The torch just went out in the Olympic Park in Sochi, and I'm really, really sad. Mostly because I know I won't have as much fun as we had for another 4 years, but I'm also sad that something we've been planning ever since we left London in August 2012 is over! We'll be even MORE prepared in Korea!
I'm planning to post a video with all of our photos soon, so watch out for that!
In the meantime, I'd like to hand out some awards and recognize some great quotes:
Favorite Event: Snowboard Cross. It was so exciting when they would all pop up over the last hill, and all the crashes and races made it fabulous. I'm definitely getting tickets to as many "races" as possible at our next games.
Favorite app: Sorry Sochi 2014, you're close second, but the translator app all the Russkies were using to communicate with us wins. Questions about "molesting" us and other hilarity I SHOULD have photographed made for much better laughs.
Favorite Foreign Fans: The Russians. They cheer in a lower voice. They want to be best friends with USA! They were the ONLY country to party with us when biathlon got cancelled! (Vincent, too, but it's possible we held him hostage). The Aussies take a close second for me. Every person we met was friendly, chatty, and they cheered for us sometimes (Canada, take note! You can redeem yourself in Korea!)
Favorite Christenson Sister: Lara. She tried to stay with me when they were taking me away in an ambulance. I gave her noravirus and she forgave me. She woke up early with me every day, no matter what time we got to bed, to make it to events on time so that we didn't miss a minute of the precious time we'd been purchasing tickets for over the past year. She napped with me on the train. She forgave me for dropping her cowbell into oblivion when we still had events left. I love my sister.
Favorite American fans: Ben and Heather. They were on their HONEYMOON. Who needs Sandals when you can drink beer at "halftime" for Super Combined with other Big Ten grads, do snuff, have a "photo shoot" at Austria House, and get free tickets for Ski Jump that night? We'll see you crazy kids in Korea!
Favorite Olympic Athlete: Mikaela Shiffrin. USA had a hard Olympics from a medal perspective, so her teenage optimism was refreshing and she never gave up hope!
Favorite kids: Russian kids, duh. They're awesome. They never whine, they behave like little angels (even in MUSEUMS), and they adorably don't smile in photos. Individual award: The Australian kid who "went for the Colts", had the biggest toothy grin, and agreed that he was the luckiest kid in the world. The worst was the kid from NYC who had been on the Today show, came with his dad and was going to all kinds of events, and when I suggested HE was the luckiest kid in the world, he said "Why?". Wrong answer, bucko. Gulag for you.
Favorite conversation overheard: Russians telling a Czech that Obama had pushed propaganda into the American media about not coming to the Olympic games, and that's why there weren't many Americans there. It sounded a lot like the stuff you hear our media saying about Putin, so it was pretty funny.
Favorite mascot: I have to agree with Putin, the snow leopard was the coolest.
Some fun quotes:
"It's the Notre Dame of the world"--Lara, on no one cheering for China
"You're a lesbian"--Russian guy's answer when we asked him if he knew what the rainbow ribbon around my cowboy hat meant. We tried to tell him it meant I was a supporter, but he was really non-chalant about it anyway. None of the 30+ Russians we took photos with that night had a problem with it.
"No more 8's??"--Heather, on the lack of her favorite beer. 8 was wheat beer, 7 was lager, 0 was ALCOHOL FREE. They always had plenty of those, but ran out of lots of things pretty regularly. Especially during "halftime" of super combined.
"So washing hands after the bathroom is an American thing?" ---Lara, on the Russian propensity to NEVER wash their hands in the ladies room. It was weird. They seemed to be doing it in Moscow, so maybe it's only at sporting events?
"Russia is like kryponite for Americans"--Jessica after every American fell at half-pipe
"What's with the slow motion of him eating an apple? Is it for the ladies?"--Lara. For some reason, on Valentine's Day, they were showing slow motion videos of the skiers eating apples and bananas on the big screen. It was ODD. And awkward.
I'm going to miss our Russian brothers, they were the best hosts to us. I'll never forget our time in Sochi, and the bar is set very high for Korea! Can't wait to bring you all there with us!
Jessica
Showing posts with label Olympics 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics 2014. Show all posts
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
Lara's Reasons Why Not
We love that so many of you have enjoyed our Olympic blog and followed our Sochi adventure! We're even more thrilled that so many of you have expressed interest in going yourselves-it is most definitely the trip and experience of a lifetime! We're planning a blog post that goes over what it costs to go to the Olympics, so hopefully that will push even the more tentative folks over the edge into YES territory! And if you are a little hesitant, here are some reasons to go (or not go) to the Olympics if you're waffling...
DO go if you straight up love the Olympics-every event, no matter the medal chances of your home country.
DON'T go if you only want to see very few and very specific events. You're limiting your schedule, your ticket options and prices, and where you'll get to go at the Olympics. If you only want to see events in the mountains at the Winter Olympics, you don't get into Olympic Park for free, and it's definitely worth seeing.
DO go if you love to travel and experience other cultures. Planning your trip and actually being at the Games is a mind-blowing cultural mixup of epic proportions. Interacting with others outside of your own cultural comfort zone results in funny misunderstandings, strange friendships, and a camaraderie that doesn't exist when the Olympics aren't happening. When I go to visit Jessica in London later this year, I highly doubt anyone will talk to me about the Olympics, even if I wear my red, white, and blue America flair on the Tube (which is a very very sad thought). The very fact of the Games in a location creates a very special atmosphere of friendliness and fun.
DON'T go if you get frustrated at the idea of non-English speaking volunteers, or non-English signage. Non-verbal communication works, but it takes some patience.
DO go if you want to see every event possible during your time there, even something that comes up unexpectedly. There are always tickets available to something, sometimes people are even giving them away for free! Always be up for a new adventure.
DON'T go if you want to do a lot of sightseeing and tourism based activities. The Olympics bring a LOT of people to town, and guess what? They all want to see the Tower of London. Or the Christ the Redeemer statue. Or any other myriad of destination highlights. Unless you plan extra days at the beginning or end of your trip, or a few days in the middle specifically for these things, the time and effort spent getting from one event to the next is time consuming and doesn't allow for a lot of last minute stops. Erin and I were going to see all manner of London's best tourist destinations-the Tower, the British Museum, the National Gallery, the British Library, etc. We saw Churchill's bunker and went on a Thames river boat ride. Late nights spent carousing with Brazilians, Germans, Aussies, the English, and the Dutch make getting up early really difficult. You're there for the Olympics. BE there for the Olympics. If you really want to go to Rio, then go to Rio when it's not packed to the gills with people, hotels are overpriced, and flights are overbooked.
