Moondog, count me in for Olympics tickets.. You know I'm based here so all it takes is a text/call...

There are plenty of alternatives with regards to getting into China if direct flights into Beijing are too expensive. One can fly into Tokyo/Seoul and then fly into Dalian/Harbin/some other city in NE China and fly into Beijing from there.. Want to come from the south? Fly into Guangzhou/Shenzhen and onto Beijing.. There are also flights from Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore into Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing... I haven't really priced any of these out, but they could be viable options for those who are flexible..