Like a performer before opening night, London is having a few butterflies.
Actually, it is starting to seriously doubt itself.
Is the groaning public transport system up to the occasion?
Will the capital be immune from terrorism?
Will the weather rain on the parade of the five-ringed circus?
The answers are maybe, fingers crossed and perhaps.
This month's Diamond Jubilee celebrations were meant to trigger the start of an unforgettable summer for London.
However the larger than expected numbers for the river pageant to mark the Queen's 60-year reign surprised authorities and led to fresh questioning of the transport system.
"What we've seen is people being left behind on platforms crying," said David Sidebottom, director of watchdog Passenger Focus.
"People were saying it was shambolic."
In the clamour to celebrate the historic event on the Thames, the transport chaos initially received minimal coverage in the British media.
However the ailing train network's aches in the past month have heightened concerns the London Olympics could become known as the "Gridlock Games".
That would be a shame for the up to 800,000 spectators using public transport every day of the Games.
Particularly with all the venues, including many in iconic settings, set to be ready on time and the government claiming the Games will come in well under the STG9.3 billion ($NZ18.22 billion) budget.
Heathrow Airport has had its problems, with people waiting up to several hours to pass through immigration in recent weeks.
With an increase of up to 50 per cent in passenger numbers around Games time, authorities are crossing their fingers the already heaving gateway leaves a favourable first impression.
"During the Games, bad things will happen," said Network Rail boss David Higgins, an Australian involved in both the Sydney and London Games.
Such talk is probably part of a calculated strategy to reduce expectation and scare away locals to allow some wriggle room on the trains.
As part of a huge publicity drive, passengers have been warned to avoid key stations, businesses asked to change working hours and civil servants requested to work from home.
Much like in Sydney, organisers must be secretly hoping the fear factor will drive a fair chunk of Londoners out of town.
Then again, the Brits are good at queuing and worries about punters roasting on overcrowded underground trains seem incidental compared to the dark cloud of terrorism hovering over the Games.
Security has been top of the agenda ever since the July 7, 2005 bombings by British-born terrorists rocked the capital less than 24 hours after London won the right to host the Games.
The Games will be held 40 years after the Munich Massacre where Palestinian militant group Black September was responsible for the deaths of 11 Israeli team members.
The security budget for the 30th Olympiad was doubled late last year to more than STG1 billion ($NZ1.96 billion) with an overall force of more 42,000.
Fighter jets will be standby with authorities still weighing up to whether to place surface to air missiles on residential roofs in east London.
"London and the UK have a long history of dealing with major events and threats to our safety and security," UK Government security spokesman James Brokenshire said.
"Therefore our Olympic preparations have been meticulous."
In terms of legacy, the Olympic stadium is the only permanent venue not to have its future secured post-Games.
One of the key parts of London's successful bid seven years was the plan to regenerate industrial wasteland in the city's east.
Ricky Burdett, professor of urban studies at the London School of Economics, believed Games organisers were meeting their promises.
"Yes, totally. But the success of the legacy strategy will only be evident in 10-15 years from now," he said.