DO go if you are prepared to cheer your ass off, dance like no one is watching, and wave your flag like a nutty patriot at the Boston Tea Party. Because that's what this is ABOUT.
DON'T go if you are afraid to look silly or too pro-American. The greatest thing about the Olympics is that you don't have to cloak your patriotism in guilt (as if you should anyway-what's wrong with loving your homeland?). And if you think wearing some beads or crazy hats is a little over the line, there are dudes in unitards. There is no way you ever look like the most ridiculous person in the venue.
DO go if you are always someone that says "YES!"
DON'T go if you are someone that isn't up for something exciting, new, and unknown. Snuff? Why not? Ride on the Olympic Park shuttle? Why not? Take pictures with random strangers? Why not? If you can think of reasons why not, then you are missing out on the opportunity to have so much fun your abs are sore from laughing for days afterward. No one likes a party pooper.
DO go if you are prepared to do a lot of work to get to the Games. This isn't like a normal vacation. It's not just about finding a hotel room, it's about finding a place in a location that is close to transportation, or in an area/neighborhood that you want to be. With the amount of time it can take to get a venue, these factors are important, and research and patience are a huge part of it. Buying tickets also takes a concerted effort, as you have to plan in advance the tickets you want, establish what you want to pay for them, and then actually buy them. For countries like Russia and Brazil, you also need to understand and prepare properly for the additional visa requirements, which can be complicated and confusing.
DON'T go if you expect this work to be done for you. If you can't help with one thing, help with another. Be an active participant in the trip-it gets everyone excited when everyone is contributing news, updates, and other exciting facets of the Games!
DO go if you are okay with less than ideal conditions. Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate for events to go off when you have a ticket for it. Sometimes there is brown drinking water, stray dogs, and strange toilets. You will survive. You might get norovirus, but you will survive.
DON'T go if you are easily frustrated at change, or have toilet anxiety in foreign countries. The best way to figure out if this is you is to find out how you feel about porta-potties. If you refuse to use a porta-potty, stay home. Not that every toilet is a porta-pottie, and it's not like people should be amped to use a porta-pottie, but don't subject your fellow travellers to weird constraints or travel speedbumps based on your toilet hang ups.
DO go if you are okay with surviving on hot dogs and donuts. You'll be able to squeeze in a few decent meals here and there as time and schedule allows. But don't get your hopes up on fancy restaurant reservations-you're going to be exhausted and sometimes a hot dog just seems like a lot less of a hassle.
DON'T go if you are a picky eater that can't be satisfied with mere concession stand food. Look, I get it-I'm a total foodie, but the Olympics are not the time to demand Michelin star restaurant service. You're going to be eating a LOT of concession stand food-some of it okay, some of it terrible, some of it that words can't possibly describe. What feeds you during the Olympics is the experience. And the beer.
If you want to go, feel free to ask us questions! We'll answer whatever we can!
DO go if you straight up love the Olympics-every event, no matter the medal chances of your home country.
DON'T go if you only want to see very few and very specific events. You're limiting your schedule, your ticket options and prices, and where you'll get to go at the Olympics. If you only want to see events in the mountains at the Winter Olympics, you don't get into Olympic Park for free, and it's definitely worth seeing.
DO go if you love to travel and experience other cultures. Planning your trip and actually being at the Games is a mind-blowing cultural mixup of epic proportions. Interacting with others outside of your own cultural comfort zone results in funny misunderstandings, strange friendships, and a camaraderie that doesn't exist when the Olympics aren't happening. When I go to visit Jessica in London later this year, I highly doubt anyone will talk to me about the Olympics, even if I wear my red, white, and blue America flair on the Tube (which is a very very sad thought). The very fact of the Games in a location creates a very special atmosphere of friendliness and fun.
DON'T go if you get frustrated at the idea of non-English speaking volunteers, or non-English signage. Non-verbal communication works, but it takes some patience.
DO go if you want to see every event possible during your time there, even something that comes up unexpectedly. There are always tickets available to something, sometimes people are even giving them away for free! Always be up for a new adventure.
DON'T go if you want to do a lot of sightseeing and tourism based activities. The Olympics bring a LOT of people to town, and guess what? They all want to see the Tower of London. Or the Christ the Redeemer statue. Or any other myriad of destination highlights. Unless you plan extra days at the beginning or end of your trip, or a few days in the middle specifically for these things, the time and effort spent getting from one event to the next is time consuming and doesn't allow for a lot of last minute stops. Erin and I were going to see all manner of London's best tourist destinations-the Tower, the British Museum, the National Gallery, the British Library, etc. We saw Churchill's bunker and went on a Thames river boat ride. Late nights spent carousing with Brazilians, Germans, Aussies, the English, and the Dutch make getting up early really difficult. You're there for the Olympics. BE there for the Olympics. If you really want to go to Rio, then go to Rio when it's not packed to the gills with people, hotels are overpriced, and flights are overbooked.
DO go if you are prepared to cheer your ass off, dance like no one is watching, and wave your flag like a nutty patriot at the Boston Tea Party. Because that's what this is ABOUT.
DON'T go if you are afraid to look silly or too pro-American. The greatest thing about the Olympics is that you don't have to cloak your patriotism in guilt (as if you should anyway-what's wrong with loving your homeland?). And if you think wearing some beads or crazy hats is a little over the line, there are dudes in unitards. There is no way you ever look like the most ridiculous person in the venue.
DO go if you are always someone that says "YES!"
DON'T go if you are someone that isn't up for something exciting, new, and unknown. Snuff? Why not? Ride on the Olympic Park shuttle? Why not? Take pictures with random strangers? Why not? If you can think of reasons why not, then you are missing out on the opportunity to have so much fun your abs are sore from laughing for days afterward. No one likes a party pooper.
DO go if you are prepared to do a lot of work to get to the Games. This isn't like a normal vacation. It's not just about finding a hotel room, it's about finding a place in a location that is close to transportation, or in an area/neighborhood that you want to be. With the amount of time it can take to get a venue, these factors are important, and research and patience are a huge part of it. Buying tickets also takes a concerted effort, as you have to plan in advance the tickets you want, establish what you want to pay for them, and then actually buy them. For countries like Russia and Brazil, you also need to understand and prepare properly for the additional visa requirements, which can be complicated and confusing.
