Does anyone out there have any idea when the flame will be coming down Northbourne Ave/ Wakefield Ave?? Thanks!

Look Here under Full Day Program or Traffic Disruptions for a rough idea of times. I think Northbourne is meant to be between 10:30 and 11:30 rougly.

Just got back from an epic morning adventure - left here about 7.20am. Saw the flame/torch three times and got our pics taken with one too.

Managed to catch two out of the three people we knew carrying it - coincidentally they were runners 52 and 53 so they handed it over near Olims.

Did anyone else go?

Steph

Anyone else go along? I was not impressed at all with the organisation of the start!

We arrived at 6am but they set off the fireworks 10 minutes early. Missed them!

Parked in designated parking and walked to reconciliation place only to find all the tents, information, etc on other side of fence and no thoroughfare. We were told we had to walk up to Old Parliament House and back down. Trouble was there was a very large number of chanting, flag waving people in the way. No way! Police and organisers were trying hard to separate Chinese on one side and Tibet on the other and several times they threatened to stop proceedings.

We then took up a spot outside autograph tent watching the balloons in anticipation of meeting torchbearers. Two hours later with a massive line behind us, we were told it had been canceled! But we did end up with beautiful photos of all of us carrying a real olympic torch thanks to a nearby sponsors tent.

Couldn't find toilets anywhere and had to convince bus driver to let kids use his bus toilet.

Found nice quiet spot at start of King's Ave bridge and by the time the torch got there (1.5hrs later) we were surrounded by a very large number of Chinese flag waving supporters who had been ordered off the bridge. There were 2 little fights that broke out near us. But when I advised police one was getting quite heated and physical, he said just let them fight it out.

Did get a lovely (although very quick) view of torch.

But driving back across Commonwealth Ave bridge we almost got caught up in a standoff between Chinese and proTibet supporters. Police trying to split them on opposite sides and things were starting to heat up and spill onto bridge.

As we were driving up Northbourne I spotted car space and we stopped and waited for the torch again. It was only moments before they closed the roads so we got first up at the newly formed barricades and a fantastic view of Michael Milton carrying the torch. Much quieter and friendlier there.

Like STeph we had a great time and got the sponsors torch photo too

Saw one skirmish as we were almost at reconciliation place when a tibetan monk had his flag stolen out of a taxi window by pro-chinese students - but what did he expect waving it in their faces?

I was talking to Tan when there was an outbreak of chanting as a whole lot of Tibetans arrived but the police quickly led them to the other side from where the CHinese were.

I didn't really feel in danger at all..

We saw the 6pm fireworks from the side of Flemington Rd Mitchell too

I am so thankful I slept through the fireworks this morning lol....

When I dropped my husband at work this morning there were very vocal protesters around I was a little worried

I watched the whole thing on TV and I must say I was impressed I am pretty proud to say I'm from Canberra right now. We rock!!!!! The traditional Aboriginal opening ceremony really touched me They set the standards for all that followed, the rowing with the torch was another perfect touch. What a way to showcase our beautiful city.

Did anyone see the balloons? How cool was the kookaburra!

I wondered where the hell they were

We went this morning and I agree senimili it was VERY poorly organised. There was no info at all on where things where, the helpers were useless, facilities were TOTALLY inadequate, the set out was ridiculous and not family friendly AT ALL

DH & I with 2 kidlets in tow started off at the balloons - which was lovely and we are going to go again! DS loved watching them and started crying that he couldn't have a go, was very cute

After that we headed over the road to the Olympic torch ceremony. Due to the wrong info from one of the helpers we got caught wandering aimlessly amid all these Chinese 'supporters', it was very scary. Several times we had to move the kids quickly as the 'supporters' would see a group with "Free Tibet" signs and surge toward them quite forcefully not caring who (DS) or what (pram with DD in it) they knocked over It was really intimidating and made me feel glad to live in a country with free speech!

We saw 2 arrests and were standing next to a guy who just decided to burn the Chinese flag. DS was quite scared!

