Still counting down for my departure to London, 31 days by the way, and the Olympic time trials have started! My past few days have consisted of watching insanely buff women run track, the men's decathlon, and men and women's diving.  The athleticism of these people is absolutely mind-blowing to me... My sister made a pretty good point while we were watching, we both went to a division 1 high school, and were arguably one of the most overall athletic girls in our class, but the women in these races just absolutely put us to shame.  It just really put into perspective how huge a feat it really is to just be involved in the time trials.

Watching the trials was awesome, there was drama, excitement, and I even witnessed men doing gravity defying stunts off the diving boards.  I think that was the craziest thing to me.  One dive maybe lasts 2 or 3 seconds. I play soccer which is a 90 minute game.  I have 90 minutes to prove my skill and show that I am the better athlete in the situation, but these divers literally have 2 seconds to prove that they are the best in the entire world! It is just unfathomable to me, especially when they all contort themselves into these amazing tricks and not a single one of them belly flops! I also love the sound when someone has a perfect entry and the water almost looks like jello because they dive in so perfectly and the water barely even ripples let alone has much of a splash! 

As an athlete that has only ever competed in team sports, I just find individual sports like track and swimming absolutely incredible.  For example, winning a soccer championship feels amazing, to know that a team came together with a common goal and to show off what they can do as a unit to be the best.  Whereas in a sport such a track, when you win, you are solely the best.  No one else carried you, or made up for when you made a mistake, you were perfect in every way to win it all.  Some may call sports like that selfish, and I guess in a way it is.  But any athlete can agree that perfection is something we all strive for.  Individual sports really showcase physical perfection and I just find it so captivating.  It really is upsetting that I will not be able to watch the races while in London, and that I won't even be there anymore for those.  

As my first blog post and with 56 days until my departure for London, yes, I'm counting, I have decided to create a bucket list.  Attending the Olympic games itself has always been on my actual bucket list, but I've decided that since I'll be there, why not make the most of my experience and make it into almost a little game.  I plan to do my best to do everything on this list. Yes, a few things are farfetched, and no, I didn't include my "brilliant" plots that could very possibly get me arrested.  International jail is definitely NOT on my bucket list.  

1.  Watch the English soccer team play while in a pub.
This was what immediately came to mind when I thought of the Olympics.  Sitting at a bar stool with a bunch of other crazy soccer fans is one of my ultimate dreams.  I can thank the movie "Goal" for most of this fantasy.  For those of you who have seen this movie, I'm talking about the part where Santiago's dad happens to see him on TV playing and everyone in the pub welcomes him and cheers right along  with him.  That moment literally melted my heart.  I, however, do not have any family members to beam over while they score the game-winning goal, but I have an almost insane love for soccer and I like to yell the TV, so I guess it evens out.  

2. Try the local cuisine.
Clearly while in London I will have to have fish and chips.  I would be crazy not to!  But I plan on trying something a little outside my comfort zone.  I will, however, NOT be trying black pudding.  For those of you who don't know what it is, black pudding is also called blood pudding... I think you can understand my objection to trying it then, yes? 

3. Meet and take a picture with an athlete.
I can't imagine why this wouldn't be on anyone's bucket list.  I would preferably like to meet someone I have heard of or is really famous; but hey, an Olympic athlete is an Olympic athlete.  Everyone at the games clearly has incredible talent and dedication and I will be honored to be in the presence of anyone with that kind of passion.

4.  Get a picture with a mascot.
Have you seen those little one-eyed buggers?  They're adorable! I don't exactly know what to call them, but they are the cutest little things I've seen and I want to meet one.

5.  Watch an event on the jumbotron.
I call it the jumbotron for lack of a better term, but as far as I know, Olympics always have areas where you can stand in like a square or park or something and watch the games on the screen.  It would be so cool to stand among all those people and just be with sports fans from around the world.  

6. Dress like a tourist.
When I say dress like a tourist, I mean dress like a USA uberfan.  I want to deck myself out in red, white, and blue and be the ultimate fan!  I would be so disappointed in myself if I travelled all the way to London and dressed like a normal person the entire time.

7. Try and make a palace guard laugh. 
Here comes the generic "things you must do in England" part of the list.  This one is practically self-explanatory.  No, I don't expect myself to actually get him to laugh.  But how can you go to England and NOT try? Seriously!

8. Ride a double decker bus.
I'm pretty sure this one doesn't need to be elaborated on... This is a literally one of the first things I think of when I think of London.  No it's not the queen or the royal family or big ben... don't ask me why... It just is.


9. Stand in a red phone booth.
Clearly I've seen the parent trap too many times... 

10. See Buckingham Palace.
From what I know, Buckingham palace is only open to the public at certain times of the year.  I have not yet looked into it, but I most definitely am a princess, so therefore, I need to go to my future home: a palace.

11. Take a picture at Platform 9 3/4.
I recently discovered the hostel I will be staying in is very close to King's Cross train station, which is the location of Platform 9 3/4 in the Harry Potter movie.  Apparently, they have a luggage cart sticking out of the wall like you are going through it as it was in the movies.  I want to take a picture of me "pushing" the cart through the wall, and yes, I will be wearing the Harry Potter glasses.

12.  Stand on an Olympic Stadium field.
This one is pretty farfetched.  I am pretty sure no one will allow me to just stand in my own personal glory staring at an empty stadium, imagining myself in a game with millions watching me, cameras flashing in all directions, but hey, a girl can dream right?

13. See David Beckham in person.
Bonus: Shirtless...
IT COULD HAPPEN!  


Pay attention though, I will be revisiting the list throughout my trip and hopefully being able to cross things off as I go.