DON'T go if you expect this work to be done for you. If you can't help with one thing, help with another. Be an active participant in the trip-it gets everyone excited when everyone is contributing news, updates, and other exciting facets of the Games!
DO go if you are okay with less than ideal conditions. Mother Nature doesn't always cooperate for events to go off when you have a ticket for it. Sometimes there is brown drinking water, stray dogs, and strange toilets. You will survive. You might get norovirus, but you will survive.
DON'T go if you are easily frustrated at change, or have toilet anxiety in foreign countries. The best way to figure out if this is you is to find out how you feel about porta-potties. If you refuse to use a porta-potty, stay home. Not that every toilet is a porta-pottie, and it's not like people should be amped to use a porta-pottie, but don't subject your fellow travellers to weird constraints or travel speedbumps based on your toilet hang ups.
DO go if you are okay with surviving on hot dogs and donuts. You'll be able to squeeze in a few decent meals here and there as time and schedule allows. But don't get your hopes up on fancy restaurant reservations-you're going to be exhausted and sometimes a hot dog just seems like a lot less of a hassle.
DON'T go if you are a picky eater that can't be satisfied with mere concession stand food. Look, I get it-I'm a total foodie, but the Olympics are not the time to demand Michelin star restaurant service. You're going to be eating a LOT of concession stand food-some of it okay, some of it terrible, some of it that words can't possibly describe. What feeds you during the Olympics is the experience. And the beer.
If you want to go, feel free to ask us questions! We'll answer whatever we can!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Goodbye To The Sochi
Aw, Sochi, we hardly knew ya, now it's time to leave ya. I know that we keep saying that it's hard to put into words how much fun the Olympics are, and part of it is because you are so focused on the fun and atmosphere that you forget about all of the little, hilariously random moments. Like seeing guys in French unitards checking their text messages at the train station. Or thinking you have a private joke on how the train announcer says "Esto Sodok" until you see Russians giggling about the same thing. Or fighting with a cab driver who took you to Adler AIRport, not the Adler Port, and agreeing on an increased price that includes kisses. (Yes, I'm aware that I talk too fast). Or the way when Russian men "make" photos with you they want to be in the MIDDLE of the women, like you are theirs. Or how amazing it feels to order food at a place where you get it quickly (thanks, Adler train station!).
So here we are at the end, and I'd love to share my favorites:
Favorite Event: Ski Jumping. Although Snowboard Cross was thrilling and exciting, the party atmosphere and the cheers of the crowd when a particular jump was achieved was awesome. Plus, we met some amazing American siblings there!
Favorite Venue: Biathlon. Both days, ha ha. The first day when it got cancelled, we made a party in the fog and had a great time even without an actual event. And we met a super cool guy, Vincent, who partied with us all night, and a German man that gave us sweeties. Which is now my favorite word for candy. Then when we finally got to see the event, we were in General Admission, again a giant party, with a really intimate concession and bathroom area. Plus-SNOWSTORM!
Favorite USA vs. Russia Moment: Yeah, I made up an arbitrary event in order to shoehorn in our kickass hockey game experience. 8 shootouts! The Russians were so into the game, a tiny tiny tiny tiny part of me almost wanted them to win just to see their reaction. Honorable mention: A chess set at a souvenir fair that had old Soviet flags and US flags on the chess pieces.
Favorite Event Where We Got To See An American Medal: Well, there was only 1-Snowboard Cross. But it was GREAT!
Favorite Country House: We only went to one, but it was killer. Austria House, we will never forget your delicious schnitzel and the roast beef and potatoes. And the Stigel. Definitely the Stigel.
Favorite Foreign Fans: The Russians. Sure, there were great costumes and friendly folks from all over (except for you, CANADA), but the Russians were great hosts, and were such an amazing home crowd for their athletes. Plus, they kept saying "Russia and America, FRIENDS FOREVER!" I hope we entertained them. Honorable Mention: Australians. Funny and friendly. And not too good to rub elbows with loud Americans (ahem, Canada)
Favorite Cab Ride: The one with the drunk guys. Mainly because it was slightly terrifying and therefore thrilling.
Favorite Stray Dog: The 3 legged one. Everyone loves an underdog.
Favorite Toilet: The undiscovered treasure of the handicapped toilets with super clean facilities and no line. Definitely not the one I hung out with for an entire night thanks to norovirus.
Favorite Christenson Sister: Jessica. Yes, we got in a fight. Yes, we bickered. But I dare you to find a sister that loves the Olympics and has as much fun with foreigners as my sister does.
Favorite Trivia Question: Stella the Fella. Look it up. You can finish reading this when you've stopped laughing.
Favorite Olympian Name: Freek Van Der Woort.
Favorite Handsome Olympic Athlete: Hot Norwegian curling guy. Otherwise known as Mr. Handsome.
Favorite Concession Food: Well, besides beer. Chocolate Donuts! The food was that terrible at the venues.
Favorite Security Pat Down: I feel like Adler Train Station gave the best breast massages.
I'm sad to leave. My flag is sad, too. Our flight is at 5:30am, so that means no last super fun night, because I'm not in my 20's and know what that would feel like on the flight. We'll have our final awards to post and lots more random thoughts once we have a chance to put a few hours of sleep together in a row stateside. This is important, because I'm already dropping my articles and other unnecessary words like our new Russian friends. Until then, Dos Verdanya!!
So here we are at the end, and I'd love to share my favorites:
Favorite Event: Ski Jumping. Although Snowboard Cross was thrilling and exciting, the party atmosphere and the cheers of the crowd when a particular jump was achieved was awesome. Plus, we met some amazing American siblings there!
Favorite Venue: Biathlon. Both days, ha ha. The first day when it got cancelled, we made a party in the fog and had a great time even without an actual event. And we met a super cool guy, Vincent, who partied with us all night, and a German man that gave us sweeties. Which is now my favorite word for candy. Then when we finally got to see the event, we were in General Admission, again a giant party, with a really intimate concession and bathroom area. Plus-SNOWSTORM!
Favorite USA vs. Russia Moment: Yeah, I made up an arbitrary event in order to shoehorn in our kickass hockey game experience. 8 shootouts! The Russians were so into the game, a tiny tiny tiny tiny part of me almost wanted them to win just to see their reaction. Honorable mention: A chess set at a souvenir fair that had old Soviet flags and US flags on the chess pieces.
