So anyone EXCITED?

[wendellt]

Wondering if any of you lucky Melbournites are thinking of just how lucky you will be on wednesday when the Commonwealth Games start, there would be an ample amount of photo opportunities everywhere not just at the games but around the city of Melbourne as Melbourne festival co-incides with it. two weeks ago when i was in Melbourne the city looked dressed up and almost everyone was excited about the coming weeks

I hear no talk about the sheer photographic opportunites that will present themselves during the time so i start this thread

does anyone care?

[birddog114]

No, I don't think there're and many Melbournians like to stay away at the games due to traffic, crowded visitors and other things.
Especially, they have to go to work same as other day and time.

[kipper]

My parents are interested but I've got 3 days of work left and I'm hoping for uncrowded trains My thoughts are elsewhere at the moment, and not on the games.

[Greg B]

does anyone care?

No.

Well actually, yes. Because it stuffs everything up enormously.

[Alex]

The only thing I'm worried about is how long it will take me to drive to and from work each day. I wish it is over soon.

Alex

[pharmer]

I hadn't actually considered any photo ops yet. Not really interested in the sports myself.

Crowd scenes and street shots might be good. I'll be carrying my Nikon morning and night to and from work, might end up with some nice shots

Cheers

Barrie

[wendellt]

interesting response

i was specifically referring to the many cross cultural art events going on during the time not so much getting into the games and shooting the sports action

Melbourne festival free street acrobatics theatrical performances art performances lots of colour and dynamism would make for great photo opps

[Alex]

interesting response

i was specifically referring to the many cross cultural art events going on during the time not so much getting into the games and shooting the sports action

Wendell,

We've always had a plentitude of these without the need for any games.
Alex

[agriffiths]

Excited: no
Annoyed: Yes

We have been told that we will not be allowed to park our cars outside our own house. They didn't even give us an alternative option like provideing parking permits for a nearby street. Looks like we'll have to park them in another suburb.

And on top of that they have blocked off streets, and marked the roads with blue lines. Anyone who drives in a blue lane without a pass will be fined $160.

Stuff them!

[wendellt]

seesh you guys remind me of many sydney siders attitude towards the olympic games
most fled the city and went overseas
but when the games were on the city of sydney was on it's best behaviour and there was an ambience comparable to New Year celebrations every day during hte olympics

when those sydney siders got back and heard hte news they went darn i mssed it!

but i can understand where your coming from

[Alpha_7]

Excited: no
Annoyed: Yes

We have been told that we will not be allowed to park our cars outside our own house. They didn't even give us an alternative option like provideing parking permits for a nearby street. Looks like we'll have to park them in another suburb.

And on top of that they have blocked off streets, and marked the roads with blue lines. Anyone who drives in a blue lane without a pass will be fined $160.

Stuff them!

That sucks, big time.

[birddog114]

seesh you guys remind me of many sydney siders attitude towards the olympic games
most fled the city and went overseas
but when the games were on the city of sydney was on it's best behaviour and there was an ambience comparable to New Year celebrations every day during hte olympics

when those sydney siders got back and heard hte news they went darn i mssed it!

but i can understand where your coming from

Wendell,
We went to Europe and SEA during Olympic game 2000 and never ever regret it!
I'm not a sport fan and I don't like crowd same as disturbing our normal life during the game.
Foods and other things cost more during the game than normal day and sellers wanted to talked to tourists more than the locales.
What for??????????????????????????????????

[PiroStitch]

Yes and no. Not really excited as Melbourne gets blasted with crazy amounts of sporting events anyway and this year in March is ridiculous (Footy, Commonwealth Games, GP) not to forget Moomba as well!

Traffic in the city is a mess, as usual logistics have messed up traffic arrangements - reducing 3 lanes into 1 by blocking one off and designating another as "Games Lane" is dumb.

I really hope Con(ex) manage to get their act together with the public transport system, it's been a crappy system with cancellations and delays.

It's a wonder how Melbourne will put on a successful CG without a proper setup in the first place.

Credit goes to the athletes, supporters, volunteers and workers who have worked hard for the CG, but it's not very beneficial to citizens when it becomes an inconvenience to them.

However even though that's my view on the CG, I'll still hang around the city and do some PJ work

[Greg B]

interesting response

i was specifically referring to the many cross cultural art events going on during the time not so much getting into the games and shooting the sports action

Melbourne festival free street acrobatics theatrical performances art performances lots of colour and dynamism would make for great photo opps

That is all fine wendell, but the difficulties in getting around and the associated problems make it less attractive to want to go where that stuff is happening. Probably good for visitors staying in or around the city, but for everybody else, we are even being told to stay away!