We couldn't work out how to get to the autograph and sponsor tent's as we were at the community breakfast side with MASSIVE lines) and it was on the opposite side to them. When we finally worked it out and got through the police barracade - that was 5m wide to seperate the 'supporters' and the protestors. It was too late to go to them as the ceremony had started and we wanted to see the thing that we had come to see - the damn flame!

After we saw it on the hill, we took off as we had an appt for DD.

Oh - we did run into Jet07 and her 2 little cuties who seemed to be having a blast LOL! Although we were all a bit lost as to what was happening!

Glad you got to see it at a nicer spot senimili and seeing Micheal Milton would have been a thrill too!

Geez I'm glad I did watch it on TV. I was not going to attempt it with 4 kids on my own

Chat I have a few snaps of the Kookaburra balloon. Will post them later (when I get a chance), it was fantastic! DS kept going on and on about it

Tan

Oh thanks, that would be wonderful Tan. One of my girls couldn't see it from the car as we were driving and was disappointed. So to see a pic would be tops

You lucky things seeing Michael - he was actually the 3rd person we know but I thought Northbourne would have been chockers so after seeing it in Limestone Ave we went to the coffee shop (as you do on a bike ride).

On our way back to Barton (parked near the Ottoman) we were trying to get past huge numbers of people walking back to Civic from Commonwealth Park so resorted to riding on the roads and there were lots of protestors at the crossing but the Police were keeping things pretty quiet.

The one bit of the actual relay that I was not impressed with was the big crush of media that surrounded the runner who brought the flame down to the rowing eight. You could not see her (? I think it was a her) at all and could just see the top of the torch and the flame. You'd think the flipping media could keep back a bit and they would have a better view as well !

After the rowers headed off a huge group of Chinese who were near us (near the Portrait Gallery) saw someone with a "FREE TIBET" sign on the other side of the barricades and went over there chanting and stuff. DD and I made a quick exit up the hill to get the bike and I think the Police were onto it pretty quickly.

Near Olims there was a huge group of Chinese who were shouting "Aussie Aussie Aussie" and "Beijing Beijing Beijing" and seemed to be very good humoured about it.

Could have done without the humungous big flags waving in front of us - especially when I was trying to get pics of the two guys we know handing the flame over to each other !

I think it's a lucky coincidence that we arrived at the breakfast thingo from the High Court side and when we were lining up at the torch photo sponsor's tent we actually thought we were lining up for autographs. Oh well.

Steph

We didn't go - I was worried about the security and Riley had been vomiting during the night so we watched it on TV instead. Around 9am they showed the plane writing Free Tibet in the sky and I realised I could hear a plane outside. Imagine the kids surprise when we saw the plane right over our house!

I was concerned about the safety too, so I went to Northbourne Ave, outside the building where my mum works, so she could hold Micah and if things got too scary we could go into the building. However we found for the actual torch relay we were fine, we were able to see and enjoyed seeing the torch, however afterwards, when a big group of chinese supporters came through it was a bit scary, they started abusing a lady who had a free tibet sign. So we left.
Didn't want to go to Reconciliation Place or Stage 88 as I was concerned about the crowds.

We went to commonwealth park for the lighting and the concerts. That was enough for me. I had intended on taking Neeky to daycare and spedning the day there but woke up feeling like crap so decided ot wait and see how i feared up. I was also worried about the road blocks as she goes to Reid for CC.
Glad I went. There were heaps of cops there and samsung gave away freebies to the kids. The kids loved seeing Shannon Noll and he sand a good amount of songs.

Seeing Michael Milton carry the torch was definitely the highlight. He was one person I was really hoping to meet at the signing. So to end up seeing him do the relay was excellent. Got a couple of pics Steph if you want them.

It was funny we stood next to the sponsors tent for over an hour watching them feed and entertain their guests. When we noticed them taking photos of each person with the torch, we asked and found out everyone could get a picture. Then more and more people found out. The pics turned out great.