Favorite Event Where We Got To See An American Medal: Well, there was only 1-Snowboard Cross. But it was GREAT!
Favorite Country House: We only went to one, but it was killer. Austria House, we will never forget your delicious schnitzel and the roast beef and potatoes. And the Stigel. Definitely the Stigel.
Favorite Foreign Fans: The Russians. Sure, there were great costumes and friendly folks from all over (except for you, CANADA), but the Russians were great hosts, and were such an amazing home crowd for their athletes. Plus, they kept saying "Russia and America, FRIENDS FOREVER!" I hope we entertained them. Honorable Mention: Australians. Funny and friendly. And not too good to rub elbows with loud Americans (ahem, Canada)
Favorite Cab Ride: The one with the drunk guys. Mainly because it was slightly terrifying and therefore thrilling.
Favorite Stray Dog: The 3 legged one. Everyone loves an underdog.
Favorite Toilet: The undiscovered treasure of the handicapped toilets with super clean facilities and no line. Definitely not the one I hung out with for an entire night thanks to norovirus.
Favorite Christenson Sister: Jessica. Yes, we got in a fight. Yes, we bickered. But I dare you to find a sister that loves the Olympics and has as much fun with foreigners as my sister does.
Favorite Trivia Question: Stella the Fella. Look it up. You can finish reading this when you've stopped laughing.
Favorite Olympian Name: Freek Van Der Woort.
Favorite Handsome Olympic Athlete: Hot Norwegian curling guy. Otherwise known as Mr. Handsome.
Favorite Concession Food: Well, besides beer. Chocolate Donuts! The food was that terrible at the venues.
Favorite Security Pat Down: I feel like Adler Train Station gave the best breast massages.
I'm sad to leave. My flag is sad, too. Our flight is at 5:30am, so that means no last super fun night, because I'm not in my 20's and know what that would feel like on the flight. We'll have our final awards to post and lots more random thoughts once we have a chance to put a few hours of sleep together in a row stateside. This is important, because I'm already dropping my articles and other unnecessary words like our new Russian friends. Until then, Dos Verdanya!!
Monday, February 17, 2014
"Disappointed Sisters"
Hey, did you guys see this???? We're famous. Don't worry, we promise not to change. We were already jerks before the fame arrived.
Bloomberg News Blurb
So, yes, disppointed sisters and disappointed friends we were indeed to have the 2nd of 2 events in a row cancel due to the fog. We had no events for tomorrow, so luckily, the rescheduled times work with what we had going on!! Thank goodness we didn't get more greedy when it came to tickets, otherwise I would be missing out on 2 of my favorite events to watch-biathlon and snowboard cross! Snowboard cross, for those that don't know, is an actual RACE. No timed runs of one person down the hill, just you against the other people beside you. The USA has good medal chances here. WATCH IT. It's great, you'll love it!
Biggest Olympic tip and life tip EVER: Always have an emergency meetup point. Always. At every venue, at every public transit stop, always, always, always have a meetup point. We have found that even though the Olympic crowds are smaller, they are also like the Mississippi River when it comes to exiting. Even in the General Admission section, it can be impossible to find your friends if you meet there! The funny thing we found is that we all DO think alike in "What would person X do?" but that doesn't help when there are thousands of people trying to leave a venue.
After Jess and I lost Erin and Mike, we ended up finally having a proper Russian (well, Georgian) meal at a place in Esto Sodok, which is in the mountain cluster. We sat across from a nice couple that got the waitress to bring English menus for us, and the food was really great. After days of horrid hot dogs (seriously, Russia, how do the lips, cheeks, and rear ends of animals taste so terribly different in the USA?), it was a much deserved break. We had some pork with onions and a really great cheese on top, then mushrooms with the really great cheese on top, and some dumplings that had a beef and pork filling. Sooooo good. Also, I never want to drink anything but sour cherry juice for the rest of my life. Greatest thing ever.
On our bucket list, we wanted to find a Russian woman we mistook for a man. Well, we haven't seen one so far, but ALL Russians definitely have the biggest balls when it comes to getting to the front of a line. If you ever wondered why they produce such amazing athletes, this is why-they ALL want to be first.
Jessica and I went to curling yesterday morning and it was so fun to watch live! The curling rink was FREEZING in comparison to hockey and speed skating...maybe it was because we were closer to the ice, or there were less people, but it was a good help to keep our sleep deprivation from kicking in. Plus, the hottie in the crazy pants on the Norwegian team piqued our interest and held our most rapt attention throughout the games. The USA lost to Canada, and Russia lost to Sweden, but it was still fun and the curling rink was really intimate and close to the action! It was awesome live! I remember when they brought curling back in 1998-I was in college, and we were glued to the TV everywhere we went-parties, bars, etc, because we had never seen anything like it before. Massively great to see one of my favorite Winter Olympic live.
The Paralympics are going to start after the Olympics and we are all still mystified by how exactly they think the mountain venues are handicapped friendly. There are a minimum of 5000 stairs for every event, and no where that I can see where people in a wheelchair could reasonably get there. It's nuts. Are they planning on using a claw like in Toy Story to pick them up and deposit them at their seat? I mean, I kind of hope so because that would be AMAZING.
I feel like I won't need my yearly trip to the lady doctor after the amount and the in depth nature of the patdowns I've received. The security ladies in Russia could tell me if I have breast cancer. Not gonna lie, the full body massage before every train ride is kind of relaxing.
Dear Canada-every Canadian I know in person is a very, very, very nice person. Why do you only send the jerks to the Olympics?
TOILET UPDATE
There is a pretty gross porta potty style toilet near Snowboard Cross, but the rest of the toilets at Snowboard Cross are fine. And porta potties are gross no matter where you go. Also, we thought we had such a great scam going by using the handicapped toilets where there's no line (because no handicapped person can get to these events) and today there was someone guarding them! I know we shouldn't be sad because they're reserved for the handicapped, but STILL.
Funny exchanges:
Me: "Our media is a bunch of whiny little bitches."
British guy: "Your words, not mine."
Erin: I took a picture of that girl that got hurt on the mountain from our gondola to biathlon.
British guy: You are a horrible person.
Talking about how the children don't smile in pictures
Australian guy: I got one to smile, and their parents waved their finger at him. Like "YOU WILL NOT SMILE AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY ABOUT IT."
