Paralympics 2012, London

So the weather in England has been heating up, with those sleepless summer nights and non-stop barbecues. It's almost as this summer's conversation has been all about, well, 'this summer'. With Murray winning Wimbledon, the British Lions winning their first rugby test series against Australia and England winning the first 2 tests of the Ashes. It's hard to believe that, this time last year, the biggest sporting event had even happened in the UK.

Last year I was wearing my Paralympics games maker uniform loud and proud, so it actually saddens me that I've tucked it away in my closet somewhere - acting as an old photo collection, just stored away to remind me of the good times.

Although I didn't blog about my Paralympics experience at the time, I'm taking a few moments to reminisce those summer nights staying late in the Olympic stadium, high fiving the row of dedicated games makers at the end and seeing the closing ceremony (See photographs below).
However it is crazy to think just how much things have changed so quickly, for instance watching Oscar Pistorius being made a hero last summer, but now, seeing his name on the blacklist for advertising brands.

However one thing that hasn't changed, is the way London manages to utilize their summer surroundings to maintain the buzz and energy that we still hold today. The hype of the 2 week festivals in Hyde park and Olympic Elizabeth Park, still manages to bring us together and drive that momentum that we haven't lost even after a year - all for the love of culture and music. Personally being able to go to the Gentleman of the Road Festival and also seeing Rolling Stones in Hyde Park - made me think of not just the good times I've had "this summer", but the continuum effects the summer of 2012 and Olympic events had brought to London.

So please enjoy some of my favourite pictures from this and last year of summer in London.

Paralympics Closing Ceremony