Day 12 - CA - Meet Dexter

Meet Dexter. This little critter was working some moves as part of a glamor shoot for some other photogs however I managed to get some looks too.

Timid

Cautious

A profile

and Blue Steel

Day 12 - CA

Well, I've made it to the airport and am currently awaiting boarding for the next leg of this trip. Such a shame to be leaving Canadia as I was having so much fun however there's new things to experience and new places to visit.

It had been raining earlier however after washing and packing it had cleared a little so I walked around Van again. I made it to the other end of Stanley Park so I saw the totem poles and a reasonable chunk of the park.

Ticked another tourist checkbox today

I scored two more blisters today which was dissapointing but hey... that's travel. I was also feeling crook throughout the day so I'm a little worried if I'll be using the barf bag at some point. Another coupla random pano's.

Made it home in one piece after a little shopping (I wish Mikey were here for that, I coulda done with his advice!) and finialised packing. Fortunately everything fit and Steve called me a taxi. I said my thanks and byes and they're heading up Cyprus tonight with Brian and Tanya as it had been closed all day and was opening after scoring 15cm.

So, here I am again waiting to board a BA flight. Steve suggested checking out A&W's pootine which is basically chips, curd and gravy and is probably the closest thing to a national dish that the Canadians have.

Seriously, it tastes better than it looks.
I just hope my stomach holds it down!

Day 11 - CA - Meet Jo and Steve

Introducing Jo and Steve.

At a Japanese place you're guaranteed of getting good food and good photos

I met Steve when I first started working on Wivenhoe and he married Jo in the following months. At the time he worked for Coffey as a geotechnical engineer. Both Jo and Steve resigned so they could move to Canada however there were visa delays which meant after a months holiday, they were back working as contractors for Coffey. A few months later they moved to Puru to work for the Canadian company while their visas were being finalised.

They finally arrived in Canada where they're enjoying the lifestyle, ice hockey, mountain biking and skiing.

Day 11 - CA

Steve and Jo were off to some thing called work (whatever that is) so I was left to my own devices. I strolled around Van today after doing the bulk of my washing. Here's some random pano's.

Walked along the seawall to Stanley Park only to discover a cute critter and I was missing a memory card so the following photo was the best I could manage.

Found me a local

Walked back to town to see if I could buy a CF card however it started spitting and cooled down so I grabbed some food and headed home. Jo was off to Spanish classes tonight and Steve and I were going to go check out the night skiing at Grouse however as I was feeling a little under the weather due to the cold and rain, we changed plans and met Jo at a nearby sushi joint. They'd talked this place up and it delivered in spades.

Yum!

And yummier!

It was definately the best sushi I've ever eaten and quite frankly, anything I'll have back home will only be disappointing... much like the snow really...

Day 10 - CA

Big day today. Kicked it off with the ritual bacon and eggs (a boarders staple diet), packed our gear and cleaned the apartment up. Ash and Mel stayed while the remaining six taxied to the town centre and caught the bus back to Van. Typical bus transfer down the hill however I swear that the driver was a real life Manuel and quite the animated character. Pas and Cam were off to get the van as the remaining five of them are heading onto Big White for several days - lucky guys!

Like most of us, Mitch snoozed on the way back

Steve met me at the pickup and headed back to his place with the news that we had a few things to do today. First things first though, it seems that I've developed pregnant womans bladder so emptying it was on my list of priorities. Once that was sorted Steve, Jo and I headed to lunch with friends Jenny and Tim for some dim sum (yum cha) and it was very yummy. Jenny works with Jo and Tim started snowboarding recently.

Afterwards we headed to Brian's place with a bunch of guys to watch the super bowl while Jo headed home. What a game. Yes, the math is odd but four 15 minute quarters really do take over three hours to complete but it was quite enjoyable. Half time entertainment included Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and some egg eating competition for qualification into the world top ten. The winner scoffed 61 eggs in 8 minutes and it was hilarious to hear the commentators talking about the intricacies of eating eggs. One guy nearly puked, I tell you the guys were cheering him on!

We managed to hit the snow for some night skiing as well. After the footy the three of us headed up to Cyprus which is a local hill about 30 mins north of Van. It was a different experience to what we'd been doing up at Whistler but fun none the less and would love to try it with some fresh snow during the day. I even rode the half pipe twice (without stacking it this time) and on my second entry there was some dude near the top of the lift yelling at us in a comical Scandanavian accent that 'de alf piepe iz clozed', 'I can zee you, de alf piepe is clozed!'. I still rode it hahaha.

Cyprus at night

Day 9 - CA

Last day on Whistler today and Jeff left us to go to San Francisco. Got off to a slower start than I wanted but made up for it. Met Cam, Fi and Pas at Whistler Bowl and had some fun around there. Rode a T-bar for the first time as a boarder and didn't stack it. Used it four times to get to some reasonable powder.

