Olympic torch relay in Kew - epic

I feel blessed that I live in a city that hosts the Olympics. I have been getting more and more excited about the Olympics over the past few weeks and yesterday it reached another high.

Olympic torch relay Day 67

Day 67 of the Olympic torch relay brought the torch to my community in Kew. I didn’t know what to expect, so I armed myself with my camera and a Starbucks Mocha Frappucino and headed to the Green.

A friend was waiting for me and we scoped out the best place to watch the action. The ACTION was the handing over of the flame to the next person in the torch relay. And again, we were blessed, we had two hand-overs right in front of us (it involved just a little bit of running – don’t tell my PT!).

Before the flame arrived out of Kew Gardens, we took a photo opportunity with the torch bearer waiting to be handed over the flame. Check.

(I think the lady was a little overwhelmed with the amount of people taking pics with her, but she put on a brave and smiley face)

The torch itself (the container) is not being handed over, just the flame. It’s being ignited from one torch bearer to another. It’s quite neat, I didn’t expect that.

Once the torch bearer took the flame she jogged along the route on to Kew Bridge where the next torch bearer was waiting for a hand-over of the flame. We had to keep up with the lady and run alongside through the crowds, but years of marathon training and boy band concerts made this easy play. LOL.

In the middle of the bridge, we saw the second handing over of the flames. We had an even better viewing position. It was just awesome. The atmosphere was great. People cheering everywhere. Someone was selling British flags with a flame and the words: “I saw the flame!” on it.

There is a lot of negative press on the Olympics on all sorts of things, but being out there with the local crowd, enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime moment makes it all worth it. The flame will be traveling by boat on the river Thames later this week. So, I’ll be keeping eye out for it and maybe I’ll see it once more.

Happy Olympics!
That’s me with the local torch bearer right before the flame arrived from inside Kew Gardens.

There am I with a local torch bearer right before the flame is being handed over

The handing over of the flame on Kew Bridge. Both flames are burning. I didn’t check how they put out the flame once it has been taken over to the new torch bearer. Should have paid attention…

handing over the flame on Kew Bridge

A bow and off goes the next torch bearer. Being there was AMAZING!

successful hand-over of the flame

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~ by Happy Runner on July 25, 2012.