It was a shock when I first wrote 2012 as a date – I have been thinking about this year for a long time and now it is finally here.

Given our surroundings last weekend, the Olympics now feel very real and very close.

We headed back from our training base in Cadiz because we had a team-building session in London with all of the GB sailing team.

It was great as we got to see some of the Olympic venues.

This was particularly good for us because we will not be able to go to the opening ceremony as we start racing the following day.

We got to go to the velodrome and watched the cyclists in their test event.

That was very cool. We were in a big group supporting the British cyclists – sat close to where the likes of Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton started – and it was good fun.

Looking around the venues brought it all home and we realised that it was now definitely going to happen.

Last weekend was spent thinking about the Games and really focusing on the event.

It was great to start working on and thinking about some of the things we needed to put in place.

We are due back out in Spain imminently but it is brilliant to have the support of everybody at home in Dorset.