Olympics and the World: CNN.com producer «

August 4, 2008

Posted: 1516 GMT

At first I thought it was the smell of the jet engines. Then I thought it was the bus engines. But as we pulled away from the Beijing airport in the media shuttle, the stench was joined by a haze. It was 830 p.m. when I arrived with some of the guys from CNN sports. So we have yet to get the full visual effect of the smog.

The smell of the pollution lingers with us now as we sit in the cafeteria, having a few drinks, swapping stories about the flights over and Olympics past ...

I am the rookie on the trip. Cameraman John McAfee has been to nine Olympic games. My suite mates, anchors Larry Smith and Mark McKay, are veterans of four Olympiads and are very impressed by our rooms in the media village. While I get the smallest room, it's huge by past comparisons.

And the staff here are exceptionally nice. I have four bags and I really didn't touch them after I was whizzed through customs. Everything has been first class.

Posted by: CNN.com producer, Steve Almasy
Filed under: Olympics

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About this blog

Receive updates from across the world on the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. "Olympics and the World" is a blog offering you the thoughts and observations from athletes, journalists around unique personalities preparing for the Olympics in China. Whether it's from the training field, the newsroom or the homes of everyday people, "Olympics and the World" provides you a global pulse as the Beijing Olympics approach.

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