July 23, 2006
Singing Pass Hike
Yesterday we decided to try and escape the 38c heat and hike part of Whistler, the initial plan was just up the Flute, part of Whistlers "Musical Bumps" and the best in-bound "back-country" skiing during the winter. Eventually we found ourselves heading down the back of the mountain, into the Garibaldi Provincial Park and onto the Singing Pass Trail, as described:
Whistler Mountain Gondola to Whistler Village via Musical Bumps - Length, 21 km; suggested time, 6 to 8 hours; elevation change, 1,300 metres. From the top of the gondola, Singing Pass is accessible by an alpine route traversing Piccolo, Flute and Oboe peaks. From the pass, return to the village via the Singing Pass trail.
Yeah. 21km. We did it in 7 hours, by the end of which my knee was very disappointed in me. This morning we were all aching in the calves but the views were worth it, from white topped mountain ranged to Gone with the Wind style meadows. Photos are uploaded, although nothing can honestly capture the sheer beauty.
The heat persists, 36c again today and I'm spending the day desperately trying to keep cool and move my legs as little as possible. Mum and Dad arrive next weekend and I believe I have found a replacement housemate (or rather a couple) for Sarah when she departs at the same time.
Posted by Mark at 4:09 PM | TrackBack
July 20, 2006
Happy Birthday Robyn!
Hope you like the present :-)
Posted by Mark at 9:00 AM | TrackBack
July 16, 2006
New photos
Nothing to tell except for my near-death experience yesterday when I fell off a small cliff and my bike fell on top of me. Not fun, still I had a pretty enjoyable run down "Cut yer bars", names for the fact that the trees are so close together the handlebars barely fit through.
Keith and I went to the peak today and walked over to Harmony, the part way to the Flute and took some wicked photos. Those and a couple of others have been uploaded and I'll add some more when I get hold of Keiths camera.
Posted by Mark at 6:04 PM | TrackBack
July 13, 2006
Good news day
Today, 13th July 2006, is officially good news day. It's still not even the middle of the day and;
a) I won a competition in the local newspaper for free cinema tickets at the outside cinema (on the lake) which is pretty neat.
b) I got my HRSDC job approval which basically means they accept there are no Canadians that can do my job (yeah, right) and so my residency application will be expidited to sometime in January hopefully!
c) My flight home at Christmas is costing me a massive £38 (since I had written off ever actually using the return flight I booked last year, but now can just change the date)
d) I won the lottery (this didn't happen yet but I'm pre-empting the inevitable)
So I'll be back in Blighty on the 20th December, no return flight booked yet. I'm taking orders for Whistler merchandise, snowboards, ski's, bindings, maple syrup or anything else that is cheap due to the exchange rate.
Incidentally if anyone is looking for a house in Whistler may I recommend this?
Posted by Mark at 11:18 AM | TrackBack
July 11, 2006
Back from the 'shwa
I have returned from the beautiful Oshawa, Ontario. What a delightful place.
We spent Canada Day watching England lose miserably and then headed into the city for sushi and to catch up with Nat (Robyns partner in crime in Whistler back in February) and over to a park to watch a free open air concert and some fireworks, which finished literally just as the heavens opened. The rest of the weekend was completed in a pretty similar fashion, hanging out in the city, on the beaches and with ice cream. All in all, Toronto is a nice and diverse place but the humidity and general feel of the city isn't one that would drag me back time and time again.
Back in Whistler I've slumped back into the usual routine, Monday-Friday work and hang out and bike at the weekends. Sarah is set to leave me at the end of the month and Keith is moving down to the city leaving me plenty friendless and in need of another housemate to cover the rent.
The immigration situation hasn't changed, still waiting to hear back from the HRSDC who should, now that we've wasted money on adverts, let me in. The folks come for a visit at the end of the month so I'll hopefully pop down to the city and to Victoria for a mini-break, hopefully the weather will be nice as its fluctuating daily at the moment.
I also have the pleasure of paying $1,000 to have someone smash my jaw in and extract my wisdom teeth in a couple of weeks which I'm overjoyed at.