Travels around the world

Big White 2009!!!!!!

a_jacob — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:56:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

Sorry its been a while since the last update. I have been told off for not filling everyone in :) (thanx sis). Looking back, the last report was pre Christmas and only went on my blog, so it could be a long one.

Spending Christmas in the snow and without family was certainly a strange feeling. Christmas Eve, there was a parade and fireworks and was spent in -15 watching them. Christmas Day I had to work which was weird. The office was extremely quite with only two others around but in different locations meant it was a bit lonely. For dinner, I joined the Ski School feast - the Kids Centre Manager and his family put on a feast for all the staff that don't have any family or are wanting to spend it with friends - was really good.

New Years was a fairly mild affair compared to other nights I have spent up here. Myself and a friend spent time as various places throughout the village. A group of us were attempting to walk back to the centre of the village for the fireworks but unfortunately missed it. The night was really good, spent with many friends and I had an absolute blast.

Unfortunately this season the weather has not been kind the resorts over here. We opened two weeks late, then had a cold chill hit for a week (-20 days), so to finally receive a dump of snow shortly after Christmas/New Year, everyone was rejoicing. I was lucky enough to have a friend (Katie) spending a few days at Big White at the time and we went out and got to experience the powder that Big White and Canada in general is renowned for. I don't think I have had so much fun and been so buggered in my life, or laughed so hard getting bogged in knee deep powder.

After the dump, the weather gods decided to be unkind again and we had days that got up to +10 (even higher depending on which temperature gauge you looked at), which meant a lot of the quality snow that had built up was melting away. With it, we thought the season as well, so a lot of mountain staff got laid off. I am lucky enough to have a job that isn't dependant on the weather and haven't had to worry about losing hours or my job.

Late January saw Mum, Dad and Carina come over and visit. Although the first few days were a little cold for them and took a bit to acclimatise, the blue sky days made it very easy to cruise around the mountain and show them around where I have been living for the past 4 months. While they were over, Australia Day came, and although we were half way around the world from Australia, it felt like we were at the local town. Big White is literally home away from home, therefore the only way to celebrate Australia Day was to do it big. We had Cheesy-mites, meat pies (pasties) and VB (although only one of the pubs did, as it bought out the entire stock of Kelowna - which is 100,000people large). Dad and I did a run of Kangaroo in the morning as the tribute before picking up Carina from our unit and heading down to Happy Valley to celebrate the day away. Everyone was dressed up, we even had a guy dress up as an aboriginal - bear foot and all in the snow.

Unfortunately the day after I found out that one of my housemates decided he had had enough of the hill and him and his wife decided to leave the following Sunday (without of course the typical farewell on the night before).

The two weeks the three spent in Big White absolutely flew, however I was able to show them a few of the activities around. Dad, Carina and I went snowmobiling, which was an absolute hoot!!! We all went on a day trip to Silver Star, which is the sister resort of Big White and although it was a good day all, all agree that Big White is far better. We also convinced mum to come tubing, which was also a blast and going by mum's screams of scared and laughter, was enjoyed by all.

After two weeks of having Mum, Dad and Carina at Big White they headed off to Vancouver for a few days. Unbeknown to dad, he thought the farewell at Big White was the last he would see of me in Canada. However, I flew over and visited them on their last night in Vancouver before we all went to Whistler to spend with Dad on his birthday and to join Carina showing us around "her mountain" Whistler. Although the snow conditions weren't quite as good as Big White (love you sis), the village is incomparable. It makes Big White look like Albury compared to Sydney. While in Whistler we were able to spend a picturesque blue sky day skiing Blackcomb, having family photos taken by a crew (unfortunately some weren't the most flattering) before being able to experience the thrill of skiing Blackcomb Glacier (a 10.2km ski run that you can ski even during Summer, and even mum did it). Some of the scenery and images from that day will stick in my mind for many years to come. The final day that I spent in Whistler was the one year count down to the 2010 Winter Olympics and they had a big (exaggerated) ceremony to commemorate the day, including the unveiling of the uniforms and the torch. To be an Aussie spending time in Canada, it was a very rewarding experience to become part and join a moment in history for the nation.

As per Jacob tradition (that is probably only a year or two old), anyone who fell had to buy a round of shots, which meant a few nights of a few rounds of shots. Congratulations to Mum and Dad for having everything that Carina and I made them drink. Mum's face was certainly priceless on a few occasions, but she did survive and although she may deny it, did enough a few of them.

Since returning back to Big White, life seems to have started to have calmed down. I still only have 2 housemates as we have been struggling to find another 2 people, however one of my housemates has had her family over from Vancouver Island so it hasn't been quiet. In general, things have been going pretty well for me over here. I have got to know a lot of people and experienced a lot of things I wouldn't have otherwise. With the season end less than 2months away and people starting to leave to return to normality back home the vibe is starting to change a bit. Up until this week, fear was that we would be closing early as we hadn't had much snow and the base is approximately a metre less than any normal season. Luckily enough this week we have had a bit of a top up and positivity has started to return.

Beyond Big White, I found out earlier this week that I will most likely have work available for me between the season end and heading to Europe in Toronto which I am looking forward to. It will be working with the Canadian subsidiary of the company that I was working for prior to coming to Canada. It will be nice to experience another part of Canada and one that wont be as Aussie dominated as it is over here. Even my work colleague (who is Canadian) is heading to Australia for a trip. Being East will also allow me to explore quite a few different regions around the area as well.

Well I think that is about most things. I am sure I will be reminded by family about things that I forgot, but I think the email is long enough.

Hope everyone is well and safe from all the bush fires back home. The yellow ribbons are even available over here and it has been part of our newsletters to inform people about them.

