Everyone's gearing up for the 2008 Olympics, and Beijing is leading the pack with the world's most elaborate Olympic Torch relay: It will traverse the longest distance, cover the greatest area, and include the largest number of people in its route.

In accordance with tradition, the torch's Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, Greece on March 25th, and carried across the nation by 646 Greek torch bearers to the Panathinaiko Stadium, the site of the first modern Olympic Games (in 1896). After the handover ceremony to the host city of Beijing at the stadium, the torch was relayed to torchbearers chosen through a rigorous selection process.

According to the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay Committee, the journey will last 130 days, taking the torch 137,000 kilometers, the longest distance ever. The cities along the global route span Istanbul to San Francisco, Buenos Aires to Macau, London to Jakarta, and myriad places in between. One of the highlights of this relay will be the ascent of the Olympic Flame to the highest peak in the world, Mt. Qomolangma (Everest).

To keep the flame burning, the Torch incorporates technological innovations to be able to remain lit in winds up to 65 kms/hour, rain of up to 50 mm/hour and oxygen-poor high altitudes. Kids can explore how the technolgy works at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay website.

Of course, many families will want to follow the torch to Beijing for a closeup view of the Olympics in action. One of the leading tour operators packaging event tickets with airfare and hotels is Roadtrips, a longtime operator of sports-oriented travel. According to president Dave Guenther, "The majority of Roadtrips' Beijing travelers will be families. It's kind of a surprise for us as the Summer Games are usually popular with more of a corporate audience... [but] there are many family-friendly experiences outside of the Games, like visiting the Great Wall or Forbidden City."

At press time, the least costly 2008 Summer Games package for a family of four (2 kids under age 12) consists of 5 nights at the new, 10-story Grand Mercure Xidan, and includes:

- Guaranteed Tickets: 2 Level 1 Events & 2 Level 2 Events
- Breakfast Daily
- Roundtrip Transportation To and From Events
- Commemorative Beijing Summer Games Gift Package
- Guided Group City Tour of Beijing
- Roadtrips Access Credentials: Olympic Green Hospitality Center
- On-site Roadtrips Hosts & Chinese/English Speaking Guides
and more.

Starting rates for this package are US$8,150 per adult. The company claims to have options from $5,950 per adult double occupancy, so visit the site at www.roadtrips.com or call their agents at 800/465-1765 to learn more about event availability and pricing.

In another tip for families heading to the Far East this summer, the U.S. Department of State recommends that international travelers take one or two major credit or charge cards, as well as traveler's checks instead of cash, which may provide a better exchange rate than using U.S. dollars. Traveler's checks, such as those sold by American Express agents, are fully refundable if they are lost or stolen and can be easily cashed at China's better urban hotels or larger banks.

by Janine Yu

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