Local family experiences Olympic travel troubles

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A family from Charleston took a trip to the Paris Olympics. Nikki Boggs, her son Parker and sister Tawney have a scenic view of the Eiffel Tower from their hotel room, and they’ve noticed increased security for the Olympic Games.

“There’s been security everywhere, like on every street corner. There’s a very heavy police presence, like even now it’s 11:40 at night and there’s four armored guards on the corner right below our balcony.” Parker Boggs said.

Nikki Boggs said her family always asks if she feels safe when traveling outside the country, but she hasn’t let those worries get to her.

The family was traveling by train from London when France’s railway network was sabotaged. The delays caused them to be late to the opening ceremony. A trip that was supposed to take two and a half hours took more than six hours.

“Yeah, it was a little unsettling, ‘cause there were moments that we were at a complete stop for maybe 10 minutes out in the countryside. It wasn’t really communicated too much as to why we were stopped,” Nikki Boggs said.

Although the family has enjoyed the Olympic events, they said the locals have been impacted.

“Our taxi driver today was telling us a lot of folks have left town. It has disrupted their city, no doubt,” Nikki Boggs said.

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