Post travel depression sucks. (Shocking discovery, I know.) But what can you possibly do when you have just returned from a trip around the world? Oh, I know: how about planning another big trip! And since after you-know-what I'm left with very few holidays for the rest of 2011, it has to be some long-term planning. And going to the Olympic Games actually needs some serious long-term planning anyway. Et voila, all pieces of the puzzle fall into place :-)
The Olympics and me, you must know, we have quite some history. It all started in Athens in 2004, where I (student, 22y) met that American guy (show-off, around 70y). We were standing there by the road forever with absolutely nothing to do. (Yes kids, watching a marathon is pure excitement: hours of travel and waiting, followed by 20 seconds of watching sweaty guys run, while taking some really badly moved pictures of them.) So we ended up chatting casually. One word led to another, and suddenly there he was - with pride written all over his face - bragging about how he hadn't missed any Olympic Games since Tokyo*. Myself, being an insanely competitive creature, automatically understood it as a bet, and promised myself I would beat his streak. It's on, mister!
This inner bet has had both good and bad effects on my life. The worst of all is clearly all that broccoli I have to eat now in order to live long enough to attend the Olympics for 40+ years. The best one is that I actually get to see lots of live sports! Athens was where a single trip transformed into a lifelong plan. Beijing was an absolute blast, and my only regret is a poor choice of language for the blog, a mistake I'm here to rectify!
Enough history, back to London now! Although the Olympic Games won't open until 27.07.2012, the tickets are already on sale. You need to apply on-line until April 26th, and a lottery will follow if there are not enough seats for everyone. I'll come back with my schedule once the results are out. Wish me luck!
* - Summer Olympics that is (as much as I love curling, skiing with a rifle, and freezing outside with zero visibility in general, Winter Olympics don't count)