Cheers to everyone,

Amanda

Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look.

Season 2008/2009 has now started!!!!

a_jacob — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:38:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

With the season commencing a week ago I thought it was time to give another update of my adventures over in Canada.

Unfortunately a few weeks ago my roommate decided that spending the season in Canada with his girlfriend back home wasn't for him. This left me in a predicament and I also decided to move out of the place I was staying in. I am now staing in a new house with 4 other housemates and absolutely loving it. We are located about 50m from the village gondola (first time my work has been only 5mins away) and what is known as Happy Valley which is the site of the skating rink, tubing park and one of a few drinking holes :)

After having to delay the opening date for 08/09 in Big White for 2weeks, we were finally able to open the mountain on Tuesday December 9/08. Over the weekend prior there was talk going around the village that if we didn't open in December (which was looking like a possibility) we wouldn't open at all, which would have put a very big hole in my travel plans. However as most people know, fortunes can change in an instant. We were lucky enough to receive enough snowfall over the weekend a week ago that we were able to open our beginner area, and I was lucky enough to have the first day of the season off and got to be able to experience skiing on the first day. Unfortunately new boots and one chairlift limited the day, but was awesome either way.

Sinc then, we have had over 60cm of snow fall and things are looking up. The infamous snow ghosts (the trees fully covered by snow) are starting to form and the view every morning in the kitchen looking out over the valley and skating rink is spectacular.

Unfortunately in the last few days a northly from the artic has decided to drop a bit lower and we have been experiencing temperatures sitting around -20. It is very cold!!! But after snowing for 3days straight, being able to now ski with picture blue skies, you try to ignore the cold. Today (Dec/15) was my second day out skiing and as mentioned the cold is something to certainly rug up for - but skiing new terrain with perfect surroundings is something you can't miss - so you put up with it (until you can't feel anything anymore).

On the social side, with the season now starting, the village atmosphere has certainly picked up. For the seasoners, it is becoming a very big family. With my job, housemates and the life up here you get to me sooo many different people from all walks of life - its is awesome!!!!

Well, I think that is enough from me. Hope everyone is doing really well and I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Best of luck to you all and hope everyone's dreams come true - at the moment they are for me!!!!

Happy Christmas & wondering 2009!!!!

Speak to you all shortly!!!!

Cheers and regards

Amanda (aka AJ)

Kelowna & Big White

a_jacob — Sat, 8 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Its been a while since I last posted, but it has been absolutely amazing.

After leaving Vancouver I came to Kelowna, the major town outside of Big White. I only ended up staying there for a few days as a group of 6 that I met in the hostel ended up getting a house for the season up at Big White pretty quickly.

The place we are staying in has three bedrooms and a nice big hot-tub - awesome when ure in it and there is snow outside!!!

I've also started working. I am the Big White Ski Resort receptionist. It's a pretty cool job, im inside, working with really nice people and I'm getting to know the ins and outs of the resort that I otherwise wouldn't have had the chance to.

It's already started snowing which is a really good sign. It looks like the opening of the season still won't be until 27th November, but the hype is certainly building.

It's still a bit quiet in the village with not many people around, but its starting to build. We now have 2pubs open (lol), the general store and one retail store - you can see where the priorities lie.

But so far everything is going really well. Starting work at 8am in the morning means I'm getting to see the sun rise, which as bad as it sounds gives actually some of the best views around. Walking up the hill to the village to work is hard, but turning around and seeing the view is worth it. We had a big dump of snow on Tuesday then Wednesday had clear blue skys - it was spectacular and something I'll never forget.

I've posted photos up on facebook. The link is: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=68630&l=ba5f7&id=534550863 which has the first lot of photos from Big White.

Hope everything is going well for everyone.

Speak soon

Cheers

Vancouver

a_jacob — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:06:00 GMT

Hey all,

Here is my first post and update of my trips around the world!!!!

I arrived in Vancouver 3days ago and wow its been an adjustment. I've seen the main sites - Granville Island, Gastown, Metrotown (massive shopping centre - its was raining, what else is there to do), the lookout (during the day and at sunset) and also Stanley Park - which is absolutely amazing.

Today (Oct 15) I was walking the streets - mainly Robson St and Pacific Centre - window shopping again and OMG it is awesome, although I can't afford it (actually can't fit anything else in my bags). Their shows are amazing (Jenny K & Sarah G I was thinking of you both). They also have this amazing toffee apple shop - they dip the apples in chocolate and caramel and cover them with all these amazing different designs - with halloweeen coming up, there were little pumpkins (actually really big pumpkins, their apples are huge - on steroids is the joke).

There is a female clothes store over here called JACOB. So I had to buy something - really nice stuff - bit on the expensive side though, but have to say that the name sake is certainly doing well for itself :)

I saw Granville Island on Tuesday (Oct 14) via a hired bike - best way to do it!!!! The views and scenery were awesome - took sooo many photos. It is sooo green up here compared to home :) though I think 8months of cold and rain helps.

Either side of the ride I went up to the Vancouver lookout - the city tower - though the height is a bit disappointing - not very tall. BUt the views were amazing. It was a clear day and we could see all the way out to the mountains - one of which is over 140ks away and has snow on it all year round - i have the photo evidence to prove it (you just have to scwint a little). I then saw the city as the sun went day - something very spectacular - the way the city transfers from day to night and everything lights up is awesome - something I highly recommend.

Tomorrow (Thurs OCt 16) I am catching the bus up to Kelowna which will be my next holding place. Hopefully in the next few days following I will hopefully have a job and place to stay throughout the season all lined up, fingers crossed.

Well hope that gives everyone a bit of an idea of what I've been up to.

I'll keep you all posted

Cheers