Paralympic Closing Ceremony 2012

What can I say but wow. Definitely a once in a life time experience.

I was very irritated because I'd been through all of the ballots for Olympic tickets and got nothing. I left it late to try and get Paralympic tickets so got nothing. Then one day I was on the ticketing website and there they were, closing ceremony tickets. The trouble was they were £100 so I thought about it for about a nanosecond before I clicked the buy button. This was my chance and I wasn't going to waste it. I was so excited I couldn't wait to tell people. The day my ticket came through my letter box was fantastic. I finally had it in my hand. I didn't realise you got a free travel card for the tube so that was a nice surprise. Now I just had to wait.

The 9th September came pretty quickly. I wasn't sure about traffic to London so I set of reasonably early from Oxford. The Olympic Park didn't open until 17:30 but I wanted to get there when it did so I'd have time to take it all in. After all this was the last day it would be know as the Olympic Park, this was the last day of London 2012. When I got off at Marble Arch there were a lot of people about because of a gig going on in Hyde Park. I went down the steps to the tube. I hate the tube at the best of times so I wasn't looking forward to there being hoards of people. To my surprise they were all coming to Marble Arch and there were very few leaving. I got on the first train which was reasonably busy but nothing like I've seen. Then began my 22 minute journey on the central line to Stratford. As the train pulled in to the station I could see the familiar pinky coloured signs with Olympic Park and an arrow on them. This is where I began to feel the excitement. I was there. I followed the signs and eventually came out to a mass of people milling about outside the entrance to the park and Westfield. Of course with the gates not opening for another hour and a half I had to find something to do to occupy my time. First stop was to get water because the weather being hot I was parched after the tube ride. Then I wandered around the shops until I came to a bookshop. It was here I met a lovely couple dressed up in the GB flag sporting novelty accessories. We started chatting and it turned out they had been to numerous events. How come I only got to go to one? They ensured that I would have a fantastic time and we parted company. I think I spent 45 minutes in the bookshop then at around 5pm decided to make my way to the park entrance.

Walking down the barriered walkway I had an overwhelming sense of anticipation. The massive metal gates before security made it feel like we were entering a forbidden area. Getting through security was pretty quick. I did ask the chap if I should take my belt off, he said no and as I walked through the metal detector a familiar beep went off and I was asked to step forward. As I stood there in my star position I was padded down by a lovely RAF lady. I said 'I asked him if I should take my belt off' to which she replied 'Ah well it keeps us in a job'. I'm used to being padded down but there is still a little sense of embarrassment. I wandered off following everyone else then came the sight I never thought I would see...the Olympic Stadium. Wow. Walking down the bridge under the welcome sign I was just totally overcome with excitement. It was a mission playing camera dodging as everyone was taking pictures. I walked passed the Aquatics Centre and stood just taking it all in. That's when I asked a woman stood next to me if she'd take a picture and of course she duly obliged. One thing I have noticed is that everyone was so friendly and chatty which has not been the situation on my previous visits to London. I carried on walking and intermittently taking pictures. I had to document every second of this. I wandered over to the Orbit and took a million pictures from different angles before my stomach started growling. I decided on a jacket potato. £6 for a jacket potato and topping with a side salad. I guess extortionate prices were to be expected. I walked passed the London 2012 shop and am not joking when I say the queues were longer to get in there than they were anywhere else I had seen. It was a one in one out policy by the looks of it. People were obviously determined to get their last little reminder of London 2012no matter how long they had to stand there waiting.

At around 18:30 I decided to go in to the stadium. I took my time making sure I took mental snap shots of everything. I wandered over to Bridge A and looked up at the imposing structure in front of me. This was it. I had a look at the shops surrounding the stadium whilst keeping an eye out for section number 219. I went over to a London 2012 stall which was not that busy in comparison with the shop and bought some Team GB sweatbands. At £4 I think it was a small price to pay for my little bit of memorabilia. 219 was in front of me and so I went over and started to walk up the steps. I could see a glimpse of the inside and as I placed my foot on the last step and the arena opened up to me I was awestruck. Wow. The Gamesmaker pointed to my seat but I was too busy taking pictures. I certainly did not want to forget this. I went and took my place and just stared with my jaw solidly on the floor. The view was spectacular. Right next to me was an opening and there it was, the flame. For a little while I did wonder if I was actually there and this wasn't some crazy dream but I was, I was in the Olympic Stadium, finally.

