36 votes, 1.75 million internet pledges, 17 sports, just over 200 days to go until November 9th – there are so many significant numbers. As Inside Track 5 goes live Glasgow 2014 is celebrating one more, the milestone of completing our 50th overseas visit.
As a bidding city, we are allowed to visit each of the 71 nations who will decide the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. A mammoth task – which has to be completed before we submit our Candidate City File on 9th May.
Despite the logistical challenge that is – five continents, fifty countries, numerous different currencies, visa applications, vaccinations and thousands of miles by plane, train and automobile – the team, led by Louise Martin, Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland and Derek Casey, Glasgow 2014 Bid Director, was excited about promoting the Glasgow 2014 message to our friends around the Commonwealth.
Leaving our mark in the sand in Anguilla.
From Northern Ireland to Western Samoa each trip was a mix of passionately conveying our cause, listening and learning - with many memorable moments, comedy mishaps and the odd near-disaster thrown in for good measure.
Join us on the whirlwind that has been Glasgow 2014's last 80 days around the world.
Convincing the Caribbean
Underlining that Glasgow 2014 is an athlete-centered bid, two time Commonwealth Games hammer thrower Shirley Webb joined the team in January, as they visited six Caribbean islands in as many days. Each presentation was well attended by voting members and sporting associations, with valuable feedback being gathered through question and answer sessions.
"What date are the 2014 Commonwealth Games?" was the most commonly asked question. The answer is 24th July to the 3rd August and with their support these would hopefully be in Glasgow Scotland.
The most unusual question was the water temperature at Strathclyde Park, where triathlon would be held. A telephone call or two later and Louise Martin was happy to confirm athletes can expect a pleasant 19°C, hotter than that experienced at the Melbourne Games in 2006.
The smallest nation visited so far is Montserrat with a population of only 4,500. Always keen to go above and beyond the call of duty to bring the Glasgow 2014 message to our friends around the Commonwealth, the Bid team was not dismayed from visiting the island despite its erupting volcano. After an informal presentation to the CGA President Bruce Farara and the Country's Prime Minister there was time for a quick whistle-stop tour of the habitable part of the island – more than half the island is an exclusion zone due to the volcano!
Montserrat's volcano forms the backdrop for the Glasgow 2014 Bid Team pictured with CGA President, Bruce Farara during their recent visit.
To reach the small, but beautifully formed island of Anguilla, it was a short hop from the neighboring island of St Martin. With a flight time of 8 minutes – the shortest flight so far – it really was a case of straight up and back down again, with no opportunity to sample any in-flight delights. As well as the local CGA the team was also greeted by the Governor of the island – a fellow Scot originally from Edinburgh, which proved to be a good omen for a well-received visit.
The team also played 'spot-the-celebrity' as they travelled around the Caribbean and racked up some impressive sights, sitting beside the legendary Iggy Pop on a flight to Grand Cayman, chatting to Lenny Henry at Heathrow on the way home and discussing the merits of Glasgow 2014 with one of Scotland's favourite bands, The Proclaimers, on the last leg of their journey back to Edinburgh.
With a little time to recover and a chance to wash and repack their suitcase the team then headed for Africa.
Racing around Africa
What's the only thing you need, really need when racing around the world? Your passport. But what do you do if you've used all the pages in this precious document? Well, if you are Louise Martin, you don't stop to admire the pretty stamps; you get another one – even if you are in Dar es Salaam and only have 24 hours to do so.
All that running around proved hungry work, which was just as well for the team who were treated to the gastronomic delight that is foot-long shrimp for lunch as guests of the Mozambique voters. Before the team had time to digest this speciality they were joined by the Minister of Sport, who asked several questions about Glasgow 2014, emphasising the importance this country placed on our visit.
Not to be outdone by Derek's trip into a burning volcano (well that's how he tells it) Louise and the team took the brave decision to travel onto Mauritius in the aftermath of Cyclone Gamede. And they were glad they did, the team received a warm welcome and some very positive feedback on the presentation. They were also extremely impressed by how tornado-like the people were in returning things to normal. Perhaps this explains why their athletes are so fast!
Before the team could blink they were on the move again, this time to the Seychelles where the welcome was as warm as the weather. The team visited a boxing gym to see aspiring athletes who hope to compete in the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Impressed at their ability to train in such intense heat our team had 'jelly legs' after only a few minutes in the ring.
Boxing enthusiasts will be knocked out by the set-up at the SECC during Glasgow 2014
Travelling home tired, but exhilarated by the positive response the team raced to catch their plane back to Glasgow. Unfortunately their flight departed 6 hours early, without anyone informing them. There was nothing else for it but settle down and wait for the 18.00 flight the following day – at 12.00.
Each country served up a multitude of experiences, some reminding the team of home others very different, but the common theme across all visits was the strong attendance at presentations and the positive feedback on Scotland's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Looking ahead we have 20 countries to go, before turning our attention to repaying the warm welcome we received around the world in Glasgow this summer.