The Beijing Olympics begin today. Two decades ago, in 1988, they were held in Seoul, Korea. We were on holiday at Blackwater in outback Queensland at the time. Why Blackwater? I don’t know as I don’t recall actually seeing anything but long coal trains running past the caravan park where we pitched our tent. We listened to the Olympics over the radio. They kept playing a particular piece of music during the coverage which I rather enjoyed.

It was quite a few years later when I discovered that the piece was called The Olympic Spirit and was written by my favourite composer, John Williams for the NBC coverage of the games.

On the drive back from Blackwater I listened to the soundtrack to Chariots of Fire. I don’t quite think I saw the connection to the Olympics at the time!