Vancouver by plane, ship, car or snowboard

The Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver on Saturday, 13 February, but unless you win the lottery between now and then, you're going to find it almost impossible to get a ticket or a hotel room. Still, where there's a will, there's a way. Let's go!

Tickets: What if you fly to Vancouver and stay with friends, and just want a ticket to see the snowboarding, say? Well, because scalping tickets is not illegal in British Columbia, you could always ask a friendly Canadian to buy you one, but be prepared to pay a lot more than the face value.

Beds: You're in Vancouver, but you don't have a place to stay. Unless you can afford upwards of $500 a night, you might end up sleeping in some strange places for less. However, 2010destinationplanner.com, one of the official websites for the Winter Games, has lists of the remaining accommodation and links to pre-screened rental agencies and their apartments.