Bumped into Ash and then headed down to the Big Red Express chair. Had some fun with some runs on the way there starting with a steep entry from the peak.

Pas enjoying the terrain

We met some of the others for lunch and then Fi, Pas, Cam and I headed up to Harmony and Symphony for some final runs. Good conditions and not too many people made for a good time until we skiied out.

Symphony

Fi on her way off the hill

All natural stubbie coolers are popular here

Pre-dinner drinks and nibblies

Fi also left us today and it was Mitch's birthday so we went to a Chinese place for dinner. Mel and Inga headed home and the boys headed to the pub. I left them after a guinness to get some photos of the town. Ten minutes later I get a call and they're singing Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer'... Doh!!! Oh well, I got my shots and they had fun including some snowtime shenanigans on the way home leaving Ash covered in snow.

Things are definately looking up!

Day 8 - CA - Meet the Crew

(back row) Mitch, Ash, Jeff, Lucas, Cam
(front row) Mel, Pas, Cookie, Inga

Mitch works for Energex in the control room. He started on the lines and has his ticket, has an electrical engineering degree and one in business management as well.

Ash works for a perspex manufacturing company and recently proposed to Mel while in Banff.

Jeff is a government employee. (for security reasons further details cannot be disclosed)

Lucas is a civil engineer working for KBR and was involved with the NSBT planning works.

Cam is a civil engineer with Maunsell and the principal planner of this trip. He is dating Inga.

Mel is an electrical engineer who worked for Maunsell but has since moved to Bassetts. She recently said 'yes' to Ash.

Pas is an environmental engineer with Maunsell and has involvement with the Brisbane second runway prelim design.

Cookie is the principal clown and team nerd.

Inga is a civil engineer working for KBR and is presently working on the Horizon Alliance. Incidently her boss lives nextdoor to Cam's parents in my street and used to be our CEBS leader at St Faiths. She is dating Cam.

The Connections:
Cam, Pas, Jeff and Mitch went to school together at St Paul's (along with Bridgy's famous David Brown). Cam is dating Inga who works with Lucas. Mel worked at Maunsell and is engaged to Ash and I knew Cam from younger years as well as knowing Pas from Maunsell.

Day 8 - CA

Got off to an trying start to the day. Slight overnight falls so we headed back to Symphony / Harmony lifts. Pas and I were the first up the gondola so had a quick run on Emerald before heading over. This time we decided to go as far around and keeping as much vertical as we could. Big mistake. We made it to some dense trees and while it was untracked, it was obvious why - we were on a rediculous slope! We ended up walking back out the way we came and it was stupid hard work, probably wasted 45 mins doing this. Got some neat photos though.

Ah... Pas... we're lost!

Pas wishing we were at that lift

We met the others at Harmony then headed to Symphony. Made some runs and then some crevases looked ripe for the picking so Cam decided tolaunch off one. He might have jumped unsighted, he might have dropped twice the hight he bargained for but he came up trumps after landing in powder on his back and was nothing but grins when we caught him at the next hill.

Conditions were cold and windy but we still had fun. Back to Roundhouse for lunch and then hung off Emerald until we skiied out.

It was Fi's last night so we headed out to a place called 21 Steps which was really good. Before hand we hung around upstairs in a place called the Attic which had a few screens playing Planet Earth and Attenbourough's other recent docco.

Last day tomorrow. Sadly Steve and Jo won't be coming up but that's hardly surprising, the hill was busier today as the long weekend skiers were coming up and there was major issues with the road and Creekside access closed due to an accident.

Day 7 - CA

Two words:

Pow - Der!

Dave from NZ has on occasion said how he's boarded on days that were 'all time', well... after today I believe I've now experienced the definition of 'all time'. The report said 15cm had fallen overnight and the end result was something beyond amazing.

The crew as we were leaving for Symphony

When we were leaving this morning, they were still bombing some of the slopes by the time we made it halfway up the hill. Initially we hung around Emerald (Whistler) for a coupla runs but as soon as Harmony opened, it was like rats leaving a sinking ship. Once there we were greated with a winter wonderland for the rider. Bowls, drop ins, long slopes, open runs... the choice was yours, there were fresh tracks a plenty to be made and at times we were up to our waist in snow!

View from the base of Harmony lift

We dropped into a bowl off a face I'd never thought I'd try and it was brilliant. Riding down groomed runs is fun but floating through real powder is just amazing. Even on our last run we made fresh tracks albiet short but on that run I actually had snow being thrown up around my face, it was incredible.

Cam after a day of powder and a face full of cold snow

I'm actually standing on my board!

The crew also had some fun with someone's lost phone
which is being returned tomorrow

Nicole will be happy, I wrote this blog watching Sleepy Hollow.

Day 6 - CA

Go hard or go home I say. Ash, Mel and I headed out but everyone else went soft. Don't blame them though, three days of boarding and the mornings conditions were far from favourable or enjoyable and they've got Big White in front of them after three more days here. We still had fun though. Initially 7th Heaven up Blackcomb was where we headed but it was too windy so we moved to Whistler. Ash had his binding fixed which was in the process of failing and we stopped in for and early lunch.

It's a beautiful winter wonderland

We stuffed around on the runs around Emerald. Coupla quick legs however the clouds were dropping and making for low visability halfway down the hill. Mel and Ash headed off so I decided to have a stab at Peak to Creek as quick as I could. I did the run in under 16 minutes without stopping or stacking and my legs were burning like a good Indian curry.

Ash, Mel, Pas and I ate in tonight with some nice chicken dish and we got stuck into some 500 whilst watching Warren Miller's Off the Grid. Cam and Inga headed to Kirst and Fi's place for dinner and the others found some Chinese joint in town.

Large cards help with the eye sight of people like me!

Checking out the Symphony / Harmony bowls tomorrow with some reasonable dumpage overnight and then we're hoping to grab a fresh tracks tickets on Friday.

Day 5 - CA

Well, it just keeps getting better. Fresh falls today made for an aweful lot of fun. Ordinary conditions, mid week and no holidays made for a mountain that wasn't busy. This meant that when we made it to Whistlers Peak to Creek run, there were riders far and few between meaning more powder for us. This run is the longest here measuring around 8km. Just to give some idea of it's size, it took us just on an hour from when Ash, Pas, Cam and I left her, caught the lifts and made the run until we joined her again. The hot chocolate and coffee's were welcome after major stacks by Pas, Ash and myself.

This is what it's about... let's get our swerve on

After lunch and meeting Kirstin, Matt, Lucas, Inga and Mel we hung around the Emerald Express and made multiple fast and glade runs. By default moguls are the bane of boarders. Glades are basically moguls with trees so you'd think we'd avoid them. At least, smart people would but boy they are fun. Hard work but fun.

Those gondolas get cosy

Dinner saw us back at the Italian joint from the other night. Smaller crew but heaps of fun. It was here we decided to call ourselves Crikey Team and a moment where I was on the verge of laughing my head off whilst witholding a mouth full of tea. Some how I kept my composure and avoided some impromptu redecorating. We also decided that whilst there's more Kiwi's in Australia, there's more Aussies here than Canadians.

After last nights litre beer, Mitch's wheat intake has substantially reduced

I think the others want to take tomorrow off so we'll see what happens... wusses...

Day 4 - CA - Meet the McKellars

McSmile

Introducing Fiona, Kirstin and Cameron. Our families have known each other for a long time having parents that have lived in the same street, kids go to the same playgroup, church and schools up until their teens. Fiona is 3 days younger I, Kirstin went to school with my brother Gavin and Cameron went to school with my sister Megan. Both Fiona and Kirstin have moved over seas to London than New York and London respectively. Kirstin's Liverpludleon boyfriend Matt is on this trip whilst Fiona is on a 12 month sabatical and is quite the lady of leisure. Cameron's girlfriend Inga is also enjoying the time here.

Also, legend has it that Fiona takes with her a photo from her childhood. It contains Fiona, Robert Thiele (now a married father), Robert Ratcliffe (presently living in Canada) and yours truely.

Day 4 - CA

Well, if yesterday was good, today was great. It was pretty much a bluebird day and although it was around -14 early on, it was relatively calm and the sun made things plesant. Once again Cam, Pas and I headed to Blackcomb however we made it to the top. Yesterday we only covered about 30% and today we did another 30%. Jeff joined us early on and then Ash found us.

Ash needed a tool for his board,
so I pointed there's plenty around the place...

Mikey, this place is prepared for you

A few quick runs made for an enjoyable start on fairly untouched runs. Ash has a helmet mounted camera and on a glade run he managed to capture Cam tackling a tree and coming off second best while I had to stop in a hurry to avoid him.

Hangin' with the boys

We pitted in for lunch and caught up with the girls who then joined us afterwards. Fi had been spending the morning with Kirst and with her joining us, it meant she could enjoy some faster runs. Pas hiked off to some far off bowl and was stoked with the run so Cam and I joined him to do the same. Pas and Cam made their runs and had to hike it out after not carrying enough speed to make the opposite ridge. I decided to learn from their mistake and go fast. This resulted in making other mistakes ending in one of the biggest stacks I've had to date and fits of laughter from the other two. I'm glad that I stacked it in powder and had a helmet on. Our return to the villiage saw us going from the top most Blackcomb chairlift to the villiage which is almost 1500m's of vertical and a lot of fun.

Dinner was at a Mongolian joint and it was pretty good. They also had fortune cookies and I was fortunate to have three bits of paper in the one.

Mitch had a Mongolian beer...
which was basically a one litre glass of beer

I guess things are looking up?

Very light snow on the way home tonight and fresh falls are expected this week. Heading up Whistler for the first time tomorrow.

It's pretty cold here

Day 2 - CA - Meet the Board

This one goes out to Mikey.

Bought myself a 162cm Burton Custom Wide and Burton Cartel bindings. Not cheap but for what I paid total, it would probably cover the cost of the board back home. Picked up a travel snowboard bag at the same time although it only just fits the board with the bindings fitted. Think I'll remove them for travel once I'm finished here.

And the iPod is the most important bit of kit here

Quite a good board although I suspect that it's a better board than the owner is rider. It's quite stable at speed and I've managed to manouver around moguls, trees and downed skiers well enough. Also managed to stick jumps better than last year

C is for Cookie

Also, rumour has it that I can claim tax back on purchases when I'm leaving the country - hope so! Now... the question is whether I should buy some new boots :P

Day 2 - CA

Happy Australia Day! I know some people enjoyed it ; )

Anyway, day two and I almost missed it. Steve and Jo let me sleep in and when Steve said that I was about to miss breakfast by 15 mins, I thought he was joking. They let me sleep in till 11:45. Ducked out for breaky into and went to this pretty stylish supermarket. That's right, you don't normally put stylish and supermarket in the same paragraph let alone sentence but check out how they present their fresh produce...

Woolie's could learn a thing or two

Well, todays mission was to buy a bag, bindings and boots and I got a little more than I thought. Scored some gear; Burton Custom Wide board, Burton Cartel bindings and a Dakine bag. Good gear, not cheap but that sorta stuff isn't cheap in AU either.

Jo and Steve were off to a work thing so I met up with the crew I'll be boarding with at this dingy pub under where they're staying and in a dodgy neck of the woods. And I mean dodgy... they got photos of a drug deal down the ally next to the hotel hahaha! Plus the pub had a baseball bat behind the bar!

Mitch and Cam

In the mean time, we had a few beers and turned out it was a bit of a 50's theme night so we got some pics. Had some odd shots too. Can't remeber one but the other had some banana liqueur in it but looked blue!

Corey, Amanda (birthday girl) and Jesse - Locals or yocals at the pub

Now, before I met up with them I left the appartment and asked the concierge to book me a cab because the snow that had started to fall in the arvo had turned to rain. So I'm waiting in the lobby and a couple come around the corner asking about a cab and the desk dude was saying that he was calling me one and they were taking their time (he'd been on hold for 5 mins) and this guy appologises thinking he'd interupted me. I said no probs and by then I'd already done a double take but it was Keanu Reeves! Now I know that some of you won't believe me without photographic proof however I'm not the kinda guy who feels it's okay to invade their privacy so I decided I'd leave it as quite a privilage to have traded glances a few times. I mean, how often does a celebrity get to meet me? Lucky guy!

Blogging this is proof that I managed to survive the hood as there's beggers a plenty around the pub (apparently taxis don't stop if there's just one person hailing) and it's not wise to walk in pluggers down the street due to the number of sharps lying around.

Tomorrow: bus ride to Whistler

Day 1 - CA

'Welcome to sunny San Francisco...' says the first officer followed by muffled laughter from the passengers...

It's nice to know the rain is as miserable here as it is back home

So you thought I was flying to Canada from Sydney... well... so did I. I arrived in the end however the brief stop in San Fran is actually a method that the U.S. uses to include you in their security database including any information attatched to your passport, a photo and fingerprint scans. The first officer should have said 'Welcome to the land of the paranoid'!

That aside, Bris to Syd to San Fran to Van flights were all pretty mundane. Forgetable food, minor turbullance, poor sleep and passable service were the order of the day. And due to the miracle of the international date line, I landed in Vancouver an hour before I took off from Sydney.

It it weren't for gravity, it would be fun playing around out there

After landing and bidding farewell to Jack (a nurse from Geelong who sat next to me from Syd), I caught a taxi (the driver asked if driving on the 'wrong' side of the road was weird and I said 'No, I mastered that years ago in Europe' refer Sarah, Fiona or Mim for further information) to Steve Perrett's place (of Wivenhoe fame) where we caught up and settled in. Jo (Steve's wife) came home and we went for dinner at a pub with some other friends of theirs; Chris, Lisa*, Brian and Tanya. Lisa studied* with Kate (also of Wivenhoe fame) in Sydney before moving to Canada.

Carbo loading for the cold!

Yes... the up photos have begun!

Tomorrows task: buy a snowboard, some bindings and a bag.

Oh, the answer to the big question that you all wanted to hear... yes... water in a toilet really does swirl backwards here.