18 days to go until the games are over, and hopefully no repetition in my lifetime.

[wendellt]

I understand

I have a very narrow view of Melbourne, it's always been nice to me never saw a bad side

anyway i think i will get down there to shoot some of the cultural events
and possibly go urban visual jamming with Piro

[PiroStitch]

Wendell,

Let me know dude Wanted to catch up with you but the opportunity never arose...well it did, I couldn't make the time

[gstark]

does anyone care?

I'm having trouble thinking of something more boring.

Maybe a week of listening to Lord Downer ramble on??

[birddog114]

does anyone care?

I'm having trouble thinking of something more boring.

On the opposite, our Wendell loves the boring

[gstark]

Wendell,

Melbourne festival free street acrobatics theatrical performances art performances lots of colour and dynamism would make for great photo opps

It's Moomba time right now, and that's an annual event in Melbourne. Nothing new, and most of this stuff happens each year.

The only thing different is that the MCG will "look like" it's full tomorrow for the opening.

Interesting choice of words from the event director, I thought, for an otherwise totally unimteresting (non-)event.

[gstark]

seesh you guys remind me of many sydney siders attitude towards the olympic games
most fled the city and went overseas
but when the games were on the city of sydney was on it's best behaviour and there was an ambience comparable to New Year celebrations every day during hte olympics

when those sydney siders got back and heard hte news they went darn i mssed it!

Actually, I fled Sydney during the Olympic obscenity, and I missed nothing.

Not a single thing.

I was glad to get away, and I remain annoyed at the still weekly (weakly, really) references I hear in the media about how good the games were. Don't these dolts have a life? The games are over. Six years ago, now. Isn't it time they got over it?

And yes, Olympic obscenity: I just wish the authoritites would take just a poofteenth of the funds they wasted on the sporting facilities for the elite, and spend them on such non-essential issues as our decaying and decrepit hospitals, our dismal excuse for an education system, our piss-poor roads and transportation (lack-of) systems, not to mention activities of an intellectual and cultural endeavour.

The last thing this country needs is another ediface to that great god of footy, and the last thing we need is another sporting hero to be declared as the Strayan of the Year.

[DaveB]

Quite apart from the major disruption to "normal" life (as normal as it could be in March in the suburbs south of the city with Moomba and the Grand Prix already) there's also the knowledge that 800 MILLION "government" dollars are being spent on it.
All I've heard lately is questions like "who put their hand up for this in the first place?". Oh yeah, the non-elected person who clinched the deal by offering foreign athletes 300% rebates on their travel expenses, paid for by the taxpayers! So it's not as if those millions of dollars are even being spent responsibly....

The massive numbers of unsold tickets must say something for the local popularity!


Luckily for me I rarely have to go into town. We thought we were going to be able to miss the whole thing until we realised we had concert tickets in the city during the games. No choice but to take public transport into town and back again!

Oh for a quiet life...

[gstark]

does anyone care?

I'm having trouble thinking of something more boring.

On the opposite, our Wendell loves the boring

He says he wants to wander down there for the games.

Sounds like a great idea to me. Wonder what he'll break?

[Aussie Dave]

I can't personally say I'm overly excited about the CG being in Melbourne.
Wendell, I can see what you mean by the multitude of photo ops, however as mentioned previously, getting around the city is a nightmare and with the huge crowds that will populate these areas, you will be lucky to get a shot off without being bumped and stared at (not to mention all the security around the place that have no doubt been instructed to stop suspicious people). Being that photographers with expensive looking equipment seem to look threatening these days, I wouldn't be surprised if you were confronted and asked to stop shooting.

Melburnians were always going to be pi$$ed off with the upset to everyone's daily routines....though I imagine this sort of thing happens in every host city (as it sounds like when Sydney had the Olympics).

In three weeks time, it will all be a memory and we'll be back to the shitty traffic and public transport that we're accustomed to...

...but thanks for bringing it up Wendell

[gstark]

Actually, I'm wondering how many photo-ops there will actually be.

The so-called organisers have made such wonderful decisions like banning from broadcasting and publishing any images of last week's opening ceremony rehearsals, and they were apparantly not permitting the athletes to watch the opening ceremony whilst awaiting their turn in the playpen.

Given that sort of attitude, one will be lucky to be able to use a box brownie in Luna Park, let alone grab some interesting images from anywhere remotely able to be described as interesting.