At a booth at a souvenir fair after buying the Sochi stacky dolls
Russian: Why you buy this? It's terrible
German man: You want sweeties?
Jessica and Lara: WE WANT SWEETIES!!!
Lara: Apparently washing your hands is an American thing???
Bloomberg News Blurb
So, yes, disppointed sisters and disappointed friends we were indeed to have the 2nd of 2 events in a row cancel due to the fog. We had no events for tomorrow, so luckily, the rescheduled times work with what we had going on!! Thank goodness we didn't get more greedy when it came to tickets, otherwise I would be missing out on 2 of my favorite events to watch-biathlon and snowboard cross! Snowboard cross, for those that don't know, is an actual RACE. No timed runs of one person down the hill, just you against the other people beside you. The USA has good medal chances here. WATCH IT. It's great, you'll love it!
Biggest Olympic tip and life tip EVER: Always have an emergency meetup point. Always. At every venue, at every public transit stop, always, always, always have a meetup point. We have found that even though the Olympic crowds are smaller, they are also like the Mississippi River when it comes to exiting. Even in the General Admission section, it can be impossible to find your friends if you meet there! The funny thing we found is that we all DO think alike in "What would person X do?" but that doesn't help when there are thousands of people trying to leave a venue.
After Jess and I lost Erin and Mike, we ended up finally having a proper Russian (well, Georgian) meal at a place in Esto Sodok, which is in the mountain cluster. We sat across from a nice couple that got the waitress to bring English menus for us, and the food was really great. After days of horrid hot dogs (seriously, Russia, how do the lips, cheeks, and rear ends of animals taste so terribly different in the USA?), it was a much deserved break. We had some pork with onions and a really great cheese on top, then mushrooms with the really great cheese on top, and some dumplings that had a beef and pork filling. Sooooo good. Also, I never want to drink anything but sour cherry juice for the rest of my life. Greatest thing ever.
On our bucket list, we wanted to find a Russian woman we mistook for a man. Well, we haven't seen one so far, but ALL Russians definitely have the biggest balls when it comes to getting to the front of a line. If you ever wondered why they produce such amazing athletes, this is why-they ALL want to be first.
Jessica and I went to curling yesterday morning and it was so fun to watch live! The curling rink was FREEZING in comparison to hockey and speed skating...maybe it was because we were closer to the ice, or there were less people, but it was a good help to keep our sleep deprivation from kicking in. Plus, the hottie in the crazy pants on the Norwegian team piqued our interest and held our most rapt attention throughout the games. The USA lost to Canada, and Russia lost to Sweden, but it was still fun and the curling rink was really intimate and close to the action! It was awesome live! I remember when they brought curling back in 1998-I was in college, and we were glued to the TV everywhere we went-parties, bars, etc, because we had never seen anything like it before. Massively great to see one of my favorite Winter Olympic live.
The Paralympics are going to start after the Olympics and we are all still mystified by how exactly they think the mountain venues are handicapped friendly. There are a minimum of 5000 stairs for every event, and no where that I can see where people in a wheelchair could reasonably get there. It's nuts. Are they planning on using a claw like in Toy Story to pick them up and deposit them at their seat? I mean, I kind of hope so because that would be AMAZING.
I feel like I won't need my yearly trip to the lady doctor after the amount and the in depth nature of the patdowns I've received. The security ladies in Russia could tell me if I have breast cancer. Not gonna lie, the full body massage before every train ride is kind of relaxing.
Dear Canada-every Canadian I know in person is a very, very, very nice person. Why do you only send the jerks to the Olympics?
TOILET UPDATE
There is a pretty gross porta potty style toilet near Snowboard Cross, but the rest of the toilets at Snowboard Cross are fine. And porta potties are gross no matter where you go. Also, we thought we had such a great scam going by using the handicapped toilets where there's no line (because no handicapped person can get to these events) and today there was someone guarding them! I know we shouldn't be sad because they're reserved for the handicapped, but STILL.
Funny exchanges:
Me: "Our media is a bunch of whiny little bitches."
British guy: "Your words, not mine."
Erin: I took a picture of that girl that got hurt on the mountain from our gondola to biathlon.
British guy: You are a horrible person.
Talking about how the children don't smile in pictures
Australian guy: I got one to smile, and their parents waved their finger at him. Like "YOU WILL NOT SMILE AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY ABOUT IT."
At a booth at a souvenir fair after buying the Sochi stacky dolls
Russian: Why you buy this? It's terrible
German man: You want sweeties?
Jessica and Lara: WE WANT SWEETIES!!!
Lara: Apparently washing your hands is an American thing???
Sunday, February 16, 2014
How to survive cancellations of Olympic proportions
If ever you take a 1 hour trip to the top of a mountain in Russia, and the biathlon competition gets cancelled, follow these rules:
1) Make friends with an awesome French dude. Sing the French national anthem with him (P.S. Learn some foreign anthems. It's good for you.)
2) Buy your booze before the concession stand closes, pretty much as soon as you hear the event is cancelled.
3) Do not, I repeat, do NOT get into the ridiculous line to go back down the mountain. This is insanity at its best.
4) Find the stage. That one playing a mix of American hits and Russian electronika. If there is no one dancing, pull out your American flag and start dancing. The Russians will arrive in droves to "make a photo" and dance with you. Try to get them to limbo under your flag. Fail.
5) find the snowmobiles. Just in case you need another way down the mountain. Think like James Bond. In the meantime, take 20 photos of yourself with the snowmobiles. And the security guys guarding them. Bonus points if they LOOK like Bond villains.
6) Video the 90% Russian crowd with you. They're unintentionally funny.
7) Find the bar next to the gondola down the mountain that the tricksy concessions people hid from you. On the way in, grab some Haribo from that crazy German dude with a stuffed eagle that's Parrot sized.
8) Accidentally wander into a team area and get your photo with two handsome German Olympian speed skaters, after asking them for directions in German, like they're your tour guides. Get their thoughts on how humiliating it is to wear ugly neon outfits at opening ceremonies when you're a badass.
9) Make Russian volunteer (who is a dead ringer for your Russkie MBA roomie) wait for you while you pee, before he personally guides you down the mountain after it seems to be closed.
10) Negotiate your cab ride home with a group of "taxi" drivers. Yell "nyet" when you do not get the price you want. Don't be surprised when you go home in an auto with no seatbelts. Be thankful they are not drunk like your taxi driver from the other night.
