Highlights of 2012

Just before I run through my highlights of 2013, I thought I’d look back on this time last year and what a crazy Olypomanic year 2012 was (I worked in Logistics on the Olympic Park, just like I am now working in Logistics at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games). Here are my top 12 Olympic and top 12 non-Olympic highlights from MMXII.

Top 12 Olympic highlights of 2012:

12. Personally saving Gary Lineker from forklift death when our forklift driver wasn’t paying attention. Gary’s response: ‘don’t worry – I’ve been dodging defenders ll my life.’ He said this whilst eating CRISPS.

11. Making this video to say goodbye to one of our favourite colleagues on Olympic Park:

10. Seeing my first ever Olympic event – kayaking at Lee Valley

9. Paralympic Opening Ceremony (featuring Stephen Hawking!)

8. Olympics Closing Ceremony (Spice Girls!)

7. Making the “Olympic Park Tour” video:

6. Taking my girlfriend & my family to the Olympic Hockey & Paralympic Athletics

5. Brands Hatch Paralympics – Sarah Storey gold

4. Being on camera in the Velodrome for Pendleton gold

3. Being on TV again less than an hour later, this time with cheerleaders, in a halftime dance off in Basketball arena

2. Getting Johann Blake’s attention minutes after the men’s 100m final

1. The Olympic Opening Ceremony – hanging out with the performers; shaking Djokavic’s hand etc

Top 12 non-Olympic highlights of 2012:

12. Our Forest of Dean weekend

11. JPXXIII (the morning after my 23rd birthday was less of a highlight!)

10. Seeing Sir Patrick Moore one last time

9. The Cairns Solar Eclipse

8. My last ever radio link after four and a half years and working my way up to Station Manager at Fresh Air Radio – https://soundcloud.com/jp2010/jps-last-ever-link

7. Seeing Epic Events – BTCC, Harlequins winning the Rugby Premeirship, 6 Nations, Henry V at Shakespeare’s Globe…

6. My Edinburgh Leaving Party after four and a half incredible years

5. Moving to London; celebrating 1 year with my girlfriend Jodie (aka The Little Backpacker)

4. Gigs – Bruce Springsteen with Paul McCartney at Hyde Park, Lady Gaga at Twickenham, Jay-Z and Kanye at BBC Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend…

3. Our epic Australian Road Trip – from sea kayaking to licking an ant’s bum…