[avkomp]

the only reason I am excited is that it means fox 8 will be running another simpsons marathon. woo hoo.

Steve

[wendellt]

I am getting some really interesting thoughts here

What i am really confussed about is the kind of attitudes here are sydney attitudes towards events

Last time i was in Melbourne i had so many conversatiosn with strangers at the tram stops about the upcoming excitement everyone said the main difference between sydneysiders and Melbournians is that Melournites accept these kind of events more willingly and participate whereas sydney siders would just go who cares what a waste of money, i'm flying to NewYork

maybe i just talked to a few too many drugged out oldies nostalgic about the promise of better times?

Interesting thoughts everyone thankyou

[Raskill]

Jeez, what a bunch of nay sayers!!!!

If the games are anything remotely like the Olympics, the hassles are all worth it. I lived and worked in Sydney during the olympics (and attended the opening ceremony) and thought it was great.

The atmosphere in the city was great, everyone was friendly, and I felt proud my country and my state was putting on such a show for the world.

I think people need to look beyond the minor hassles of traffic snarls and temporary lane closures and look at the exciting possibilities (like the RAAF shooting down an aircraft!).

Try to look on the bright side!

[Alex]

The last thing this country needs is another ediface to that great god of footy, and the last thing we need is another sporting hero to be declared as the Strayan of the Year.

Agree with this 100%!!

Alex

[PiroStitch]

I think it just might be us being a cynical and pessimistic group of photogs

[gstark]

I am getting some really interesting thoughts here

What i am really confussed about is the kind of attitudes here are sydney attitudes towards events

You'd be in error if you make the mistake of confusing my personal thoughts and attitudes about this and those of any other Sydneysider, and/or those of Sydneysiders in general.

I'm not qualified to speak on behalf of anyone except myself, but being the jaded cynical old fart that I am, I'm happy to make you aware of my thoughts.

But I'm very sympathetic with those whose lives are being adversely impacted because of this unneccessary sportsfest for just a few thousand people who, in many instances, have trouble correctly pronouncing the name of the country from which they come.

Great set of priorities, eh?

Welcom to Straya. Now go home!

[gstark]

I think people need to look beyond the minor hassles of traffic snarls and temporary lane closures and look at the exciting possibilities (like the RAAF shooting down an aircraft!).

With respect, where in my posts on this subject have I mentioned traffic hassles?

Please reread what I've said, and then show me where we're seeing the so-called benefits that the bullshit artists - er, I mean politicians - promised we'd be seeing?

All I'm seeing is a state that's sinking further and further into the mire with health, educatiuon and transport facilities (amongst many others) that many third world countries would run a mile from.

And no, I don't believe that we need that many more tourists here right now either: our so-called governments would be thrilled for us to become a nation of taxidrivers and waiters, but I'd like to see the people aim just a bit higher than that.

Clearly none of our governments is capable of that!

[Killakoala]

Unfortunately i'm here in Melb for 'work' reasons. Fortunately i don't have to worry about traffic or public transport to get to work.

However, i am free this weekend so does anyone want to go to an exciting game of badminton??? Such an amazing experience is in the offing.

- Silence -

What? Noboby at all?

Come on, i don't want to be the only one in the crowd.

[curly]

What a bunch of wet blankets some of you are.

I agree with Raskill, Sydney during the Olympics was a differrent city, a great atmosphere probably because all the doom & gloom merchants had left town.

Go for it Wendell, enjoy the atmosphere, but please don't break anything... they haven't finished paying off the 1960 Olympics yet.

[gstark]

Go for it Wendell, enjoy the atmosphere, but please don't break anything... they haven't finished paying off the 1960 Olympics yet.

Which would be about right for the organisers of this: to be roped in to paying for the Rome Olympics as well.

[curly]

Touche[/quote]

[curly]

You must be older than me Gary... I can't remember back to 1956

[gstark]

You must be older than me Gary... I can't remember back to 1956

Neither can I, but I do recall bits of 1960.

Not a whole lot mind you.

[MHD]

Bah Humbug..... everyone is so old and grumpy...
We are heading down there to soak up the atmosphere...

Camera will be in hand and looking for Natural illumination!

