BEIJING, China - Beijing calls this Olympic Games, "One World, One Dream." My  wheelchair restricted Olympian dad and I call our experience to China's capital city symbolic of "One Big Helping Hand."

Why? One moment after another, Dad and I continued to be awestruck by the lengths people - complete strangers - have been going to assist us, acknowledge us and sometimes simply clear the way.

We traveled well prepared for self-sufficiency. Realistic about how we'd traverse the airport, the city and take in the games within our own set boundaries, I've been wearing flat rubber sole shoes and a modest-sized backpack carrying all our little essentials. Dad has been hands free in his brand new, thick-cushioned royal blue wheelchair.

We've been a great team out to master our own Olympic sport: attending the games with one pair of able legs and a set of four wheels. Piece of cake, I figure.

Yet when strangers - young and old, on the job or taking in sights - spot us there have been Moses-like parting of sea moments. We've lost count how many times this has happened. Still each time, we are overtly surprised and grateful.

Some politely step aside when we approach and then others shuffle to our aid - hands reaching in but to help. Some lift his chair so we can maneuver over high steps or over the broadcast TV cables stretching across roads and sidewalks. Others push my hands off the handles and push the chair with enthusiasm. Beautiful reinforcements to the long-held reputation many Asian communities have about their respect, duty and honor of their elders.

I have been astounded the Olympic motto could apply here: citius, altius, fortius - faster, higher, stronger. When have you ever seen a three-person team of men manually hoist an elderly man along with his 25-pound wheelchair into an exceptionally tall eight-person van? No complaints, no hesitation. Just a go-to, how-do-we-get-the-job-done approach.

It's Day 4 into our journey and I've only had to push Dad's wheelchair two times for any great distance. And what do the lovely people who care for us seek in return? Nothing.

But I tell ya, the giggles we hear from our simple thank you of "xie xie" (pronounced sheay-sheay) and if we happen to have one handy, a CNN Olympic pin, are some of one of the most beautiful gifts we've enjoyed here.

It's the icing on the cake for us. Dad and I have been looking forward to this journey for a while.

Dad came here to reunite with teammates from the 1948 London Games: Two-time gold medalist platform and springboard diver Sammy Lee, bronze long jumper Herb Douglas and gold medal sprinter and hurdler Harrison Dillard.

It was a beautiful reunion of octogenarians who shared adversities like living during the Great Depression, enduring segregation and fighting in World War II,

So a tearful, emotion-filled, bear-hugging celebration between the four is exactly what I and about 20 other "Olympic family members witnessed.

Dad is 83 now but he still has an unbelievable vivid memory filled with a lifetime of travels and adventures. I believe Dad when he says this has been one of his best Olympic game experiences for him ever,  one filled with Olympian friends from 60 years ago along with countless strangers who treated us like long-missed family.

ATLANTA, Georgia - With the Beijing Olympics winding down and the prospect of pre-midnight bedtimes approaching, I've got mixed feelings. Love the sport overdose, and most (but far from all) of the events, but lordy, some things annoy the proverbial out of me.

Australia's Steve Hooker celebrates after winning the men's pole vault in Beijing.

What's with how the majority of U.S. media does the "medal tally"? I'm yet to find (not saying they don't exist) another country where the medal "total" decides what country sits atop the table.

Is this because the U.S. has usually had the biggest "total"? Hmmm.

Everyone else uses the number of gold medals to list the leading nations - including the IOC.

The way NBC and others (from the New York Times to the Contra Costa Times suburban newspaper near San Francisco) lists the leaders, the U.S. is winning!

Don't worry China, everyone else thinks you are.

It's been a terrific competition, but coverage here in the U.S. has been patchy in terms of sports chosen for prime time coverage. Beach volleyball the first week was fine ... but by the second week? Enough already! Hours of it! Is soccer even being played in Beijing? You wouldn't know it from being perched in front of the telly every night.

And not to U.S.-bash, but what was with the dude who came second in the 110 meter hurdles? Comes up to the camera, index finger raised, yelling "Number 1 baby! Yeah! Number 1."

Um, 'cuse me David Payne. You were second.

– Michael Holmes is the anchor of "BackStory," which debuts on CNN International on September 1.

On Sunday the baton passes to London (sorry for the pun) for the 2012 Summer Games. But as we have seen in the 4×100 relay with both American squads, it's easy to fumble the exchange and suffer indignation for the next four years.

