So here it is, seven years of blood, sweat and tears have come down to this: the greatest show on Earth has arrived. No, not the final instalment of the Batman saga, but rather the 2012 Olympics. It has been a long hard slog to get here but surely now is the time to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
It seems like an eternity ago that British crowds gathered and went wild at the Olympic bid announcement in 2005. We had beaten France! Oh we were so happy, joyous even. They chose us, dirty little London, over the fashionable, trendy Paris. Ha, the French must have been crying into their chardonnay!
The Olympics were ours!
And who did we have to thank for the privilege? Lord Sebastian Coe, our fearless leader. If ever there was a chap with whom the British working man could identify it was he. The campaign lead by Coe and the London team was a monumental juggernaut of success. After all, there are only so many ways that you can get pictures of David Beckham into global media.
And then it sank in. How much?! Why, those sneaky French...
But we stuck by it and persevered as the Olympic clock (when it was working) counted down the seconds and, somewhat surprisingly, it would seem that everything has been built in time. Granted the Olympic Park looks more like Milton Keynes than an eco-friendly sporting haven, but have you seen the Orbit tower sculpture? Magnificent.
So it has come in massively over budget and probably bankrupted the country for a few decades to come, but who cares - I repeat, have you seen Orbit?
Over the last few months the entire British population has been transfixed by the journey of the Olympic torch. Well, if the local news is to be believed it has been anyway. I trotted down to see the flame myself one day and, as promised, it was a genuinely exciting twelve seconds. Joking aside it really was rather enjoyable to see so many people from every corner of the community come together to get behind the torch.
Now that the flame is nearing its final destination the time has come to enjoy the occasion and get behind our athletes. It will be another era until the Games return and you don't want to have to tell your grandchildren you were too busy moaning to enjoy Olympic fever.
Luckily now that the Games have arrived you have nothing to worry about anyway. You have all got your tickets (including an all-zones underground pass - classy touch Seb), just rock up to your sporting Mecca, relax and cheer on the team - easy.
You may find there is the odd travel hitch, but don't blame the three-hour wait on the M4 on the IOC dignitaries who have their own special lane. After all, as the IOC President Jacques Rogge said, 'someone's got to hand out the medals.'
It'll be worth it when you get there.
The security staff are highly skilled to make you feel safe, there will be a plethora of affordable food outlets to give you a gastronomic experience to match the high quality sport and as long as you don't mention Pepsi or Burger King you'll be treated like an old friend.
But when all's said and done and you can see, hear, smell and feel the British athletes hungrily closing in on Olympic glory your heart will pound and the adrenalin will pump and as you embrace your fellow spectator in ecstasy the Olympic dream will be realised.
Friday night sees the start of the biggest two weeks for a British generation and with Danny Boyle at the helm of the opening ceremony we've been promised the most spectacular and elaborate example of sheep herding ever witnessed. Suck on that Beijing with your fancy fireworks.
It may well be that most of us will be sat at home watching on the television, but don't let that stop you from getting into the spirit. Do what Seb wants, buy the branded merchandise and raise the roof!
Unless you have a missile silo on your roof of course, in which case for the sake of all of us keep calm!