[Ivanerrol]

I'm a Melbournian wet blanket.
The C.G's are not the Olympics. They have been over - hyped by the organisers and interested media. You can go and watch as a bunch of Australian athletes that have been trained with the help of $$$ spent in the various Australian Institutes of Sport beat up on athletes from other Commonwealth countries where some athletes are lucky to be able to afford a pair of shoes.
Tickets for the opening cermony were not all sold and had to be given away free. The closing ceremony has only 70% of the tickets sold. With the exception of the swimming most events will be 50% or less attended.
These C.G's have cost 800 million dollars plus to stage. This does not include the financial loss caused by the disruptions to normal business or traffic activities.
I would be happy if these games drifted off to a community who needs them - like Norfolk Island

[elffinarts]

I enjoyed sydney during the 2000 Olympics but I was also working 13hour days in the temporary Darling Harbour newsroom we'd set up, and had to leg it for about 30km each day as public transport was utterly swamped with oversized yanks. glad I managed to lose 15kg in the one month I spent there

I just wish I'd had a camera back then to take record of the time I enjoyed. (despite all the work)

[avkomp]

as far as the olympics was concerned,
I am fairly close to the olympic stadium and they closed streets off,
I wasnt able to turn right to get off the main roads to get home,
my street was a staging area for towtrucks - in case of traffic issues, tow trucks would be close by to prevent traffic issues.

They closed every RTA office around this area for some kind of security reasons?!? and it took me 2 hours to get my business done in the only open RTA office anywhere close to me.
Other than that the olympics were good.

I imaging some melbournites similarly inconvenienced this time and I know that security will be tighter, there are no fly zones (40km from memory) over the city.
like I said I will watch the simpsons again.
Steve

[thaddeus]

I spent the Olympics on a cruise ship in Darling Harbour. Every day they bused us to the events. My lasting memory of the Olympics was the size of the prawn platter on the cruise ship - it was as tall as a small child!

I'm glad I went because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such a prawn platter. To this day, every time I see the Olympic rings, I see the true spirit of the games: seven oversized prawn platters.

I hope that Melbournians get a similar opportunity.

[dreams]

no, the F1 melbourne is postphoned

[Nicole]

I am over it and it hasn't even started. I think it's been overhyped. I am dreading the daily trip into and out of the city each day. It's bad enough at the moment.

Someone at work told me today that it took them an extra hour to drive home on the weekend from the mornington peninsula because of the baton relay. I think I would rather be out taking photos of something else rather than battling the crowds etc.

[Nikon boy]

No doubt we will survive the games but it will change how we commute over the next two weeks and i know very few people actually attending events or taking time off work

I now catch the choo choo to work, and everyone around me today was commenting/worrying about how the games will affect the train services, quite frankly they are not coping now and there are frequent cancellations/delays ,as over the past (many) years bugger all has been spent on new tracks and infrastructure

i have spent the last few weekends (days and evenings) photographing the yarra and its games set up and will post some pics if anyone is interested
but to even think of venturing in the area's where the events will be on will probably be a nightmare

i noticed all manner of army boats on the yarra with armed soldiers on them all weekend practicing, army helicopters , F18's in the air etc etc, not to mention port and all the plethora of private security firms out and about, i will be watching from the comfort of my lounge room by t.v.

[Frankenstein]

Although I generally enjoy most sports and sporting events, I can't really get too excited about the games in Melbourne...I think it's because they are so overhyped, and really, what competition will be there for our athletes? - it's not really world-class competion in many of the sports. But good luck to those who are going - I hope you enjoy them - and I sympathise with those who are adversely affected.

In 2000 my wife and I bought gold memberships for the Olympic Stadium, mainly for the chance to attend the opening and closing ceremonies and all of the events in the stadium itself. It was one of the most wonderful 2 weeks of my life, and I'll never forget the sight of Cathy Freeman lighting the flame or her magnificent 400m run (the NOISE!!!), and the many other events, sights and sounds we experienced. I also took many photos during this time, both of sporting events and general sights and sounds - it was great fun. While I respect those who have no interest in sport or who disagree with the "waste" of taxpayers funds, I really believe that the 2000 Games were a great benefit to the city.

Frank

[Raskill]

I must admit, I don't think I'll ever forget the excitement and feeling of the Sydney opening ceremony. I hope the Commonwealth games gives someone the same feeling!

[Dug]

games what games? who is playing what? where? why?

[leek]

games what games? who is playing what? where? why?

I'd have to agree... This has to be the most underpublised, unappealing sports event that I can remember... They have thousands of unsold tickets - I wonder why!!!???

[DaveB]

At $420-$590 a ticket for the opening ceremony I don't know many people who are going to find out other than on TV!
Mind you, they just made 5000 of those tickets available for free (rather than have too many empty seats...). That's well over $2M of revenue they've decided to forego.

So maybe a few more people will get to experience the show up close and personal after all...