b'Memories OF LONDON 2012I applied to be in the crowd for quite a fewhave another period of extra time. The two events at the 2012 London Olympics: theblokes in the seats in front of me, Vladimir cycling, the athletics, the swimming butand Estragon I think they were called, all I got was the handball bronze medalgot up and left; and just as the second play-off between Spain and South Korea!period was edging towards something I accepted my lot with good grace andapproaching excitementpenalties dutifully spent time prior to my trip downSpain scored a deflected goal. Spain to London genning up on the sportshad won! They were happy, and the rules and tactics. The plus side was thatmembers of the crowd that were still the event was on a Saturday, when theawake shuffled out of the arena into the big events happened, and it was in thesunny Saturday afternoon in August.Olympic Park. And what an atmosphere we stumbled I worked so hard to try to understandinto. We were in the centre of the the archaic handball rules. I knew I wasOlympics and, thanks to millions of never going to be a connoisseur of thepounds of lottery money and home sport, but I did want to appreciate theadvantage, Britain kept winning things. event I was going to watch. But theWe were not winning quite as much as game finished 0-0. Absolutely nothingthe previous Saturday, but we did add aMy wife and I were on a driving happened! It went to extra time which alsofew more notches to our gold medal tally.holiday during the 2012 London finished 0-0. Time had passed so slowlyWe were part of the crowd that cheeredOlympics, which included camping I swear I saw a white rabbit with a pocketMo Farah as he won another gold, albeitin Tuscany, visiting Florence and watch run down the aisle of the seatingwe were on the outside of the stadium.Rome and then on to stay with and into a hole under a bench! And I managed to photobomb Sue Barkerfamily in south west France. It Now, what happens in handball if thepresenting to the nation on BBC1. was like watching the Olympics game is tied after extra time is that theyEveryone was happy, even the Londoners.as an outsider, which gave it an People seemed to have abandoned tuttingadded dimension as we took in the loudly and aggressively pushing past yousporting spectacles on beaches, on the Tube escalators and replaced themin bars, in restaurants, and on with smiles and conversation. So, despitecampsites. We did have some the best effort of the handball teams fromgreat laughs and banter with the South Korea and Spain, I had a brilliantFrench locals though, as the Brits time and I will fondly remember that daymedal tally increased!until my last. Mr BirdMr Alexander19'