Awesome Adventures – The Olympics
Last year, we decided to – from time to time – highlight some of our most spectacular past journeys under an “Awesome Adventures” heading. To qualify, the journey has to be the best of the best. There aren’t many.
So far, we’ve only gotten around to sharing details from our visit to Antarctica and our quest to see the Northern Lights. Today, in honor of our All American month and the London Olympics, there’s a new Awesome Adventure to share.
Attending the Olympics has probably been our most surprising (in a good way) adventure to date.
It was pure luck that enabled us to attend the 2004 Olympics in Greece. Because it was a surprise from an employer – details in another post – I guess our ability to go also involved some hard work.
Here’s the kicker… We only had about two weeks notice, and – of course – we wanted to maximize our time at the games and in Greece. It was a bit of a logistics nightmare, but everything worked out better than we could have expected given the last-minute nature of the trip.
We really lucked out with our hotel and with the events we were able to attend. Tickets to Olympic events are notoriously expensive, but it was worth it. We saw diving, volleyball and even caught biking from the balcony of our room. Medal ceremonies were a highlight. (Please excuse these pictures from 2004. Have cameras come a long way, or what?!)
It was most exciting to watch several sessions of gymnastics – always highly competitive, always a nail-biter.
The best part – and why everyone should consider attending the Olympic Games – is the overall vibe of peace, love and camaraderie that fills the host city. It was definitely one of the earliest triggers that prompted us to mix up our world and ultimately create this NVR life.
Finally, we did carve out time to explore the islands after the Olympics. Santorini was a favorite. Here’s why.
Have you been to the Olympics or are you considering attending at some point in the future?
How COOL!!!! I would love to catch the Olympics one day.
Definitely on my bucket list! My aunt and uncle are going to London shortly. Hopefully I get to go for the next Olympics. Thanks for sharing your story and how it inspired you:)
My partner and myself are making our way to London this year! Only 11 more days before we start our little journey! Although we won’t be actually going to any of the events since they are so expensive and mostly sold out, we will be cheering from outside while enjoying the “overall vibe of peace, love and camaraderie that fills the host city.” Very excited! Thanks for the great article!
How did I not know you guys have been to Antarctica? I guess I need to go read that post now too! The Olympics were in Atlanta in 1996, the year after my parents and I moved there, and my neighbor ended up with tickets to see a Judo match, so I tagged along. Can’t say it was all that exciting. Gymnastics is the event I’d love to see, but that’s always a popular one. And Santorini? Absolutely gorgeous! I loved it there!
Gymnastics was cool to watch. Very intense.
Posting the pics of Santorini made us think that we need to make a return visit.
My heart ACHES that I’m not in the UK to see the Olympics in my home country. It’s one thing I’d love to do. That, plus the Queen’s Jubilee has left me missing England this year!
I do aim to see it in 2016 though. Bring on Rio de Janeiro!
p.s. the bottom left photo of Santorini – that pool looks incredible!
p.p.s. the 2004 camera looks a lot like the photos I take at the moment haha!
We keep thinking that we don’t remember the pics looking THAT bad at the time.
Rio for the Olympics would be well worth it, I’m sure!
You must be really lucky to had been there! I can remember that I really wanted to get there in 2004, some of my friends had been working there as a practice for the university, I wanted to visit them in Athens. It must be such a beautiful city!
For a hot second Kali and I considered trying to be in London for the Olympics (there have been a lot of housesitting gigs posted), but we thought the city would be way too insane to deal with. I hate being in crowds, and just the idea of being on the subway with all those people… ugh.
BUT. I’d really love to see the Olympics in person someday! I’m not sure how we’d be able to manage that, but wow – to see some of those events in person? That would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, for sure.
The crowd thing was a rough element for us. And Greece in August is so hot. Definitely worth it though.
We had the opportunity to head to England for this years Olympics but didn’t want to deal with the escalated prices. Maybe one day, but London didn’t seem like the ideal place. Greece now, that I would consider!
And London is not a cheap destination to begin with.
Wow, seeing Olympic volleyball would be cool. I was pretty disappointed at how many locals in Chicago were against the bid to bring the Olympics here. Who cares about a few temporary logistical nightmares and traffic headaches? It’s the Olympics!!
Hmmm, that surprises me too. I think the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Would certainly like to attend Olympics someday. It would be great to follow London Olympics through your blog!!
Enjoy!
We’re not going, Arti
We WENT to the Olympics in Athens though 
Awesome is right! I’ve always dreamed of seeing the Olympics in person. When I was a kid they were even in my home town of L.A., but my family didn’t go.
What were they thinking!
That must have been amazing! Never been to Greece (it’s pretty high up on Mary’s to-do list), but we both got to go to some of the Olympics events when they were held here in Atlanta in 1996. Though I’ve never shared the story on GGT, I was actually in Centennial Olympic Park the night the bomb went off, though thankfully I was safely ensconced inside the music venue watching James Brown tear the roof off the place. It was great, but I’d trade it for the Olympics in Greece any day!
Would love to hear more about your experience in Atlanta.
Awesome! I’m going to the Olympics – I live in London. I’ll get to see men and women’s beach volleyball – oh yes!
We’ll expect a full report.
I get sucked into the summer Olympics every time. I would someday love to actually go!
Maybe Las Vegas will win the bid one year. Maybe.
Gymnastics are one of the few things I’d love to see. So does this mean London is in your future?
No! We have to stay away from London – too much dinero.
The Olympics would be cool, but I’m officially adding Santorini to my travel wish list after those pictures!
Good thinking. You and J need to be by one of those pools.
I have really no interest in actually going to a live Olympics event. I find TV coverage somehow easier to watch (with a VCR and liberal use of the fast forward button), and far fewer crowds. But if I had to pick a sport to watch, it would be the diving.
Really awesome that you got the change to go see it live though, especially in the birthplace of Athens.
We’re both big fans of sports via television. It IS easier to watch… and less expensive.
I was really fortunate to be living in Sydney when the 2000 Olympics were on and it really was the most incredible experience. I saw several events live and plenty more on big screens set up around the city for those who didn’t have tickets – the atmosphere was palpable!
I’ve never experienced such camaraderie in a big city either – everyone was just so cheery and friendly… and all of this was before September 11 as well, so security wasn’t the three-ring circus it would be today. I wish I could relive the experience… thanks for sharing yours!
They had screens all around Athens too. Very cool idea.
There was plenty of security drama in Athens.
What a great surprise! I’ve been to the Pan American Games to watch my husband compete, and I can relate to the sense of camaraderie. So many of the athletes are just excited to be there and to get to meet people from around the world, and their enthusiasm is infectious.
Would love to hear your husband’s perspective too. That’d be a cool experience.