Buses Carrying Olympians Get Lost in ... London

At least three busloads of Olympic athletes arriving in London yesterday received an extended tour of the metropolis courtesy of hopelessly lost bus drivers. "Athletes are sleepy, hungry and need to pee. Could we get to the Olympic Village please," tweeted American 400-meter hurdler Kerron Clement. "We’ve been lost on the road for 4hrs. Not a good first impression London." It's easy to understand the athletes' frustration, notes the Independent: It took them four hours to cover the 24 miles from the airport to the Olympic Village, while the men's marathon winner is expected to cover 26.2 miles in less than half the time.

The buses managed to get lost despite sat-nav systems and dedicated Olympic lanes on London's roads, notes the New York Times. Heathrow Airport, however, ran remarkably smoothly on the busiest day in its 80-year history. London Mayor Boris Johnson shrugged off the bus delays. "I understand that some of our visitors took the scenic route," he said. "They saw more of our fantastic city than they would otherwise have done. And that’s no bad thing. What thing of beauty does not have its imperfections?" (More 2012 London Olympics stories.)