London's Olympic park will transform the city's east.

London 2012 organizers have sworn that the city will be ready - and ready a year early. Of course we've heard that before only to see venues finished with just weeks to go. I seem to recall the last minute renovations for beach volleyball in Athens.
London has a right to be confident of a gold medal. The International Olympic Committee said the progress on the Olympic Park is "truly outstanding" with four years to go. The park has been a massive building site for a year already. 

There is little else for London to build. Some of the rest of the venues are existing world-class structures (Wimbledon for tennis, Wembley for football, Eton Dorney for rowing). Then there is the usual temporary use of existing buildings (the ‘Dome' for gymnastics, Earls Court for volleyball, ExCel Centre for boxing, table tennis, weight lifting and martial arts). London is also proud that there will be the last minute transformation of iconic sites just for the games (the Queen's horses will be pushed aside at Horse Guards Parade for the barely-dressed Beach Volleyball participants).

The credit crunch has made it difficult for private contractors to get funding to build the athletics' housing. The money is coming from the existing budget for now, but will have to be paid back. At least that's the plan.

The British press continues to focus on this budget. It was set last year at £9.3bn ($17bn) and has not moved. It was a lot smaller when the 2012 Games were awarded in 2005, but tax and security was added along with a contingency cushion. Then there is the rise in steel prices.

The games themselves will cost a further $4bn and be paid for by corporations, TV rights, merchandise, ticket sales etc.)

That budget - much of which will be spent on lasting projects that will transform east London – has not moved once.

And that is why London won the games instead of Paris.

London promised to clean up an industrial wasteland. I was at the site two weeks ago and the biggest structures on site are massive machines that literally wash the soil for reuse. The rivers are also being cleaned up and the ugly power lines are being buried below the whole area. 90 percent of the industrial waste (bricks etc.) is staying on site to build foundations for the venues.

So now with the budget set and the building well underway, everyone is asking what will be left afterwards.

The stadium will be cut down from 80,000 seats to 25,000 and become the home for the country's athletics. The various cycling venues will be relocated next to the new velodrome being built near the stadium. Britain won four times as many medals in cycling in Beijing compared the next country and it wants to build on that success with a focused national cycling center.

But many people want to know how London will benefit beyond sports, particularly since tax payers, lottery players and local councils are footing much of the bill.

East London is ethnically diverse with high unemployment, high crime, and few decent stores, even though it is just a few miles from the bank towers of Canary Wharf.

Organizers say the Olympic site will be transformed into to the biggest urban park constructed in Europe for 150 years. New transportation links will fill a region devoid of infrastructure and the Olympic Village will be sold off for thousands of homes. There is already a massive mall being built on the edge of the site.

But critics are worried that falling land values will be force the Olympic Delivery Authority to sell the land off to the highest bidder to help pay back some of the government's bills. They want the London's mayor to promise that some land will simply be handed over to local groups (as was hinted to years ago).

Britain has done much better than expected in the Beijing Olympics and that will put pressure of the organizers to get it right. Many people in Britain will judge that on whether the budget proves to be optimistic and whether the government continues to support Team GB with the amount of money needed to build on Beijing's success.

BEIJING, China - When I arrived at our Beijing sports newsroom to begin Day 10 of the Summer Games I knew we'd still be talking about the incredible achievements of Michael Phelps, but wasn't sure what else this Monday had in store.

We were set to review how the Olympic tennis tournament played out when, to my surprise, I found out that I'd be interviewing the gold-medal winning Williams sisters, Serena and Venus.

Both siblings arrived with big smiles on their faces. Venus must have hidden away her gold medal for safe keeping while Serena proudly wore her medal around her neck. But by the time our television interview had begun, Serena had the medal tied behind her neck and wore it like a piece of jewelry  - no surprise since she is very stylish.

Both sisters were relaxed and a bit tired but still happy to have come away from Beijing with another Olympic gold medal. They are the second pair of siblings to win two Olympic gold medals (they also won the doubles at the Sydney Games of 2000).

Even though it's been eight years, the Williams sisters still hadn't forgotten how special the Olympics are. Serena told me that it's one thing to be standing on the opposite side of the net from an opponent; it's another knowing that opponent is also playing for her country. That's how the Olympics differ from a grand slam tennis championship, Serena said.