As darkness descended the place filled up pretty quickly. I can't begin what it feels like to be surrounded by 80,000 people. The couple next to me were lovely but the bloke on the other side of me was just on a mission to get pissed. The pre show started and I had no idea what the hell was going on. It was really bizarre then it all became clear when they raised an inflatable Agitos symbol. That's a lie, it still made no sense. Then they announced the athletes entry into the stadium. This seemed to take forever and I remember at least two calls for them to take their seats. For most of the show I had no idea what was going on. You must remember I didn't have the tv commentary explaining everything so I just sat there amazed and perplexed. It was great being next to the opening because a lot of the performers came out from there so I could get a sneak preview of what was next. When the little car chugged its way around the arena I had no idea that Prince Edward was in there. I obviously wasn't listening. There was just so much to look at and take in. Standing up and singing the national anthem with 80,000 was just unbelievable. Down below me were the Russian team amongst others and I kind of kept half an eye on what was going on down there whilst looking at what was going on and looking at the crowd, the performers coming out and the amazing light show going around the arena. I don't care what anyone says but Coldplay were fantastic. Yes it did turn into a bit of a Coldplay gig but it was still amazing. The moment that makes me laugh and made me laugh at the time was when I saw the boat below me getting ready for whatever it was going to do next. On the deck was a woman with short dark hair in bright orange. I decided to take a picture of this bright orange woman on the boat thinking she was just another performer. Yea, i'd totally missed the fact Rihanna was right in front of me. Such an idiot. After her performance she ran from the stage towards one of the exits with the biggest entourage and covered her head up in the process. What? Why not let the athletes and fans get a picture? Eventually she came back out and I'd noticed this chair being prepared just in front of the flame, guess who it was for? I have some very good shots of the back of Rihannas head.

Everybody was singing along and they even had the words on some of the tv screens around the stadium. The show was pretty weird mainly because I had no idea what was happening but the imagination behind it was brilliant. I remember when Boris Johnson came out to hand the flag over he got the biggest cheer from the crowd. Not as big as when Seb Coe thanked the Gamesmakers and volunteers, the whole stadium were on their feet applauding. We had to stand for the Olympic anthem which I thought sounded like it was the intro to an 80's soap opera. It is pretty dire for an anthem. Standing for the Brazilian anthem was a bit weird as well mainly because I'm not Brazilian but I did as was instructed. When the flame was extinguished there was a general feeling of disappointment. Being right next to it I was in a perfect position when it began to open up. Not to mention getting to see Jonnie Peacock and Ellie Symonds. I think the disappointment came over on the tv but the boo didn't sound half as loud as actually hearing it.

I just cannot get across how spectacular that stadium was. The performers on the ground, the light show flying around, the smells and the music. At one point I thought I was at a massive rave. None of it comes across properly on the tv. The fireworks at the end were dazzling, absolutely breath taking. Seeing it on the tv gives me a better perspective on just how amazing they were but nothing can replace being in that stadium and hearing the constant banging and looking up at them from below. I was also surprised at just how small the inside of the stadium is with regards to the floor space. I expected this huge expanse but it was tiny. This makes me think how even more spectacular the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics must have been with towers being raised etc. In my pictures everything looks far away but it really wasn't. It just shows how deceptive tv pictures are with regards to perspective. To be honest I was gutted when it ended. I'm sure many more would quite happily have sat there all night. There were loads of Mexican waves going around the stadium and it was a delight to participate. I don't think I've seen any on that scale but it just shows the general mood of everybody that was there. At one point there were two going round in opposite directions which was fantastic to watch.

Getting out of the stadium/park you would have thought would be a nightmare what with 80,000 others also leaving. I left my seat, walked down the steps and followed the crowd towards Stratford tube. On the way everyone was high fiving the Gamesmakers. At points the Gamesmakers were all in a line and people went high fiving them down the line and so many people took the time to thank them. We got to the Westfield and wandered through a bit I hadn't seen which had a mini stuck to the wall. We walked down some steps and through down to the platform. There was a train there but it was about to leave. I stood there for about a minute and another came. It must have taken 10 minutes, if that, to get from my seat and on to the tube. 22 minutes later I sat waiting for the bus which was half an hour late. I was very impressed with the speed at which they were clearing the park not so much with my late bus. I eventually got home at 02:30 but it was worth it.

Like I said at the beginning, a once in a lifetime experience.