The Wetland Centre: peace in West London

Surprising how much you can feel you have got away from it all if you visit the Wetland Centre in Barnes just before it closes (at 6pm). We hardly saw another visitor. It was just us and the birds (OK, and the odd plane on its way to Heathrow).

Olympic cyclists in Richmond Park

It was quick, free, and there was a great atmosphere. The police motorbike riders got plenty of cheers as they came along ahead of the cyclists - and entered into the spirit by bowing, waving etc.

It was a great 'morning after' (the opening ceremony) outing. But I couldn't say who was in the lead, or even who was cycling. Somehow that didn't matter.

You could always watch it on TV later if you were interested in that sort of thing. The rumour was that they had to go up and down Box Hill nine times after this. By the time they were there, most of us were having a nice cup of coffee back home.

See also: Olympic torch floats past Barnes

Olympic torch floats past Barnes

It was the biggest thing to happen in Barnes and Mortlake since, well, the last flotilla. And that was only in June, for the Jubilee.

You can wait centuries for a flotilla, and then two of them come along at once.

Yesterday the torch was at the BBC in White City with Brucie, and sunshine!