-
View Photos
-
Related
So there you have it.
After 16 days of 26 sporting categories, 204 countries, close to 1000 medals and 70,000 volunteers, the London 2012 Olympic Games has concluded as spectacularly as it began.
Whether watching the sheer speed of the sprints, painful contortions of the gymnasts or creepy smiles from the synchronized swimmers, the world has tuned in to cheer on various nations in patriotic glory.
We've seen heroism and heartbreak, smiles and tears, and Michael Phelps' dandruff-free hair more times than anyone should be exposed to.
While athleticism was at the forefront of attention, woven through were the entertaining scandals that gripped New Zealand and the rest of the world.
The Australians took rivalry to the next level, first by leaving us off an Olympic medal table, and then combining our golds with theirs when they hadn't scored enough of their own.
And let's not forget show pony Usain Bolt upsetting officials by nicking the winning relay baton, the various romantic scandals that caught up competitors, as well as the Twitter-sphere exploding with action from both athletes and viewers.
Rumour and speculation as to who would perform at the closing ceremony was finally put to rest, expanding on the theme of British music we saw at the opening of the games.
Emile Sande's Read All About It kicked off the evening (or morning, if you were watching from New Zealand) with members from dance troupe Stomp swinging off a London Eye replica. A Union Flag designed by British artist Damien Hirst was the centre piece for the stage, filled in by Olympians who deservingly had the best seats in the house.
British music veterans David Bowie, Ray Davies, John Lennon, George Michael, Queen and the Beatles were tributed in various forms, joined by newcomers One Direction, who couldn't quite spit out the lyrics to What Makes You Beautful, as well as Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz.
Russell Brand's rock star counterpart also made an appearance with a rendition of I Am the Walrus, followed by House legend Fatboy Slim in a Hawaiian shirt.
And the moment we (or was it just me?) had all been waiting for, the reunited Spice Girls emerged from taxi cabs looking slightly older than when they first graced the stage, although oozing with as much girl power as ever before.
Fashion was also celebrated during the ceremony, with British Vogue showcasing some of the UK's most distinguished designers, with super models Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell strutting down the Union Flag catwalk.
Just as Rowan Atkinson did in the opening ceremony before, Eric Idle enlightened us with comedy, singing Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
Three hours on, the Olympic cauldron was finally snuffed out and The Who brought the Games to a conclusion, passing the huge responsibility to the next volunteer, Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
And with the sporting events now well and truly behind us, I'd have to agree with Lord Sebastian Coe's parting words: "Britain, we did it right."
Read more Jessica Beresford opinion