Olympics and a Golden Post Box for Chiswick

London has the Olympic fever at the moment, the build up to the Olympics was crazy. The Mayor of London and Transport for London spent months telling everyone to prepare for the games, and plan travel wisely because it was going to be INSANE with tourists everywhere and the tubes would be horrendous...

So far, it hasn't been that bad. 

I've been working different shifts at work since I work in the City, starting early one week and late the next, and my tube has been empty both to and from work, so it's been quite good. We have spent a lot of time in Chiswick the last few weeks, due to the influx of tourists, and the Mayor told everyone to spend some time exploring their own neighbours and STAY HOME basically. So everyone has been doing that, and now apparently the City of London is deserted, and shops and restaurants are losing money because everyone took the Mayor's advice and stayed home.

Londoner's do seem to be a lot friendlier than usual, possibly also helped by the sunshine we've had this week. People have been letting me onto the tube in front of them and saying Hello in the street. It's quite strange.

World flags on Regent Street

We didn't get any tickets for the Olympics, but we have tickets to the Athletic's final of the Paralympics in a month, so we'll get to go inside the Olympic Stadium. I hope they don't get rid of the Olympic Torch before we get a chance to see it.

We had a walk around Regent Street and Soho a few weeks ago, to see all the Olympic flags on Regent Street and Oxford Street.

We also wanted to find some of the Olympic Mascot's around London. Wenlock and Mandeville have been dressed in all different costumes and scattered around the City, though none of the costumes prevent them from looking angry and sinister.

Javelin outside Westfield

We've been watching the Olympics every day on TV, my favourites have been the Rowing (Yay NZ!!) and the Athletics. I've been supporting both New Zealand and Great Britain, and both countries are doing great.

The Royal Mail is in the process of repainting some of its Post Boxes Gold to celebrate the Gold Medals won by British athletes. Chiswick is lucky enough to have its own Gold Post box, thanks to Men's Rower Pete Reed, who lives and trains in Chiswick. He was one of the Men's Four's rower's who won Gold at Eton Dorney last week. 

Our Gold Post Box is outside the Chiswick Town Hall and looks awesome. We visited it today and took some proud photos.

Chiswick Town Hall