At one stage when the big flag waving Chinese supporters came to stand behind us on Kings Ave I said very emphatically "no, I have little kids here". Luckily they respected that and moved on to find another location. They were searching for a place along the route to hang a large banner and gee up the police for tossing them off the bridge. The tactics of the morning were intimidation so was definitely not a good environment in certain places.

But as mentioned, Northbourne was much better because most of the Tibet/China supporters moved on to Regatta Point. We got caught up in that same group of Chinese supporters following the torch too. And though we waited until most had gone to move, we did encounter the last few and one almost ran into DS. His friend just laughed and said to just walk on top of him.

My Grandad was a torch bearer for the 2000 olympics! He has a castle style 'pool room' with his torch from then. Sadly, I have to say it didn't elicit excitment in me when he ran with the torch then. So as much as I *wanted* to go today and get into the spirit, my electric blanket won out

So glad to hear those of you who went enjoyed it though. Shame about the orginsation, or lack thereof!

The official torch relay website (which I found with Google) has a pic of Michael Milton from the waist down labelled "crippled torch bearer runs with Olympic Torch"...

!!!

Steph

Just took a look at the photo you mentioned ... how totally insulting.

On a much less important point, did you see the photo of "Koala of Canberra"? Read the fine print - not only is this koala residing on the Sunshine Coast, the photo is from 2005. I mean, I know the Chinese love koalas but they could have at least got a photo of one from Canberra like the title implies.

We didn't go today as we just had too many other things on. Besides, there was no way on earth that I was going to take both my kids on my own and put them in a position where we might get caught up in the protests. We all saw the wonderful fireworks last night and that did us.

As promised Chat, here are the photo's of the Kookaburra balloon...



Taken off.....

Cooooooool! When we were driving in it was way up in the sky over the Museum.

DD's comment when she saw the pics - "it's so huge! is it real?"

Yes it's a real - a real balloon, not a real kookaburra...

Steph

Oh WOW!!!! Thank you soooo much Tan.

Cheers,
Belinda

Jess: Ohhhhhh WOW mum!!!!!! Can I see it again please?'

Oh dear I might have to leave the page open rofl....

I was there for the whole day..., until Shannon Noll was singing. I was singing in the 500 strong choir.

We were on Commonwealth Place from 7am. It was hectic; lots of Pro-Chinese supporters with their flags, drums, dragons. At times it was quite intimidating and sometimes I felt a bit concerned like I didn't know if it was cheering or jeering... the chanting was very loud. There were masses of police around, including the ones in the navy jumpsuits.

We saw the female first torch runner surrounded by the media etc. It was almost impossible to see her and I was about 4 metres from where she was.

Then we were bussed to the War Memorial for the next singing engagement. The Tibetan supporters were completely out numbered by the Chinese supporters. We were caught in a road block on our way back from the WM to Stage 88.

We stood on the stage with the cauldron still lit. Saw heaps of the torch bearers. I loved seeing them carrying the torch and the older chap who someone told me was over 90 walked his torch up to the WM and handed it on to a young boy whose dad had died recently. That was very poignant. Also seeing the girl who had lost one or was it both of her legs, I think in the London bombings.

The thing that really annoyed me about the whole event, was the lack of toilets. Our 500 strong choir, including a pregnant woman, had 1 toilet to use. At Stage 88, we had one portaloo allocated to us. It was insane. I had one loo break between 5:30am and 2:30pm... Not good.

The Police were great, where we were so we were safe thank goodness. We saw them checking people out and keeping a close eye on things. Oh, yes, and there were 13000 (thirteen thousand!) of those metal barricades that were brought to Canberra from all around Australia.

My husband took the day off and took DD to the Commonwealth Place/Reconciliation Place and had her on his shoulders looking over the edge and toward the lake. She had a great time. I loved the kookaburra balloon and am thinking of going back tomorrow to see it again...

Alison
edited for spelling

That balloon's fantastic!

Glad the singing went well, Spacesweetie!



That's ridiculous! Very lucky I didn't send DD because she would have found that very unpleasant!