It's party time! Vancouver is just about ready to host the biggest bash since the world came to visit during Expo 86. And what a party it's going to be, with thousands of athletes, spectators, entertainers, and artists arriving, all in the mood for celebrating the 2010 Olympic (Feb 12-28) and Paralympic (Mar 12-21) Games.
Word in late November was that ticket availability was down to the odd single here and there; some accommodation was still available, and the organizing committee, VANOC, was still recruiting some of the 25,000 volunteers needed to pull off the event.
I have always thought that volunteering at a world-class event would be a fine way to spend vacation time, especially for singles. You participate in a momentous occasion. You meet interesting, like-minded people. You can use off-time for sightseeing and shopping.
Volunteering is a bit tricky to arrange if you live out of town, province, or country, but it's definitely not impossible for anyone who can commit to event timing schedules and can secure local accommodation and transportation.
Think this idea might work for you? If so, it would be worth having a look at the many opportunities available.
Details: VANOC/COVAN.
With standard hotel rooms going for C$400 to C$1,000 plus per night, anyone wanting to experience the Olympic Games first hand has to accept premium prices along with the frustrations of traffic, crowd, and security controls.
Finding affordable housing is always a big issue for spectators, but the "Home for the Games" initiative is one affordable and still available alternative that invites locals and visitors to celebrate together and, at the same time, support a good cause.
Locals with rooms, apartments, or houses to rent advertise online at the Home for the Games website. A portion of all booking fees goes to helping Vancouver's homeless population.
Details: Home For the Games.
Event venues are widely spread, one from the other, between Metro Vancouver and the resort town of Whistler, 125 km (75 miles) north of the city.
Whistler is accessible via the Sea-to-Sky Highway, but a permit is required to travel north of Squamish between the hours of 6am and 6pm. Ticket holders will be transported to mountain events (Whistler and Cyprus Mountain) via the Olympic Bus Network. Reservations will be required, and spectators must make their own way to and from designated pickup/drop-off points via public transport. Ticket prices include free day-of-event access to Metro-wide public transport, which includes public buses, SkyTrain (Expo, Millennium, and Canada light rail lines), SeaBus (passenger ferry) and the West Coast Express (rail service).
Details: Travelsmart2010.ca.
Non ticket holders, such as day skiers or tourists should take licenced commercial motorcoaches or travel to Whistler during off peak hours.
Details: Ride Booker.
Rain, sleet, snow, or fine and mild, winter weather in Vancouver is completely unpredictable. But no matter what the conditions, there'll be hot events happening at celebration sites in Vancouver, Whistler, Richmond, Surrey, and West Vancouver – not just during the Games themselves, but also throughout the pre and post weeks that comprise Cultural Olympiad Vancouver.
The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) has partnered with government funding agencies and the arts community at large in producing a veritable extravaganza of performances, some ticketed, and many free. Listed on the VANOC website, when I last checked, were 186 non-sport events.
Sounds of music will embrace every imaginable genre from classic symphony to Inuit Tundra songs to Tao drummers to all sorts of contemporary bands. Productions and exhibits range from fine arts and crafts to dramatic arts and dance, to whimsical and magical adventures, to large scale interactive spectacles such as Vectorial Elevation by electronic artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. From dusk to dawn, February 4th through the 28th, he will direct a light display over English Bay that is somehow designed by individuals participating worldwide. Another revolutionary concept titled Best Before features the audience creating a virtual city using joysticks. With so many awesome talents on display, it’s sure to be a real fun-for-all.