While thrilled to be representing the United States here in Beijing and winning another gold medal, both of the Williams sisters said they were disappointed about not having won a gold medal in singles.

When they finished our interview, it was off to the Beijing International Airport to take a flight back to the United States. There's no rest for these Olympic champions. Both will soon be back on the practice courts gearing up for the start of the final tennis major of the year, the U.S. Open in New York.

BEIJING, China - If you had been living under a rock or on a remote mountain somewhere for the past 10 days, you'd think he was just a tall college kid surrounded by a contingent of sponsors, dignitaries, and personal assistants numbering about a dozen.

Michael Phelps: Eight gold medals weighs less than self-imposed pressure.

That was the scene as Michael Phelps walked up to me at Beijing's Chaoyang Park for a sitdown interview 24 hours after he'd won his record eighth gold medal at a single Olympics.

His appearance and demeanor belied that of the most decorated Olympian ever. Wearing a navy blue shirt, black shorts, and flip-flops - yes, flip-flops! - Phelps talked and laughed with me for 10 minutes as if we were chatting over a beer in a bistro back in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The self-imposed pressure and focus that has honed him for the past four years into a legend has now been replaced by relief and ease. The job is complete. His destiny is fulfilled.

With a record eight gold medals, Phelps has made Beijing his own for the moment and these Games his forever.

In an upcoming interview with CNN.com, Phelps moved comfortably and candidly through my line of questions, ranging from the moment he first thought about Mark Spitz's 1972 mark of seven gold medals to the scare in the 100-meter butterfly ("that was a little too close for comfort!") to what his motivation will be for London in 2012. 

How laid back is this impressive young man? He didn't look at all of his 2008 gold medals together until Monday morning, and, though he has an idea, he isn't exactly sure where his eight medals (six golds and two bronzes) from the 2004 Games are located.

I remember in Athens seeing the then 19-year-old Phelps posing with his six golds with the Parthenon serving as a backdrop, his Olympic treasure glistening in the Mediterranean sunset. I suspect a similar pose will be struck here; perhaps at sunrise, somewhere along the Great Wall, though this time there will be eight medals, all of them gold. 

Like those two wonders of antiquity, Phelps has proven himself a living, breathing marvel for the ages.

BEIJING, China - Katie Hoff is relieved that her second Olympic experience is over. At least in the pool. That was the overwhelming impression that I got from my short time with U.S. swimmer here at the Summer Games on Friday.

Yes, she came to the Beijing Olympics on a quest for five gold medals and the American came up short. Was Hoff disappointed? Sure. But she looked upon her time here as one big learning experience.

Hoff won a silver and two bronze medals at these Games and was proud of her accomplishments. While it may not have been what she expected, Hoff appears to be more determined than ever to make things right in London in four years time. She has both the energy and the drive to do just that in 2012 when she will be 23.

When asked about her headlining teammate, Hoff said that she's not exactly a "fan" of Michael Phelps. That's an odd word to use because they're friends. Katie, like all of us, is amazed at what her U.S. swim teammate is doing at these games.

Hoff said she looks forward to taking in a few Olympic sports as a spectator now that her program has wrapped. At the top of her list, a night or two in the Bird's Nest to watch track and field and an afternoon at the beach volleyball venue where she looks to cheer on fellow U.S. Olympians Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor to gold.

ATLANTA, Georgia - I seem to have started something this week. 

Well, I don't think I started it - someone on our international desk did. Or that's my version and I'm sticking with it.

Anyway, it all began with the daily "International Outlook" e-mail from our international desk. It outlines what's coming up the next day, so producers, et al can plan their shows and have a rough idea what to expect.

The other day, it contained the statement "Michael Phelps has become the greatest Olympian ever."

OK, so I admit in between newscasts and the occasional war, I'm a bit of a sports nut. All sports. Too much sport is never enough. That kind of thing.

So I had to respond to the writer of that e-mail and say I thought we should be careful making a "Phelps greatest ever" statement.

Most decorated?  Indisputably. Most successful?  Sure, why not.  Greatest?  Um...big statement.

I underestimated the response! Apparently my e-mail set off a discussion "upstairs" that culminated in someone (hopefully kidding!) calling me  a "Phelps hater." Which I'm not; the guy has done amazing, extraordinary things. I think the kindest comment that filtered down to me was "Well, I guess he's entitled to his opinion..." 