11) Drink the welcome home vodka shot. Because this has been one of the best nights of your life. Ever. #sochi2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
Sochi bucket list
Find a Russian woman that we mistake for a man
Find a unibrow
Meet 1 past Olympian
Meet 1 current Olympian
Get a photo with a Russian soldier and his Kalishnikov
Drink vodka with someone famous
Get into a VIP event
Spend time at Fun Party Zone
Clang a cowbell for an American skiier
Find a Russian who speaks English well
Get our photo with the Jamaican bobsled team
Drink a beer with some Germans
High five Shaun White
Watch the fireworks from the deck of the cruise ship
Meet Brian Boitano and charm him with the story of me and Jessica calculating skating scores
Find a unibrow
Meet 1 past Olympian
Meet 1 current Olympian
Get a photo with a Russian soldier and his Kalishnikov
Drink vodka with someone famous
Get into a VIP event
Spend time at Fun Party Zone
Clang a cowbell for an American skiier
Find a Russian who speaks English well
Get our photo with the Jamaican bobsled team
Drink a beer with some Germans
High five Shaun White
Watch the fireworks from the deck of the cruise ship
Meet Brian Boitano and charm him with the story of me and Jessica calculating skating scores
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
NBC Olympic Coverage-Predicting The Cheesy Music Montages
I'm not a sports expert, so it's difficult for me to predict how medals and performances are going to shake out in Sochi. But I AM an expert at WATCHING the Olympics, and I can tell you exactly how some of these broadcasts are going to go. The footage of athletes falling, failing, flailing. The footage of them getting up. The footage of them victorious. Or the footage of them gloriously defeated.
You know what I'm talking about. In fact, the last 2 months, whenever I hear particular songs, I can literally picture how NBC will work a specific stanza or chord into what will undoubtedly be a super cheesy story of how one of our athletes overcame incredible odds to make it to the Olympic stage in Sochi. Since we'll be in Russia for most of the games, I'd love if anyone could tell me how right or terribly wrong I was in my predictions.
Avicii-"Wake Me Up" will be used as background music to introduce background stories on Olympians, with action shots. It will also be used to play out to commercial breaks. Key lyric: "I only have 2 hands."
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-"Can't Hold Us" is a little bit older, but the beats play perfectly for a Bob Costas special. This one will be used about midway to the end of the Games, with American champions putting up their arms in victory, fist pumping, and general celebration. Key lyric: "Tonight is the night, we'll fight 'til it's over."
One Republic-"Counting Stars". Look, if this is used in a Bud Light commercial during the Superbowl, that's a guarantee that it will be used for all manner of sports broadcasts. I'm guessing this will be a good luge/skeleton song, as the key lyric is "everything that kills me makes me feel alive."
Lord-"Team." I hate Lorde and all of her slowly sung songs that don't really make any sense. This song will be used only for the musical part at the beginning...I'm guessing with Olympians lifting up their faces and opening up their eyes. Seriously, there are ALWAYS shots of athletes opening up their eyes-it's such a cliche. This song seems best suited for it. Key lyric: "Look upon your greatness."
Bastille-"Pompeii". This song has the bombastic greatness that was made for overly sentimental pieces on athletes that have "one last chance" at gold, or are "putting it all on the line." Key lyric: "Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?...Like you've been here before?" These lines were made for a Vancouver 2010 recap, right??
Finally, let's get to what will undoubtedly be the overplayed and overwrought anthem of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Yep, you guessed it: Katy Perry, with "Roar." It's almost like Katy Perry wrote the song specifically FOR the Olympics. "Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me ROAR." Look, even my CEO from Europe likes this song. You are already sick of it. Prepare to be drowned in it over the next 2 weeks, people. This is happening.
You know what I'm talking about. In fact, the last 2 months, whenever I hear particular songs, I can literally picture how NBC will work a specific stanza or chord into what will undoubtedly be a super cheesy story of how one of our athletes overcame incredible odds to make it to the Olympic stage in Sochi. Since we'll be in Russia for most of the games, I'd love if anyone could tell me how right or terribly wrong I was in my predictions.
Avicii-"Wake Me Up" will be used as background music to introduce background stories on Olympians, with action shots. It will also be used to play out to commercial breaks. Key lyric: "I only have 2 hands."
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-"Can't Hold Us" is a little bit older, but the beats play perfectly for a Bob Costas special. This one will be used about midway to the end of the Games, with American champions putting up their arms in victory, fist pumping, and general celebration. Key lyric: "Tonight is the night, we'll fight 'til it's over."
One Republic-"Counting Stars". Look, if this is used in a Bud Light commercial during the Superbowl, that's a guarantee that it will be used for all manner of sports broadcasts. I'm guessing this will be a good luge/skeleton song, as the key lyric is "everything that kills me makes me feel alive."
Lord-"Team." I hate Lorde and all of her slowly sung songs that don't really make any sense. This song will be used only for the musical part at the beginning...I'm guessing with Olympians lifting up their faces and opening up their eyes. Seriously, there are ALWAYS shots of athletes opening up their eyes-it's such a cliche. This song seems best suited for it. Key lyric: "Look upon your greatness."
Bastille-"Pompeii". This song has the bombastic greatness that was made for overly sentimental pieces on athletes that have "one last chance" at gold, or are "putting it all on the line." Key lyric: "Does it almost feel like nothing's changed at all?...Like you've been here before?" These lines were made for a Vancouver 2010 recap, right??
Finally, let's get to what will undoubtedly be the overplayed and overwrought anthem of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Yep, you guessed it: Katy Perry, with "Roar." It's almost like Katy Perry wrote the song specifically FOR the Olympics. "Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me ROAR." Look, even my CEO from Europe likes this song. You are already sick of it. Prepare to be drowned in it over the next 2 weeks, people. This is happening.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Giddy with Star Spangled Anticipation!
Our trek to London in 2012 for our Olympic adventure was epic in so many ways...and here we are again, 31 days from departing for Sochi! With 5 times the tickets, we are confident this will result in 5 times the fun. And 5 times the monkeyshines. And 5 times the shenanigans!
We need to make sure that you are aware of something right off the bat-the Olympic Games are not being held in Sochi. They are being held in Adler, who must be some kind of red-headed step-middle child in the order of Russian cities. Did Adler displease Putin in some egregious way to get the location "name" stripped from them? We may never know. Sochi also "claims" to be the longest city in Europe. (Is Sochi trying to compensate for something??) Also, Sochi/Adler are located in a sub-tropical zone. No, you did not read that wrong. It will probably be the first time the Winter Olympics are held in a location where a heavy parka might cause you to sweat during the day, however, the mountain events (skiing, bobsled, etc) ARE being held on an actual mountain. The average temperature in January is 50 degrees. Brrrr!
Confession: I love the way Eastern Europeans construct their sentences in English. I think it's adorable. (I hope that doesn't sound patronizing). As we've worked with several Russian folks in booking housing and attaining visa invitation letters, please allow me to share with you the most awesomely phrased communications we've received from the very nice folks in the Russian Federation.
"Unfortunately for Louis Olympia no seats. Perhaps places will be in January. But not for the fact."
"We note, that during Olympics not far from our hotel will take place big Fan-Zone." (Big Fan-Zone?? Sign us UP)
"From our house to the Olympic objects by transport to go is about 2 hours." (I think she might have used Google Translate...)
"Why do not you pay with a plastic card?"
"We can make you Visa support."
I'm so excited to hear these kinds of things with a beautiful Russian accent attached!
Trivia is BACK! I am working on figuring out a way to incorporate the Risk gameboard (map of the world) into the mix, but am still a little stumped. We are planning Trivia Night for after the USA-Russia Men's Hockey game-BEST NIGHT EVER!! We will be posting a calendar with the events we're attending, so be sure to let us know if you spot us on TV! (We'll be the ones voraciously shaking our flag! Oh...too vague? We'll be the DRUNK ones voraciously shaking our flag!) No word yet on whether the exalted, loved, and universally adored Chase Visa VIP Lounge will be in Sochi, but we have our fingers crossed, and our stomachs empty to eat and drink up all of the rewards that being a Chase Visa cardholder can get us! If not, we'll have to check out this big Fan-Zone that our AirBNB friend Sergei mentioned above.
Remember the Battle of the Brians? Remember the Battle of the Carmens? Remember when Dan Jansen fell down 2 times after he learned of his sister's death? Remember when Bonnie Blair and her mullet dominated the speed skating track? Remember the first time Apolo Ohno won a gold? Remember Shaun White's balls out INCREDIBLE performance in halfpipe in 2010? Remember the Jamaican bobsled team? Remember that awesome Tom Brokaw report for the Vancouver Olympics on the USA-Canada brotherhood? Remember Oksana Baiul and how she turned into a train wreck? Remember the ice skating judging scandal? Remember Nancy Kerrigan getting cracked in the knees? Remember the rush of adrenaline when we beatthe Soviets Russia in ANY winter sport? So many amazing Winter Olympics memories I can name, but I know one thing-the ones I'll remember for the rest of my life are about to go down in exactly 1 month. I have the world's greatest travel/drinking/carousing/obnoxious friends a girl could wish for to accompany me!
We need to make sure that you are aware of something right off the bat-the Olympic Games are not being held in Sochi. They are being held in Adler, who must be some kind of red-headed step-middle child in the order of Russian cities. Did Adler displease Putin in some egregious way to get the location "name" stripped from them? We may never know. Sochi also "claims" to be the longest city in Europe. (Is Sochi trying to compensate for something??) Also, Sochi/Adler are located in a sub-tropical zone. No, you did not read that wrong. It will probably be the first time the Winter Olympics are held in a location where a heavy parka might cause you to sweat during the day, however, the mountain events (skiing, bobsled, etc) ARE being held on an actual mountain. The average temperature in January is 50 degrees. Brrrr!
Confession: I love the way Eastern Europeans construct their sentences in English. I think it's adorable. (I hope that doesn't sound patronizing). As we've worked with several Russian folks in booking housing and attaining visa invitation letters, please allow me to share with you the most awesomely phrased communications we've received from the very nice folks in the Russian Federation.
"Unfortunately for Louis Olympia no seats. Perhaps places will be in January. But not for the fact."
"We note, that during Olympics not far from our hotel will take place big Fan-Zone." (Big Fan-Zone?? Sign us UP)
"From our house to the Olympic objects by transport to go is about 2 hours." (I think she might have used Google Translate...)
"Why do not you pay with a plastic card?"
"We can make you Visa support."
I'm so excited to hear these kinds of things with a beautiful Russian accent attached!
Trivia is BACK! I am working on figuring out a way to incorporate the Risk gameboard (map of the world) into the mix, but am still a little stumped. We are planning Trivia Night for after the USA-Russia Men's Hockey game-BEST NIGHT EVER!! We will be posting a calendar with the events we're attending, so be sure to let us know if you spot us on TV! (We'll be the ones voraciously shaking our flag! Oh...too vague? We'll be the DRUNK ones voraciously shaking our flag!) No word yet on whether the exalted, loved, and universally adored Chase Visa VIP Lounge will be in Sochi, but we have our fingers crossed, and our stomachs empty to eat and drink up all of the rewards that being a Chase Visa cardholder can get us! If not, we'll have to check out this big Fan-Zone that our AirBNB friend Sergei mentioned above.
Remember the Battle of the Brians? Remember the Battle of the Carmens? Remember when Dan Jansen fell down 2 times after he learned of his sister's death? Remember when Bonnie Blair and her mullet dominated the speed skating track? Remember the first time Apolo Ohno won a gold? Remember Shaun White's balls out INCREDIBLE performance in halfpipe in 2010? Remember the Jamaican bobsled team? Remember that awesome Tom Brokaw report for the Vancouver Olympics on the USA-Canada brotherhood? Remember Oksana Baiul and how she turned into a train wreck? Remember the ice skating judging scandal? Remember Nancy Kerrigan getting cracked in the knees? Remember the rush of adrenaline when we beat
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
What to wear to the Olympics: A rough guide
Packing for any vacation always presents a plethora of
decisions. Should I pack a heavier coat? What if I spill something on my clothes? Can I do laundry? In
addition to the weather and size and weight restrictions, the Olympics present
an entirely new set of issues: what should your OLYMPIC wardrobe look like??
