JOHANNESBURG - Never before have the Winter Olympics received so much attention. They are usually a mere blip in the corner of our consciousness.

But this year is different.

From gay rights to shocking living conditions, everyone is talking about Sochi. And as usual, social media humourists are on the ball.

Hashtags trending on Twitter include #SochiProblems and #SochiFail, plus accounts like @SochiProblems and 'What Sochi Problems?' ( @MoreSochiProbs) are keeping everyone amused.

But the best tweets are coming from people (Olympians, journos etc) who are actually on the ground.

First there were the bathroom issues:

Well that's interesting... Sochi rules in the bathrooms!! #haha #olympics pic.twitter.com/xacSVimwXY

• Sebastien Toutant (@SebToots) February 1, 2014

People have asked me what surprised me the most here in Sochi. It's this. Without question ... it's ... THIS. pic.twitter.com/1jj05FNdCP

• Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) February 4, 2014

So far my favourite thing about the Sochi games are their double toilets! #sochi2014 #Olympics #fail pic.twitter.com/3KkHje1LIS

• Aleksey Matviyenko (@aleksey2) February 4, 2014

And you've got to love tweets that tell a story, even if it is disturbing:

My hotel has no water. If restored, the front desk says, "do not use on your face because it contains something very dangerous." #Sochi2014

• Stacy St. Clair (@StacyStClair) February 4, 2014

Water restored, sorta. On the bright side, I now know what very dangerous face water looks like. #Sochi #unfiltered pic.twitter.com/sQWM0vYtyz

• Stacy St. Clair (@StacyStClair) February 4, 2014

And then there's the no-star accommodation:

The reception of our hotel in #Sochi has no floor. But it does have this welcoming picture. pic.twitter.com/8isdoBuytl

• Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) February 4, 2014

To anyone in Sochi: I am now in possession of three light bulbs. Will trade for a door handle. This offer is real: pic.twitter.com/7AeesqDi8Y

• Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) February 4, 2014

In my Sochi hotel. You're welcome to pop by and sit forlornly in my Chairs of Desolation. pic.twitter.com/msoqXAIcj4

• cathalkelly (@cathalkelly) February 5, 2014

This is the one hotel room @Sochi2014 have given us so far. Shambles. #cnnsochi pic.twitter.com/RTjEkmyan3

• Harry Reekie (@HarryCNN) February 4, 2014

Of course, as we've come to expect, not all the tweets out there are truthful - some have been especially created for entertainment (read: mischievous) purposes. But with everything really going on, it's a bit hard to tell.

This picture below, for example, turns out to be an old photo of the city:

Welcome to Soch...eeeee. #SochiProblems #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/R4OuJJM5Ze

• Sochi Problems (@SochiProblems) February 6, 2014

Click here for more debunked pics which are not actually from the Games.

If you missed Canada's gay rights contribution, check out the video below: