Paralympics - Who's Going?

[Bungle73]

BTW: For anyone who was at the Stadium last night, how cold did it get late on in the evening?

I had a light fleece jacket on and wasn't cold. When I was there before I felt a bit chilly, even though it was nice warm day. I had only a t-shirt on and decided to put a sweatshirt on; then I was fine.

My hands were hurting from all the clapping though.

Mine too!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I was still in my vest although I had taken a hoodie, but then I do run hit anyway. My mate stuck on her thin jumper as we were leaving.

I think the fact you have 80 thousand bodies around you helps.

I think it's supposed to be getting warmer this week anyway.

My hands were hurting from all the clapping though.

Yeah, have looked at the weather, but Wednesday's meant to be colder. Also don't think we're going to be surrounded by people if my guess of where we're seated is correct

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I had a light fleece jacket on and wasn't cold. When I was there before I felt a bit chilly, even though it was nice warm day. I had only a t-shirt on and decided to put a sweatshirt on; then I was fine.

Mine too!

Cheers. Will bring thermal shirt for himself and a cardigan for me

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

didn't see any shuttles to get you from SI to the park itself I'm afraid. Everyone was walking.


We pickped them up (on purpose after last time!) and it was no problem at all. We didn't even have to queue - despite all the dire warnings. Lunchtime on a Saturday. We just took the confirmation email. The only slight annoyance is that you have to go a little bit around the houses when you get there to get to the box office - but nothing you wouldn't be fine with.

Thanks. Seems to bear out what ticket guy seemed to think. He definitely seemed to think we're better off going for Stratford tube rather than SI

 

[mattie]

We went to the evening session saturday and the morning sunday - superb.

Saw big Aled (and by Christ are his shoulders big) win gold, and Stef Reid come second by the tiniest of margins. Saw Ben Rushgrove in 100m, he works in my gym and is a lovely chap so excellent to see him qualify.

Great weekend, stadium and atmosphere were outstanding.

Word of advice, although I'm sure others have said already - avoid taking' quickest route into central London' via West Ham. It takes ages to walk there.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We went to the evening session saturday and the morning sunday - superb.

Saw big Aled (and by Christ are his shoulders big) win gold, and Stef Reid come second by the tiniest of margins. Saw Ben Rushgrove in 100m, he works in my gym and is a lovely chap so excellent to see him qualify.

Great weekend, stadium and atmosphere were outstanding.

Word of advice, although I'm sure others have said already - avoid taking' quickest route into central London' via West Ham. It takes ages to walk there.

Quickest route for who? East Londoners?

 

[mattie]

Quickest route for who? East Londoners?

No idea - the signs near the stadium (itself a little bit way from the Stratford entrance, pas the aquatics centre) say it

I think they mean the volume of traffic will be lighter. Not sure, but it was a bit misleading - we needed to get to blackwall and it took ages just to get to West Ham.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

No idea - the signs near the stadium (itself a little bit way from the Stratford entrance, pas the aquatics centre) say it.

I think they mean the volume of traffic will be lighter. Not sure, but it was a bit misleading.

Well I'm coming from South London via the Jubilee Line at London Bridge. Don't know why I'd want to go to West Ham

 

[mattie]

Well I'm coming from South London via the Jubilee Line at London Bridge. Don't know why I'd want to go to West Ham

It's a good interchange route, especially for people wanting to go central (Circle/District, H&C and Jubilee, plus DLR if needed - which we needed!)

They had a habit of doing this in the Olympics as well, trying to marshall a bit too much, using stations which aren't the closest to venues.

 

[mattie]

I should add - this isn't a whinge, everyone involved in shipping people about - from the greeters, TFL staff through to squaddies doing the security -have been awesome, but it's worth ignoring some of the directions if you can. They're not always the most convenient!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It's a good interchange route, especially for people wanting to go central (Circle/District, H&C and Jubilee, plus DLR if needed - which we needed!)

They had a habit of doing this in the Olympics as well, trying to marshall a bit too much, using stations which aren't the closest to venues.