I've got a thing about the Olympics and actually remember a lot of stuff I should long ago have deleted from my brain to make room for things like, oh, news facts, or my children's birthdays.

Stuff like remembering the American discus thrower, Al Oerter. He only won four gold medals - but he did it over four consecutive Games - '56, '60, '64 and '68 – in a sport where there was only one gold medal available. Now there's some durability and talent! Imagine if there'd been 100-meter, 200-meter, 250-meter discus events!  OK, don't. That'd be as boring as synchronized swimming.

Carl Lewis did the same thing as Al with the long jump ... golds in four straight Olympics! His indoor world record long jump set in 1984 still stands. Oh, and he won five other golds (and a silver) during his Olympic career.

And let's not forget the former great Soviet gymnast, Larysa Latynina  (OK, I did forget her, but a mate reminded me), who still holds the record for the most Olympic medals of any color: 18 of 'em, over three Olympics.

I'm still chest-swellingly proud of the Aussie runner Betty Cuthbert, who may have won a mere four golds, but how she did it was remarkable: The 100-meter and 200-meter in the '56 games, then coming out of retirement years later to win gold in the 400-meter at the '64 games. She remains the only person - male or female - to win Olympic gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

And do you have to have a fistful (chestful?) of medals to be the "greatest"?  I'm thinking Berlin 1936 and a guy named Jesse Owens.

Again, Phelps is a phenom ... what a performance!  Absolutely riveting to watch. But let's face it; he also has a bunch more races in which to win gold than even swimmers of years past, let alone other athletes. 

I hope Michael Phelps shows up in London in 2012 and goes for gold again.  Maybe even 2016. Then he could be the greatest ever - although such a title would doubtlessly still be debated in pubs and newsrooms. But for now?  "Greatest Olympian ever"?   Don't get me started. ...

HONG KONG, China - So Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time - the "winningest" (to use that hateful expression) in any sport in any era of the Modern Age. 

Well, not so fast.

Let's crunch the numbers.

When Phelps won his fourth event at Beijing, he became the first Olympian to be awarded 10 gold medals. Four others have won nine.

But let's apply the "Zimbabwe Rule." This says that if an athlete was born, freakishly talented, in a small country, would they have the means to boost their overall medal tally by being part of powerful national teams? And to level the playing field, should athletes for purposes of comparison, be judged solely for individual achievement?

The four athletes with nine gold medals are Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis, gymnast Larysa Latynina and the "Flying Finn," Paavo Nurmi. Compare the Olympians

Spitz famously won seven gold medals at Munich in 1972, the mark that Phelps has set out to better. He also won two gold medals in Mexico four years before. But five of Spitz's total gold medal haul were in relay events. Only four gold medals (and I realize the irony of the "only") were for individual events. Under the Zimbabwe Rule, Spitz gets credit for his four individual golds. How, then, does he stack up?

Larysa Latynina still holds the record for total Olympic medals - 18 of them, including nine golds.

The Ukrainian gymnast, who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 60s, gained three of her gold medals from team events. So the Zimbabwe Rule gives her six individual golds, two better than Spitz.

What of Paavo Nurmi? He is extraordinary in that his nine gold medals were all in endurance events. In 1924, he won the 5,000 meters on the track just two hours after winning the 1,500 meters. But in the 1920s, when Nurmi dominated, medals were awarded for cross country teams. Three of Nurmi's golds were for team events - though doubtless his presence in the team had more than usual influence. Still, the Zimbabwe Rule acknowledges only his six individual golds.

Which leaves Carl Lewis. From 1984-1996, the US track star won nine gold. Only two came from relays. That leaves him seven individual gold medals. He also has the most efficient record - nine gold, one silver, no bronze.

And Phelps?

His six gold medals from Athens 2004 included two team events. At time of writing he has won five from five in Beijing, including two relay golds. That gives him seven individual gold medals, tying him with Lewis. But Phelps still has three events to go, including two individual races, in Beijing's Water Cube. With a win in either of those, by the Zimbabwe Rule or any other measure,   Michael Phelps is the greatest achiever in Olympic history.

And did we mention he was only 23?

