11 Plus Exams Forum

I am thinking of going to Colchester to see the olympic torch but am wondering how early to get there and wait for the torch to come along. I will probably watch it along North Hill. It starts from Ipswich Road at about 7.30 and should be through the town by about 8.15am.

Is anyone else going that day and, if so, how early do you plan to get there? Do I allow an hour waiting, maybe more, I really don't know?

I'm assuming that many people will want to be there and schools are already making plans to open later that morning so that children can go along as well.

Perhaps if anyone has done this somewhere else already, you could let me know how you got on.

Golly that sounds keen - we have the torch coming through Skipton tomorrow afternoon - floods and monsoon permitting.

The torch will be passing the end of my road in Chelmsford in a couple of weeks, at 7am. If not raining ( and what are the chances of that ? ) I will pop along in my dressing gown. Actually, even if it is p...ing down I will pop along as I have fallen hook, line and sinker for all the hype and even watched the Athletics on the TV this afternoon despite being as sporty as a bag of jam tarts.

marigold wrote:The torch will be passing the end of my road in Chelmsford in a couple of weeks, at 7am. If not raining ( and what are the chances of that ? ) I will pop along in my dressing gown. Actually, even if it is p...ing down I will pop along as I have fallen hook, line and sinker for all the hype and even watched the Athletics on the TV this afternoon despite being as sporty as a bag of jam tarts.

I have two family members involved in the ceremony so will watch for you in your dressing gown....negligee too?

Is anybody out there?

Is there really no-one planning to go to Colchester to see the torch next week?

It came through Harrogate last week.

I got there about na hour early and I'm glad we did there was hardly room to move your arms and we ended up standing on a wall of a local hotel to get a good view.

You'd be surprised how incredibly popular it is, especially through the towns - we located ourselves right at the end where it finished (as they get on the bus to the next stage) and it was STILL busy (8,000 school children alone lined the route in one place ).

Go, take an umbrella, and a chair to sit on if you can. It doesn't last very long so keep a keen eye out, but soak up the atmosphere and enjoy!

Although I am not going to Colchester (work in London calls) my mother-in-law is taking DD and her best friend to see the torch and then they will be going onto school after that. Am not sure much planning has yet gone into it, and MIL is always late for everything so it will be interesting to see how they get on..

Yes we will go to Colchester. DS1 is cross that he will miss it as on the CRGS Paris/ battlefields trip but I will take the others. Probably going to go for the Head street end of the high street so DD can walk to CCHS afterwards - not expecting any buses! and I will take DS2 to school. Hadn't decided on what time to try to get them there by yet - its really hard to judge how popular it will be.

The beastly torch is making its tortuous way past the end of our road on 1st July - its a lovely example of the Big Society - we have all been warned by the stasi that our cars will be towed away if we should have the temerity to park in our own street. Sums up everything that is wrong with this ghastly country at the moment.
The sooner Gove is Prime Minister the better!!

if anyone wants to destress I recommend the live torch relay coverage on BBC red button when it's in "convoy mode" (i.e. being driven round in a van). It's sort of like visual whale song. There's definitely no excitement to upset you. A little surreal...