Your Olympic wardrobe shouldn’t break the bank, but you also
don’t want anyone to pass you on the street wondering which team you’re
cheering for. A few simple suggestions:
THE FLAG:
Don’t leave home without it. You should have at least one
that’s LARGE—it’s MUCH easier for NBC to spot a flag when it’s the size of a
person. Our sources also tell us that choosing a flame retardant material could
be important for when you encounter hostile fans from other countries. But
don’t stop there. Party City and loads of other stores stock Old Glory in every
shape and size. A few of our favorites:
--Gameface tattoos: You can order large quantities of these
for very little money, and then no matter what you’re wearing, your allegiance
is apparent. (tip: these are also great for sharing with Americans you
encounter who are not appropriately dressed. We don’t understand such people,
but we do support helping them)
--Small flags on sticks: If you’re worried about space, a
tiny flag can always be shoved into your back pocket or camera bag and whipped
out at an opportune flag waving moment.
--Bunting: Not only can you use this to make your living
space more festive, it can be fashioned into a sash (think Ms America) to add a
little pizzazz to any outfit.
Headwear:
Your best investment pieces are worn on your head. This is
what cameras will see to potentially put you on television. If you’re an
American, a cowboy hat is a great option. Although Americans typically
associate them with the South and rural areas, the rest of the world sees a
cowboy hat and knows you’re a Yank.
The winter Olympics will offer a great opportunity to show
off the red, white, and blue in a variety of styles. Start watching for hats
that feature USA colors the year before the games, and you’ll likely get a
bargain on awesome knitted caps. You’ll definitely want more than one, in case
you lose yours après ski in a bar, or it gets stolen by a jealous Russian fan.
Red, White, and Blue clothes:
Depending on the year, these can be very easy to find. Old
reasonably priced staples like Old Navy, the Gap, and Urban Outfitters often
offer pieces that feature the flag, as well as basic pieces in red, white, and
blue. These are great picks, because you can wear them before and after the
games. You can do a lot with a navy sweater when you pair it with a face
tattoo, a flag sash, and cowboy hat. Be creative.
If you don’t get clothes in advance, remember you can always
head to the American house to get the latest Olympic gear, but it will be
priced exorbitantly. Then again, you’re at the Olympics, so treat yourself!
Don’t be afraid to be bold. No one remembers the guy who
went to the Olympics and wore a black Columbia jacket. Don’t be that guy.
Aspire to be the guy who wears body paint and a wig to Men’s halfpipe.
Everybody loves that guy.
USA! USA! USA!
Friday, September 13, 2013
How to get tickets for Olympic events
Being in an Olympic venue is a life changing experience.
You’re surrounded by people from all around the world, celebrating the
achievements of incredibly talented athletes. Waves of goosebumps are likely,
especially if your country takes home a gold medal and you get to see your flag
hoisted above the crowd and your anthem blasted through an Olympic stadium. The
best dollars you will spend for your Olympic trip will be on your tickets, so don't scrimp here. If you plan well, it won’t break the bank. You don’t need the best seat in the
place. You just want a seat. Here’s how to get as many as possible.
As many of our followers know, getting tickets for the
Olympics at the last minute has now become nearly impossible. Don’t show up
without tickets and think you’ll get some on the street. The fines are high,
and unlike most sports events, Olympic venues in London were completely devoid
of scalpers.
The ticketing process is fraught with obstacles, including a
complicated pricing structure, random availability on any ticket drop day, and
the fact that buying your tickets at one time doesn't mean that those tickets
are anywhere near each other in the venue, especially if you purchase them very late (or during the Games). So where do you start? The first
ticket drop will be a year before the Olympics, with announced drops to follow.
The best drop will be the first one, with the most low cost options in one
drop.
The first step is to prioritize which events you want to
see, and how many tickets you need for each event. A good way to do this is to
go to the Olympic website, and make quick calendar of which events are on which
days. Check out your country’s Olympic site to find out who your best athletes
are, and which events they’re likely to medal in to determine the medal rounds
that will be worth paying a little extra for a medal round. Consider an event
that is really representative of the country you’re visiting for the Olympics,
and that you’re less familiar with, like Russia and the biathlon, or Brazil and
soccer. Send the list around to your group, and find out which events appeal
most to them. Then prioritize. Your list might look like this:
Women’s Downhill (4) Wednesday, February 8, 1:20 p.m.
Men’s Luge (4) Thursday, February 9, 5:15 p.m.
Men’s Curling (4) Friday, 10:20 a.m.
The event name, date and time are all important to include
in the list.
Everyone who is planning to attend should set up an account
with the official ticketing agent of their home country. Having friends from
different countries helps here, because each country gets an allocation at each
ticket drop, so a different country might have better access to a particular
event. In the USA, Cosport handles the ticketing.
Once you have an account, you will receive notifications of
when ticketing windows will open. Everyone attending should mark this time in
their calendars. EVERYONE needs to be working on tickets at that time. It will
be very difficult for one person to get more than one set of tickets for one
event in a ticketing window. It’s a team effort, and part of the beginning of
the Olympic excitement!!
The day before the ticketing window, get your list ready.
Assign each person trying for tickets ONE primary event to start with, to
ensure that you’re grabbing different things as soon as the window opens.
Login to the site in advance, and start refreshing. Ping
everyone reminders, to make sure you’re not working alone.
Once the ticketing window opens, you can search two ways, by
event, and by date. If you have a priority event you’re looking for, go for
that event first. It will list the different days and times, and the prices for
each type of ticket. None of these should be a surprise at this point, because
you can look up pricing in advance of the ticket window. This is where your
list is helpful, because some events may have several times even in one day. Select
the event you’d like to go to, and the number of tickets you would like. If you
need 4 and there are only 2, remember that it’s possible that in the future you
could get two more, and that two are better than none for high profile events.
Once you have your priority event, it’s time to go for an
all-out grab on anything else you might want. Basket times have lengthened recently,
so you’ll have a bit of time to instant message your friends after you’ve
grabbed everything that you can. Grab extras of other priority events. If you
have a naughty friend, or their credit card gets rejected, or they get asked
for a visa code they can’t remember, you have a backup plan. Grab cheap seats
at events on days that you don’t have a prioritized event. Some can go for as
little as $25, and you’ll still be at an Olympic event.
It will only take a few minutes to get to the point where
you have about everything you might want. It’s time to IM your friends. They
should be at the same point as you. Confirm what they have, and determine what
everyone is buying. This is also a good time to look for single tickets if one
person was a few short for an event. Buy one cart at a time, and dump the
tickets you don’t need as you go.
Good Luck getting tickets (especially if you’re cheering for
Team USA)!
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