The 2012 Olympics location is right on my doorstep (Stratford). Some people might find the idea of such proximity rather exciting, and in some ways, it is. In other ways, it’s not. Not for me, anyway.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad London won. As a result, the 2012 Olympics is set to bring in huge amounts of income in terms of tourism, the employment opportunities that will flourish and transport infrastructures that will expand. I’m pleased about that. It’s great for Stratford, great for East London and great for London as a whole. However, as a local resident, I’m really not looking forward to the event on a practical level. For example, how am I going to get to work? I suspect that over that period, getting to a 9-5 will be an absolute nightmare or a near-enough impossibility. We’re talking thousands upon thousands of Olympic ticket holders passing through a station that’s always busy anyway.

So I’ve decided that I’m either going to take time off work around that time and...

- just jump right in and join in all the Olympic fun myself.

- or treat myself to a well-deserved holiday. Greece would be nice. Or New York. Or even the host country for the next Olympics (2016): Rio de Janeiro.

Either way, I need to start planning now. 2012 isn’t too far away. I could start saving about £10 a month up until the Olympics so that if I really do decide to go off on holiday, I’ll have the funds ready.

Hmm. Sounds like a plan.

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