Carrying the Olympic Torch

Astounding, Amazing, Exciting, Overwhelming, Humbling can all be used to describe carrying the Torch yesterday. But none of them adequately describe how the day went.

As soon as I stepped off the Torchbearer's bus I was literally mobbed by excited people who wanted to touch and have their photo taken with the torch.

with daughter Francesca

Despite the poor weather and rain the street was thronged with people.  Then after about 20 minutes the preceding runner came into view and it was time to transfer the flame (called a kiss) to my torch.

The Kiss

And then I was off on my 300m stretch.

Despite saying this was going to be my slowest 300m ever and feeling as though I had taken my time, fellow torchbearers following on the bus seemed to think that I had given it "big licks".  But all in all it was a fantastic experience and one which I was honoured to be part of.

The last time the Olympics were held in London in 1948 there were 1688 torches that travelled 3160Km across eight countries and rather than take a direct route from Dover to London The torch was carried through the towns of Kent, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

This time the torch is being carried by 8000 runners in Britain alone and passes at least within an hour of every home in Britain.

Thanks to Francesca and Ross for the photos