Olympics Out of Reach

I read with interest your story about Sydney and tips for attending next year’s Sydney Olympics (“Countdown to Sydney,” Sept. 12). May I weigh in with a tale of my recently aborted plans for attending?

Not long ago, the Cartan/USOC Inclusive Travel Programs brochure was mailed to me, breaking down the Sydney Olympics packages. Here is what I deduced: For one person to secure a basic Olympics package (land and air) for a period that includes either opening or closing ceremonies and an average hotel near most venues, it would cost $8,100--for six nights, a hotel room, air fare, shuttles and breakfast. (Event tickets are extra.)

I’ve been to Australia twice. In 1985 my air fare cost $900 round trip from L.A.; in 1992 it cost $564. My moderate hotel room was about $100 a night. Even a $1,000 round-trip ticket and one of those five-star rooms would total $4,000, at the most, for six nights. So an $8,100 tab boils down to paying roughly $4,000 for breakfast.

I recently told the nice folks at Cartan to refund my deposit, explaining that I would rather make a down payment on a house or send my children to college instead of going to the Olympics.

JIM McKAIRNES

Pasadena