The Olympic torch arrived in mainland China on Saturday after a protest-marred overseas relay, while snowfall on Mount Everest dealt a blow to climbers hoping to take a special flame to the roof of the world. The torch's five-continent journey has been dogged by demonstrations, mostly over Tibet. The torch arrived in the southern Chinese city of Sanya from the former Portuguese colony of Macau. It was met at the airport by Hainan governor Luo Baoming, a Chinese naval band, and a small cheering crowd, before being whisked away in a coach. People in Sanya, a tropical resort city at the bottom tip of the island province of Hainan, could barely contain their excitement at the prospect of the torch's arrival. “As a Chinese, I feel very proud,” said Sanya resident Gao Li, his eyes moist, after unveiling a large red banner reading “2008 Go China” on the beach front, where the torch will pass on its long journey to August's Beijing Games. “This is a huge event of national importance. We've been waiting for the Olympics for 100 years,” he added. Security was low key, though organizers are controlling who will be allowed in to see the torch run start on a man-made island just off Sanya. Meteorologists expect showers in the coming days across much of Hainan and relay organizers have prepared raincoats for the torch runners, a website of state news agency Xinhua said. Earlier in the day, hundreds of patriotic torch supporters gathered in Macau at Fisherman's Wharf, waving China flags and shouting “Go Beijing Go” as the flame began its latest leg. Some students from the University of Macau staged a small protest near the ferry terminal, brandishing “Anti-CNN” placards to criticize the broadcaster's “bias” in its coverage of the Tibetan riots and crackdown by authorities. A bold plan to take a separate Olympic torch to the top of Mount Everest faced a possible setback on Saturday as snow fell on the world's highest mountain. The climbing team has been at 6,500 meters in advanced base camp or higher for at least two days, waiting for better weather to aim for the 8,848-meter peak. “In my experience, in heavy snow you could make a decision to retreat or abandon, but I don't know the conditions up the mountain,” said Beijing organizing committee consultant Liu Jian.
