Snowboarding at Whistler
Our church-like hotel.
We woke up a little later than we should've, which may have had something to do with being in the Longhorn till whatever time it was. We hired all our kit, Darren and Sarah were Skiing and I was boarding. Not many places hire out ski-masks so I ended up searching around for ages to hire one.
Around 11 o'clock we had breakfast in a cafe near the lift, I knew the mountain shut at 4pm before it got dark and I was conscious that I should be on the mountain by now as this stuff aint cheap! Sarah was nervous as she hadn't been skiing for years, we assured her she'd be fine though as we'd both look after her.
When we finally reached the top, we all clipped in, but something didn't feel right... DUMB!!! BLOODY!! GRRRR!!! The Japanese woman in the hire place had set me up for regular not goofy! (I have my right foot forward - switching legs is like trying to write with your left hand.) MORE BLOODY TIME WASTING! I told Darren and Sarah to go ahead.
I spent the next 15 minutes with my gloves off in the snow, wrestling with the bindings and a spanner which had been tied to a post with a cable making it impossible to twist!
Finally! Around lunchtime I managed to get it all done and I made my way down the first two slopes of the top run... A snowmobile came up the hill towards me, as it passed, I glanced on the back and a very embarrased looking Sarah went passed with her leg sticking up...
I couldn't go up so I might as well go down.
Any frustration I felt after everything this morning drained out of me... Up, 2, 3. Down, 2, 3. Up, 2, 3. Down, 2, 3. Just as I was taught in New Zealand... Sure I fell over but... wait a minute... it doesn't hurt at all! SNOW AT LAST!!! Finally i'm a Snowboarder not an Ice-Boarder! France, Oz, New Zealand - it was all on ice... This is AMAZING!
I got back up to the top and Sarah wasn't there. I then missed Darren a couple of times and just asked the friendly woman behind the info desk to pass on to either of them when they reappear, I'll meet them at the top of the hour.
I couldn't wait to get out again! The slopes are pretty clear, the snow is deep. The skiers and boarders get on together as they both have so much space (as opposed to in the alps where its every arsehole for themsleves). When you've finished your 45 minute run, you take the cable car back, and, cos you're a bit chilly now, they have people handing out tissues as you walk through the door!
For anyone who likes skiing/boarding, COME TO WHISTLER!
Anyway, I met up with Darren again, apparently Sarah had performed a fantastic tumble as one ski went underneath the other when she tried to turn. Darren, who was laughing heavily looking up at her from the bottom of the hill realised something might be wrong as he saw the large group of people gathered around and the snowmobile turned up.
We both selflessly argued which one of us should go down and comfort her to check she was OK.
Honest.
Then we decided to try a blue run as there wasn't anyone going on them.
At one point, the snow was so deep, I got stuck and tried to get out of it by unclipping my boot. Whereas this would've worked on ice... I just disappeared up to my waist in snow. Oops.
I decided not to stop again! I think my Up, 2, 3, Down, 2, 3s were actually hindering me as I came down after Darren. I decided to try and stop counting and just 'Flow' with it. Forget SkyDiving, THIS is where I'm happiest! I got my FLOW on! Its hard to describe in words but... FUCKING WOW! WOW WOW WOW THIS IS GOOD! I CAN DO IT!
4pm came and we went back into town. The staff at the hire place sincerely asked how Sarah was, as someone from the hospital had brought all of her stuff back. It seems they're all just so nice around here.
After that we went straight to the hospital. Er, because we felt too guilty sitting in Starbucks drinking hot chocolate. But we brought Sarah one too! So thats alright.
Turns out Sarah had twisted her knee and torn the ligament which caused her leg to puff up. I started to feel really guilty as since I said I was heading this way I kept saying 'Lets Go Snowboarding, Lets Go Snowboarding!'
I think theres 2 lessons be learned here.
1) If you haven't been skiing in years, GET a lesson! Don't listen to two hungover dumb-arses saying 'Don't Worry, We'll look after you.'
2) If you've never been skiing before, DON'T START! Two legs. Two different skis. Two Directions. Thats bloody dangerous! Get on a snowboard instead :)
Oh and three, though you may have been in hospital for hours, don't spark up right outside the door where it CLEARLY says behind you 'WARNING: OXYGEN TANKS: NO NAKED FLAME!'
***
We came back from Whistler and decided to stay up all night. My flight was at 6am the next morning and I'd have to be up at 3am to catch it. As it was 8 hrs with no entertainment, sleep would be a blessing! It didn't quite work, Chrystal went to bed and I said goodbye. Much as I protested and said I'd get a taxi, Sarah said she'd drive me to the airport and went to bed (she also needed to sleep off the rest of the potent painkillers that made her all giggly then pass out on the way back from Whistler!) So Karla and I stayed up chatting for a while. We both dozed and woke up at around 3am.
Groggily, I said goodbye to Sarah and Karla (I apologised again to Sarah for getting her to go up the mountain) I made my way through customs. Which takes ages when flying into the US. I just got to the gate and figured I'd have a little kip, when the guy who took my baggage said, "Oh, you must have checked in too early. Newark is under 6ft of Snow, you won't be flying to New York today, the flight is cancelled, come back tomorrow."
It was eerie walking back through the airport. It was nearly 5am and there was NO ONE around. The guy told me to go to baggage reclaim and pointed me in the right direction. It was surreal, nothing was moving, no TVs were on, none of the carousels were moving, it was dead quiet. Finally someone turned up with my bag and I walked through security and all the signs saying 'Warning: Stop here or face Criminal charges' shouting 'HELLO!!' I woke up the single guard.
I got a cab back to Sarah's flat and after telling them all what had happened, I passed out on the sofa.
I'm glad the flight was cancelled, next day felt more like a 'last day' than the rushed return from Whistler. Sarah and I went out for dinner that night to a nice restaurant in town. I also realised that staying up all night before a flight is a good idea but a bit dumb in practice!
Anyway, my flight left on time the next day for Newark and I was really sad to leave Vancouver. Its a beautiful, cool, diverse, exciting city that I would go back and live in any day if I had the chance. But most importantly, all the people are fantastic! Chrystal, Karla, Darren and especially Sarah. Thankyou so much for a fantastic week and let me know if I can ever return the favour!
(See you in August isn't it Sarah?:)