Olympic Torch

Today the Olympic Torch came to Guernsey. It was very exciting. The children were wide awake at the crack of dawn as it was the church youth sleep over (stay awake over really). After a breakfast I collected Jonathan and Sophie and we went into town. A kind friend let us park in his garage right in town as I still find walking a challenge.

We found a good place to sit on the chairs we had taken and watched as the crowds arrived. We saw this plane fly over as it came in to land and J was very excited as our runway on Guernsney is too short for Airbuses or commercial jet planes so this was a rare treat. (Apparently it was allowed in because it wasn't very full and didn't have a full tank of fuel. The pilot had to practise landing on a simulator before he could come!)

The torch came and we saw it come by 3 times because of the route and our vantage point. It was thrilling. The crowds and atmosphere were great. We saw it head off to the castle, saw it come back from the castle and an hour later saw it come back to head off the the airport - all before 10.30!

Once the torch relay had finished we headed off. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the plane again we went to Jerbourg Point. After 15 minutes of nothing we assumed we had missed it.

However, to get back home we have to drive round the bottom of the airport. As we went round the corner J started stuttering in delight. Mum, stop. Mum look. Its here STOP!

We pulled up at the bottom of the runway and there was the plane. I think there was as much, if not more, excitement about it than the torch. After about 2 minutes after we had stopped and admired the plane it started taxi-ing to the end of the run way where we were. The view was fab.

The woosh of the jets really excited the children (only planes with propellors in Guernsey) and we waved the torch and the wonderful plane off to Jersey. A thrilling end to the torch relay.

AFter a leisurely lunch we have lazed around the house in an exhausted state. It is now 7.10pm and both children are bathed and already fast asleep.