Was just speaking to the reservations desk at one of the hotels in Ireland -- they said that they expect a very busy season as plenty of Londoners are heading out of town for the influx of Olympic visitors.
Down here in Zummerzet I doubt we'll notice; apples and pigs, wassail.
But I would concur with idea of flight - the expected number of attendees will further distort the ridiculous price of everything in our Capital, making alternatives more attractive for many reasons. 2million people on the Jubilee Line (Underground train service)? NO thanks...
- Oh, and the opening ceremony plans have been announced (BBC News - London 2012: Olympics opening ceremony details revealed) - which look so cringe-making, twee and misplaced that most Britons would like to avoid guilt by association 😉
But I would concur with idea of flight - the expected number of attendees will further distort the ridiculous price of everything in our Capital, making alternatives more attractive for many reasons. 2million people on the Jubilee Line (Underground train service)? NO thanks...
- Oh, and the opening ceremony plans have been announced (BBC News - London 2012: Olympics opening ceremony details revealed) - which look so cringe-making, twee and misplaced that most Britons would like to avoid guilt by association 😉
It has been suggested that total visitor numbers to London this summer may be down on the usual figures, as normal tourists staying away will exceed Olympic visitors. Most Londoners won't be able to afford to flee, but will wish they could. As a Londoner (although no longer living there) I hoped Paris would get the short straw instead of us.
Yes, the opening ceremony looks silly but isn't that part of the requirement? The 'creative' industries are very good at trotting out cliches and regarding them as innovation. A constrast can be drawn between this and last weekend's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Yes, the opening ceremony looks silly but isn't that part of the requirement? The 'creative' industries are very good at trotting out cliches and regarding them as innovation. A constrast can be drawn between this and last weekend's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Getting out! Apparently the tube is going to have 2.5x the normal passenger numbers but this just isn't possible as it is already at maximum capacity during busy times to the point where people sometimes already get pushed off platforms onto the rails from overcrowding. People are going to die if they allow 2.5x as many people.
I also expect a crime wave in non games areas of London and general disorder, possible problems from the police as well as they overact.
I also expect a crime wave in non games areas of London and general disorder, possible problems from the police as well as they overact.
I thought the norm was for locals to rent their homes for two weeks and pay a year's mortgage off. At Lake Placid folks were getting $25,000/week and up for their ski condos.
In the area immediately around the Games the houses are mostly quite small, even by UK standards. It is/was a mainly poor working class area with high crime etc. I would not want to live in Stratford - I grew up only a few miles north of there!
I noticed the other day that the athlete's village is built right on top of my old student halls of residence. I rather hope that psychogeography comes into play, and rather than turning up to compete they stay in bed all day watching dodgy soap operas and skinning up, whilst moaning about how much work they have to do... 😀
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