if you don't already know, getting tickets to wimbledon is pretty tough...they don't really go on sale on line...you basically have to write in about 8 months in advance to join this lottery to have the opportunity to buy tickets...which we joined 8 months ago, but obviously did not win...
so, we queued it up biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiatch!!!
Basically, every single day during the tournament, you are able to stand in line to get either premium tickets (centre, #1, #2 courts) or ground tickets...the fact that Wimbledon offers this led to many crazies waiting in line overnight in unorganized fashion to get first dibs on this tickets...at which point Wimbledon (many many years ago) decided to get it all organized so that it was all polite and proper, in that british sort of way...
so, they only offer 500 premium tickets to the first 500 people in line...meaning you have to be there personally to gain entry...therefore, understandably, more than 500 people camp out overnight in appointed grounds to get these tickets...every single day for the better part of two weeks this occurs (we definitely saw a good amount of people brushing their teeth in the morning and with bed head...and smelled them too)...
anyways, premium tickets...nah...we weren't this crazy...
we just wanted ground tickets which they offer to the first 5,000 people...after the first 5,000, entry is given only on a "one person leaves, one person enters" basis...ground tickets basically give you access to courts 3 through 19...which is fine because there are obviously many good players and matches to see...
tickets didn't go on sale until 930am...so, since the tube wasn't running to wimbledon until 530...we decided to just go at that time (we were a little late of course) cause taking a cab would be too much...we got to The Queue at approximately 615am...at which point they give you a Queue Card which establishes your place in line...so that there are no line jumpers/cutters...if you don't have a Queue Card, you can't buy tickets...simple as that...so, you can't save anybody a place in line or anything...gotta wake up!
now, here is a picture of my queue card...look at the number...number 2,066! so, at 615 in the morning, there were already 2,065 people in front of me in line...but we were well within the 5,000...so, we definitely got in...however, by the time 930 rolled around, there had to be way way more than 5,000 people in line...cause the end of the line never stopped growing since we arrived...
it was certainly a long day...we got there at 615am...play didn't start until NOON!!! but it was well worth it in the end (despite the three of us all getting sunburn...who knew that it would be an absolutely sunny hot day here in london!) anyways, we were able to push our way into SECOND ROW seats on court 3...right behind the players chairs!!! we stayed there for a women's and a men's match...pretty good players...then we started wandering around the grounds to check out other matches...have some grub...have some pimms and lemonade...have some strawberries and cream (wimbledon specialty) an d of course by souvenirs...it was a great day and i am beat...
btw...i ran 5 miles when we got back home tonight...gotta keep up with marathon training...booya!
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