It always has been a dream of mine to attend the Winter Olympics, but I’m also relatively frugal when it comes to what I spend on lodging and entertainment when I travel. I passed on the games in Salt Lake City in 2002 because my kids were young enough to want to go along (probably another reason why I’ll never win the Mother of the Year Award). When Vancouver was chosen in 2003 to host the 2010 Games, I knew my window of opportunity had opened. My cousins lived in Vancouver and they would be willing to share their home with me.
When tickets went on sale in June 2009, I began the search for tickets for my favorite events. Canadian citizens had the first opportunity; then ticket sales opened to the rest of the world. My first choice was alpine skiing, nfortunately, the majority of tickets in my price range had been sold. Remaining tickets were $183. Cross alpine skiing off the list. Speed skating was a possibility; but the schedule didn’t fit well into my plans.
Figure skating tickets (of any variety) were off the charts expensive. Hockey tickets were affordable -- $46 for a game between Belarus and Germany. Olympic hockey is always good. (Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since the U.S. team’s
Miracle on Ice victory in Lake Placid.) Tickets purchased.
Arranging airfare was the next challenge. I wanted to use frequent flyer miles so I immediately scheduled my air travel not wanting to risk being closed out. I have friends in Seattle so I decided I’d combine the trip west with a few days there, and rent a car to drive to Vancouver. (Renting a car at the Seattle airport was stupidly expensive, so I’m planning on taking public transportation to a downtown rental agency. ($140 compared to $388.) Not wanting to have my Olympic adventure ruined by delays and flight cancellations I pondered what hub to fly through from Ohio. My options were Chicago-O’Hare or Denver. There was a calculated risk of having delays flying into either of those airports, but having an older brother in Denver, I knew I could count on a place to stay if weather became a factor.
Once I purchased my one Olympic event ticket, I began receiving regular updates from the vendor regarding transportation, as well as other tips to make the most of an Olympic experience. A month before the start of the Games I received an e-mail announcing the availability of additional tickets. I already had been regretting purchasing just one ticket. As I scanned the availability of tickets on the days I would be in Vancouver I spotted a ticket for the Giant Slalom Finals. Ticket for Giant Slalom -- $183; bus transportation to Whistler Creekside ---$50; once in a lifetime opportunity to go to the Winter Games . . . priceless. (Oops, that’s a MasterCard slogan; if you go, remember, Visa is the only card accepted at the Winter Games.) And unless you’re staying in Whistler, the only way to get to the events there is by using the Olympic Bus Network transportation system.
If this is a dream of yours, you can still make it come true. Some (expensive)
tickets are still available at the
official vendor site. Accommodations will difficult to find in and around Vancouver but if you’re willing to drive there is some availability in the Bellingham, Washington area which is about an hour south of Vancouver.
This is my first post about my “Road to the Olympics.” If you can’t make it yourself, be sure to come back and read my posts as I visit Seattle (Feb. 17 -19), and then share my Olympic experience (Feb. 20-21) with you. And if you happen to watch the finals of the Men’s Giant Slalom, I’ll be sitting in Row 2 Seat 11 wearing a red jacket, a red hat and a big grin.
Also check out TravelViews' other blog posts on Vancouver, including Greg Weekes' pre-Olympic post.