Probably just trying to relieve the stress on Stratford

 

[gaijingirl]

my friend has just invited me to go to the athletics with her on Saturday on a spare ticket! HURRAH!!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

my friend has just invited me to go to the athletics with her on Saturday on a spare ticket! HURRAH!!

Woo hoo! Lucky you

 

[Bungle73]

No idea - the signs near the stadium (itself a little bit way from the Stratford entrance, pas the aquatics centre) say it

I think they mean the volume of traffic will be lighter. Not sure, but it was a bit misleading - we needed to get to blackwall and it took ages just to get to West Ham.

Blackwall isn't central London. If you're coming out of the Stadium in the evening with 80,000 other people, and the rest leaving other venues the Stratford exit can get extremely busy, and you get hoardes of people queuing to get into SI too. They don't want everyone going via Stratford.

 

[mattie]

Blackwall isn't central London. If you're coming out of the Stadium in the evening with 80,000 other people, and the rest leaving other venues the Stratford exit can get extremely busy, and you get hoardes of people queuing to get into SI too. They don't want everyone going via Stratford.

I understand this - taking people off Jubilee and Central and onto District/H&S

The problem is that the walk makes it extremely unlikely to be 'the quickest' for anything.

'Alternative route' would have been better, with some wording about the distance - not great to be dragging kids well past their bedtime.

Thar we needed to get to blackwall is irrelevant - we were heading the same direction on the same train and then changing.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Question about food

I know from the crappy maps supplied that there's plenty of food places, but can anyone tell me where the fish and chips and hog roast are located or are there plenty of them scattered about?

and where's the smoking dens?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm still not sure which way to go from Brixton. The logical way would be tube to London Bridge and then Jubilee Line, or even tube to Green Park and Jubilee Line but for some reason, TFL's journey planner seems to want to channel you via the Central Line up to Bank.

Is there any reason for this, other than channelling people away from London Bridge which would be full of commuters as well?

And why no option of Jubilee Line from Green Park?

I'm baffled

 

[mattie]

Question about food

I know from the crappy maps supplied that there's plenty of food places, but can anyone tell me where the fish and chips and hog roast are located or are there plenty of them scattered about?

and where's the smoking dens?

Plenty of food places, the fish and chip one in particular is easy to find. We had some noodles at Excel for the Olympics which were woeful so we took our own food this time, but the fish and chips did look lovely although pricey at £9ish. The queues are OK too, the longest was for the decent coffee - there's not many coffee places although all of the food stalls sell tea and not-that-great coffee. Plenty of bars in the ring around the stadium but beer is £4.60 a pint - I think it's marginally cheaper if you buy it from one of the people walking round with dispensers (I think I saw £4.30 but may be wrong)

There are apparently a few smoking places, the only one I noted directly was by the food court in front of the stadium by the entrance from the aquatics centre (i.e. in trhe direction you'd walk from Stratford).

Oh yeah, and massive McDonalds.

 

[mattie]

my friend has just invited me to go to the athletics with her on Saturday on a spare ticket! HURRAH!!

Enjoy - it's brilliant.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Plenty of food places, the fish and chip one in particular is easy to find. We had some noodles at Excel for the Olympics which were woeful so we took our own food this time, but the fish and chips did look lovely although pricey at £9ish. The queues are OK too, the longest was for the decent coffee - there's not many coffee places although all of the food stalls sell tea and not-that-great coffee. Plenty of bars in the ring around the stadium but beer is £4.60 a pint - I think it's marginally cheaper if you buy it from one of the people walking round with dispensers (I think I saw £4.30 but may be wrong)

There are apparently a few smoking places, the only one I noted directly was by the food court in front of the stadium by the entrance from the aquatics centre (i.e. in trhe direction you'd walk from Stratford).

Oh yeah, and massive McDonalds.

Yeah, I saw on the sample menu that Singapore Vermicelli was £8.50

Handy info thanks, especially as we'll be at swimming tomorrow morning so doesn't look like we'll have to wander too far for food or a smoke

 

[gaijingirl]

As well as the little bottles of beer at £4.60 - Heineken, they sell unbranded beer by the half pint for £2. They also have Bulmers Cider for £4.60 in a little bottle too.