Greatest individual gold medalists (at time of writing):

Michael Phelps (USA) 2004-2008: Seven gold

Carl Lewis (USA) 1984-1996: Seven gold

Paavo Nurmi (Finland) 1920-1928: Six gold

Larysa Latynina (USSR) 1956-1964: Six gold

Mark Spitz (USA): Four gold

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - It is always difficult to find a "good news" story about Zimbabwe - because the country's economy is a mess.

Officially, inflation is 2.2 million percent; unofficially economists put it at around 10 million percent. To put those rather staggering numbers into perspective - here in South Africa people are lamenting "soaring" inflation of 11.6 percent.

So just imagine living in a country where the cost of bread and milk are governed by price hikes of more than 2 million percent?

Along with the economic collapse in Zimbabwe, the political situation is also unstable.

So it was a joy to cover the inspiring and uplifting stories of two Zimbabwean athletes who are competing in the Olympic Games.

Zimbabwe is sending 13 athletes to Beijing despite the tough conditions back home.

Heather Brand is a swimmer, who is based in the United States, and Tabitha Tsatsa is a marathon runner who is based part-time in South Africa.

Most of the "Team Zimbabwe" trains and competes outside of the country. But still, the athletes CNN interviewed said they're proud and honored to be representing their country.

The CEO of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, Robert Mutsauki, is pragmatic about the challenges of trying to train and support world-class athletes in a country that just doesn't have the facilities or money to nurture their talents.

He told me over the phone from Harare that the economic situation does affect everybody but "we can't throw up our hands" and "expect preferential treatment because of the economic situation."

He added wryly that you don't win medals because competitors feel sorry for you.

So he says that Zimbabwean Olympic Committee and the athletes tend to be stoic and accept the dire economic situation. He said they try to "manage the environment" and that they have factored in inflation into their planning.

By my estimation, "factoring in" a 2.2 million official percent inflation rate is an Olympian feat in itself.

Either way, Mutsauki's "can-do" attitude mirrors that of his Olympians. They seem to be a positive and inspiring bunch of athletes who are going Beijing to compete on an equal footing with the other athletes.

Publicly, they refuse to be drawn into complaining or criticizing their government, the economy or their lack of facilities at home.

Competitors such as Tabitha and Heather say they are proud to represent Zimbabwe. And by journeying to Beijing they also knew they are inspiring a battered nation.

BEIJING, China - Not interested in spending $500 a night for a Beijing luxury hotel room during the Olympics? Why not savor the ambiance of living with a local family?

About 600 Chinese families are opening their homes to tourists during the Summer Olympic Games, charging about $50 – $80 a night.

What can Olympic visitors expect if they stay with a host family? CNN spent a night with one family to find out.

Ten flights of stairs gets you to the fifth-story home of the Chen family, who live in a well maintained Soviet-style apartment near Beijing's famous Food Street.

"Welcome to Beijing," says Grandpa Chen, emphasizing each syllable equally. His grandson, David Chen, is the family's official ambassador - he's fluent in English.

Chinese tourism officials carefully screen host families. They inspect apartments to ensure they're clean and safe, and that at least one family member speaks English.

The bedroom for visitors is neatly appointed - clean white walls, an armoire, a desk, and a bed with a playful orange and white bedspread. There's a TV too, with government-run channels that broadcast in Chinese.

Before settling in, foreign visitors check in with the local police - it's a short walk from the Chen's apartment to the local station.

"It's to protect foreigners," David Chen says.

With formalities out of the way, it's time for a home-cooked dinner from David's mother, Chen Ling. "I think other foreigners would love to come here and see how the Chinese
really live," she said.

Grandpa says everyone will be treated like family - and that includes getting first dibs on the shower.

All families hosting tourists must live near Olympic venues or tourists attractions, and the Chens are just a short distance from Beijing's colorful Food Street, where dozens of kiosks and shops stretch for blocks.

Vendors call out, trying to entice passers-by with delicacies like lamb testicles and snake. If those don't tantalize your taste buds, you can always have starfish, silk worm pupae on a stick or scorpions.

For now, though, dog is off the menu. Officials were afraid that Western visitors more used to treating their pets than eating them would be upset.

Despite some social miscues, the cultural exchange is one that suits both hosts and visitors.

Back at the apartment, the Chens anticipate their next guest - a man from the United Kingdom. Chen Ling says he looks like soccer star David Beckham.

If the Beckhams are in Beijing, they're more than likely in one of the capital's luxury hotels, but a host family can dream, can't it?