I am doing my best to get tickets for the Olympic Games and failing miserably.
It's 23:20 and the deadline is 23:59. I have been sitting at my computer for a good two and a half hours but every time I try to create an account to register my interest in athletics, boxing, cycling (track), equestrian, gymnastics, rowing and volleyball (without which I can't even begin to apply for tickets), I get a message that reads:
We're experiencing high demand. You will be automatically directed to the page requested as soon as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
Patience? I ran out of that when I started to write this. (I've just checked and the registration page is still 'processing', which to me means 'frozen' because it hasn't changed for 45 minutes.)
In hindsight I should have applied earlier but I've been away and the organisers must have anticipated a last minute surge of interest, surely?
I imagine there must be thousands of people, just like me, staring at their computer screens, too scared to go to bed and tell their wives or partners that they have, er, missed the deadline but it really wasn't their fault because, well, the server couldn't cope with the amount of traffic and ...
The least they could do is extend the deadline.
Oh well, I guess we won't be going to the 2012 Olympic Games, after all. Perhaps I'll use the money for a holiday, somewhere far, far away from the Olympic Stadium.
I'll give it one more go ....
23:43 ... I'm in! Message on my screen now reads:
You're almost done!
A message has been sent to the email address you provided so you can activate your account. Please click on the link to activate your account. If you don't activate your account, we won't be able to send you any information.
23:47 ... Where the hell is that email?!
BREAKING NEWS: Olympic 2012 ticket website deadline extended until 1am GMT after site experienced delays (Guardian website).
23:55 ... Still waiting for the email that will allow me to activate my account and apply for tickets. Where is it?
23:59 ... It's arrived!
Update on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 0:54 by
Simon Clark
00:55 ... "Your London 2012 Olympic ticket application has been successfully submitted".
Well, that was a close call. I beat the extended deadline by five minutes but it was mighty confusing for a while. If I'd had more time I'd have done things differently but I didn't so I applied without really thinking for a total of 22 tickets for six events: gymnastics (artistic), equestrian (jumping), boxing, athletics, rowing and cycling (track).
How many tickets will come our way I have no idea. Mindful of the cost (some of the tickets are mind-boggling expensive), I applied for the cheapest (or second cheapest) available. That will almost certainly condemn my application to be entered into a ballot for most if not all of the events I applied for, but you never know.
Enough. It's one o'clock and it's time for bed.