There are tons of food places, but we took a picnic as there are plenty of nice places to sit and eat and it's so pricey if you're there over the course of 2 meals with a family. Also as advised on here, empty water bottles for filling. As mentioned above, the queues were for coffee as my addict husband discovered.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

As well as the little bottles of beer at £4.60 - Heineken, they sell unbranded beer by the half pint for £2. They also have Bulmers Cider for £4.60 in a little bottle too.

There are tons of food places, but we took a picnic as there are plenty of nice places to sit and eat and it's so pricey if you're there over the course of 2 meals with a family. Also as advised on here, empty water bottles for filling. As mentioned above, the queues were for coffee as my addict husband discovered.

My sister told me a friend had been and to turn left out of Stratford tube for the mobility shuttle buses, which would mean not going through Westfield and not being able to pick up a sandwich. Think leaving home just before 8.00am to get to Brixton M&S is pushing it a bit, especially if tubes are packed, so will have to leave earlier and skip the sandwiches, unless we come out of London Bridge station and get one there before hopping on Jubilee Line.

Thanks for £2 beer tip

 

[gaijingirl]

My sister told me a friend had been and to turn left out of Stratford tube for the mobility shuttle buses, which would mean not going through Westfield and not being able to pick up a sandwich. Think leaving home just before 8.00am to get to Brixton M&S is pushing it a bit, especially if tubes are packed, so will have to leave earlier and skip the sandwiches, unless we come out of London Bridge station and get one there before hopping on Jubilee Line.

Thanks for £2 beer tip

I made sandwiches at home the night before...

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I made sandwiches at home the night before...

Been too busy getting ready to do that

 

[gaijingirl]

Been too busy getting ready to do that

well have a lovely time - I'm sure you will. Is it tomorrow?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

well have a lovely time - I'm sure you will. Is it tomorrow?

Yep, 9.30am start so aiming to get to Stratford at 8.30am. They say you should be in venue waaaaaaaay before session, but I'm not sure I believe that, so I'm hoping 8.30am from tube to Park to Venue should give me half hour to be seated before start of session

That means leaving around 7.30am to be on the safe side. I'm not used to these early hours so going to bed after The Last Leg

 

[gaijingirl]

yes.. that's the same timing for me on Sat. Tbh.. we've arrived late to all our sessions - no problems whatsoever.

 

[colacubes]

Yep, 9.30am start so aiming to get to Stratford at 8.30am. They say you should be in venue waaaaaaaay before session, but I'm not sure I believe that, so I'm hoping 8.30am from tube to Park to Venue should give me half hour to be seated before start of session

That means leaving around 7.30am to be on the safe side. I'm not used to these early hours so going to bed after The Last Leg

Tbh it's bollocks, but that timing sounds like you should have plenty of time. I'd try and be on the tube before 8am just to avoid the worst of rush hour (I know from bitter experience that if I'm running late for work it's a nightmare if I get on after 8). We actually came back tonight on the javelin train to St Pancras and then got tube back and did it in 40 mins door to door, so might be worth considering. Think it took an hour this morning on the tube door to door. Not sure what it's like re step free access so worth checking just in case/

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Tbh it's bollocks, but that timing sounds like you should have plenty of time. I'd try and be on the tube before 8am just to avoid the worst of rush hour (I know from bitter experience that if I'm running late for work it's a nightmare if I get on after 8). We actually came back tonight on the javelin train to St Pancras and then got tube back and did it in 40 mins door to door, so might be worth considering. Think it took an hour this morning on the tube door to door. Not sure what it's like re step free access so worth checking just in case/

Avoiding the javelin 'til I find out whether there's a shuttle. Not bothered about stairs. He just can't do any long walks (ie. anything over a few minutes)

Thanks for tip. Might try javelin tomorrow or Friday

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

yes.. that's the same timing for me on Sat. Tbh.. we've arrived late to all our sessions - no problems whatsoever.

Excellent, was worried they'd slam door in face for being late