Now, I
don’t really think it’s possible to be over prepared for an event that is so
universally watched and meticulously scrutinized, but I do think that it’s
quite possible London overreacted just a little bit. Some would say that all
this preparedness is the reason that we, as Londoners, are not feeling at all
overwhelmed at the moment, but is it possible that the city has actually blown
it all out of proportion?
I’m sure
I’ve complained about London transportation before. You see, London is a big
city but, for some reason, can’t seem to be very efficient when it comes to
transport. For instance, in the summer (during our mere day or two of warmth),
the tube trains are constantly breaking down; in the winter (tiny amounts of
snow), the whole city grinds to a halt; and, in the interim, leafs or rain on
the track cause massive delays. So, you can imagine how surprised I’ve been
over the past week to see London running like a dream.
We’ve all
been joking that we wish the city would be this efficient all the time. I work
just off Oxford Street, so I’m used to massive crowds and a clogged-up daily
commute, particularly during the summer months. But the past week has been
suspiciously quiet. It’s been reported all over the world: London is a ghost town.
(Let me qualify this: London could never be a ghost town. There is always
people everywhere but, compared to the usual crowds, and the inflated
expectations, it is rather quiet.)
Apparently,
the Games have pulled in 100,000 foreign tourists, much less than the 300,000
that were expected, and less than what is typical at this time of year.
Businesses are suffering, tourist destinations are feeling abandoned and hotels
are slashing their prices to try to entice visitors.
And all
this is just what it looks like from the streets – in Soho, the City, the West
End and beyond. These areas are usually streaming with tourists in August. Yes,
there are lost of international Olympics’ visitors milling around, easy to spot
with their giant flags and country-supporting apparel, but the flow of people
is surprisingly orderly and underwhelming.
When it
comes to the venues (as I’m sure has been reported wherever you are), the lack
of visitors is also being felt. The number of empty seats is embarrassing,
particularly because of all the difficulty there was to purchase tickets. To be
told an event you really wanted to see is all sold out, and to then see all
kinds of empty seats is really disappointing. I hear it’s to do with the
corporate sponsors not filling up their allotted spots, but come on, there are
thousands of Brits, and international visitors, who could be filling them up.
Getting to
the venues has also been rather painless. Besides the issues with the Central
Line (one of the veins into the Olympic Park at Stratford) this week, traveling
on the tube hasn’t been too bad. I’m currently staying at a flat on the Jubilee
line, which hosts a variety of venues, such as the Olympic Park, ExCel, North
Greenwich Arena, Horseguards Parade, Hyde Park, Lord’s Cricket Grounds and
Wembley, and it has been a breeze. Ticket-holders also received a transport
card in the post, which is good for a six-minute return train from St Pancras
to Stratford International. Makes traveling to and from the main venue
ridiculously simple.
Anyways,
I’m not complaining. I’m glad that commuting to and from work has been so
painless, that Oxford Street isn’t rammed with irritating tourists, and that my
journeys to the Olympic venues have been so smooth. And I’m rather impressed
that London, a city so typically inefficient and chaotic, has managed to run
the event so easily. As far as I’m concerned, even with 30 medals for Team GB
(as of writing this), London’s efficiency during these Games will be one of its
most talked-about legacies.
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