycle outriders arrived, dozens of them, followed by the corporate hoohah, then finally the torch runner.

Somewhere in that melee you might be able to see the waiting runner, holding his torch, waiting for the relay. 


The handover of the flame took about 10 seconds, and I was caught completely off guard as the runner went past, flanked by a phalanx of bodyguards.

And that was that......


I'm glad we saw it though, even if it was fleetingly.


So, this week has been strewn with momentous moments.... the most important of which might just necessitate the buying of a hat.