Olympics 2012 Diary of a London Ambassador

Day 6

And it's the last day. Neil, Francesco, Megha and I met outside Marble Arch and visited our pod in Hyde Park. 

The manager was Travis, thoroughly nice, to the point and extremely informative - all this under 60 seconds. Unlike our previous nightmare, Travis didn't love the sound of his voice so much - the hallmark of a good leader indeed. 

Hyde Park was extremely busy. The pod was situated in a far better location than the obscure information point at Wembley. Central London for me was less enjoyable. I'm a football man through and through and I pined for the Mexicans and the Japanese. 

A funny moment was had when an amateur mockumentary team gate crashed the pod. "Which countries have participated in all Olympics and winter Olympics," yelled a very loud American gentleman. "France!" I called correctly. Neil swept up with the rest of the answers. 

"Second question is who invented the London sewer system?" Neil was quickest off the mark with a hilarious response; "Boris Johnson!!" We all clutched our bellies as I hung onto Megha to stop myself falling to the tarmac. 

We had access to the screens but I was tired and didn't hang around to see Damon Albarn and Blur - not really my cup of tea. 

My pink uniform was an icebreaker as I chatted to two nice guys from Portsmouth, one of whom went to the same school as Bruce Grobelaar in Rhodesia. We laughed at Grobs and his mad antics in Rome 1984, and I did a wobbly legs routine on the train. I then realised I was heading in the wrong direction before getting off and rectifying matters at Aldgate East. I beat the clock easily and got home to break my fast.  
It's been a truly momentous six days and I have savoured every minute. I have thoroughly loved meeting and greeting the world and I hope visitors have felt our genuine warmth. In Neil, Michael, Megha and Francesco I have had the good fortune of making smashing new friends on the journey of life. I am grateful for their brilliant company. 

One thing is for certain. Volunteers have been the real movers and shakers and the backbone of the games and it’s tremendous that excellence badges will be given to every each one of them.