Tag: ‘cold’
Saturday, December 12th, 2009
I think it been a long time again. I’m sat in the restaurant at lake louise having some lunch. I’m on a pre course level the snowboard instructor level 2. I think I’m becoming accustomed to the cold a little, yesterday it was -10 and felt almost warm! Monday they couldn’t even open the lifts because it’s was over thirty below. People say this is freak cold for this early in winter, but so good for getting used to it. I tend to lose feeling in my toes after twenty minutes outside, and frostbite comes in around ten.
So it hasn’t snowed in a while, just nice and sunny, the sun not feeling warm. But everybody is waiting for the next snow, after all snow is what we came for.
After being here around 5 weeks, alan and I finally have a place to move into, so that’ll end my almost 8 months of homelessness. It’s unfurnished so were trying to find our furniture online at no cost. It’s been done, so doable. I can’t wait to have a home.
So we decide to stay here for the winter, and have season passes for the local hills, so we are totally committed to Banff, expensive as it is.
I have a definately job lined up for January onwards, but only part time, so I’m still looking. But instructing is what I’ve been working towards, so excited!
Most of the time here is spent cold, on the snow, drinking, eating, and having lots of fun meeting new people.
Oh and one bad thing, I failed my level 1 for ski instructing. I passed the teaching but failed the technical skiing. It was pretty ambitious taking the course having barely skied In ten years. So there is a another course next week so I have to get practicing, and make sure I pass this time.
I guess last thing is ???
Photos; cheese, dice and drinks, bingo, robs new car, elk in town, more bingo, me riding, circular rainbow and my leg bruise after landing on a tree













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Tags: american, banff, bingo, canada, car, cold, course, fail, instructor, party, photo, photograph, ski, snow, snowboard, winter
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Saturday, November 7th, 2009
Alan and I have just been to the mall in Winnipeg, narrowly escaping the busyness. I bought a cover for my iPhone because I have seen so many iPhones with smashed screens. I went for the recycled plastic option. We also got some thermals, it’s going to be a cold winter.
So winnipeg was interesting. Out couchhost was a fun girl, plenty of time having recently been made redundant, along with most of her crazy friends but we spent most of the time partying, there isn’t much else to do in that town. It is the grain trading capital of north America.
And the people there are crazy, many of whom walk around making wierd sounds, screaming or talking to themselves. There’s too much winter, no excitement or hope, not even any population growth, the gun crime capital of Canada so we are told.
So we are now in the real prairies, you can see for miles and miles, forward the road dissappears on straight to the horizon and to the sides are endless yellow field where crops grew in the summer.
It’s so straight and boring that they have giant signs to keep you mind active like odometer checks. But no worries if you fall off the road asleep, there’s nothing to hit.
It’s barely above zero degrees and they’re still harvesting.
So wawa was no too interesting, lots of goose statues.
Thunder bay, out host wasn’t too talkative until we got him a bit drunk, and he hit on us.
So the most important thing we did was go to an employment centre to canadianise our resumes. We’ve applied for several jobs now. Not much response yet.
The car is super dirty because I decided to do some off roading just to wake me up from the boring drive.
Oh and I got myself a lovely yellow hat, mmm warm





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Tags: beer, boring, busy, buy, canada, canadian, car, cold, crazy, dirt, drive, fun, goose, hat, inuit, mall, party, photo, red, river, road, shop, snow, talk, tired, tower, trip, walk, wierd, wine, yellow
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
We ended up spending almost a week in New Mexico, a bit longer than the expected day and a half. We certainly enjoyed our time there.
As you can tell we aren’t in NM any longer but now Texas, so far we drove 60 miles and saw 2 cars until we got to this town for a late mexibrunch.
Albuquerque was pretty cool, and felt like we were there three days, rather than the 1.5 that was reality. It was our first couchsurf of the trip, staying with jessica and cloice near their university. So first off we went out to a greek night held by a church. Nothing religious, but Greek food, dancing, drinking and fun. We even tried dancing, couldn’t get the footwork down but was a laugh. Love for spinaköpita! After we had a bit of a drink with their friends before turning in.
Shame it wasn’t an early night as we had to get up at half four un the morning, which was painful. And so cold that it required dressing for winter. We had to queue for a park and ride, yellow school bus #3, and queue and queue again for the event, toilet, lame breakfast burrito. We spent a good while watching the bizarre spectacular that is known as Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, the worlds largest event of this type. Literally 100,000s of people from all overbthe world come to see around 750 hot air balloons taking off, or for some just attemping, supposedly the worlds most photographed event! It’s was cool, amazing, surreal, cold and we we knackered.
So after another sleep we woke up, feeling like a new day we went into town for a chill, chat and pizza. Later after being locked out, we went out to a blues night, which I’d pretty cool, no way I’d try to dance to that, bit it was enjoyable to sit and watch and drink the night away. I had a minimal sleep being kept up by our host, but we escaped yesterday after an authentic new Mexican meal, not to be tried again!
Yesterday we passed by White sands, where the first atom bomb was tested, they still create misiles and there are the White sands dunes. In the middle of nowhere are some pure brilliant White beautiful sand dunes, great for some fun, photos and alan to get his second run in with the law. Luckily for him he still managed to go Scott free.
Later we arivedbin Carlsbad, a little late, for our next couchsurf experience where we slept from arrival to departure. Oh and barely escaped alive thanks to that mental dready dog. All fingers still attached we went to the the caverns by the same name which was awesome. Not the largest, deepest or longest cave system in the world, maybe the beautifulest. It’s a nice long walk, with lots of geological wonder.
So no more new Mexico, time for the mammoth state of Texas, which doesn’t sound too exciting, going by lonely planet and Lets Go guide books.
It’s about time we made some distance.
Tags: albiquerque, balloon, blues, carlsbad. van horn, cavern, cocktail, cold, couchsurfing, dance, drink, drive, dune, fiesta, food, greek, hot air, live, meal, missile, music, new mexico, party, pizza, road, sand, sex, sky, spectacle, texas, trip, usa, white sands
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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Up to you.
It’s late and I’m trying to wait as late as possible before going to sleep. I have a Super thin sleeping bag, no pillow and no roll-mat/matress so it could be as uncomfortable as when we slept in yosemite. A few beers and thirty odd rounds of rummy and I don’t quite feel ready for this.
Today has been cool, so cool that it didn’t sink in until it was over.
So to start off we sent sone post and bought breakfast, uneventful, buuut then we went to drive and again the car wouldn’t turn over. Luckily enough the only garage in town was 2 doors down so we mosied on over to get a jump, and change of battery, lovely mechanic, red neck but friendly. He was even doing up an English taxi from 1960, pretty cool. So now we shouldn’t, hopefully, have and more car worries.
After that drama was over we drove up to Grand Canyon national park, and did the touristy stuff, photographs, rock hopping n yeh, got sick of it, and we drove south.
We enjoyed the sunset over Sedona, magical.
So now to camping and getting to sleep.
Tags: arizona, battery, beautiful, camp, car, cold, desert, drive, eat, energy, good, grand canyon, photo, red, road trip, rock, sedona, sunset, tent, trouble, usa
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
An early rise yesterday morning, breakfast and then onto a big yellow school bus. We had a very bumpy 45 minutes down a canyon, chatting with some 60+ year old thrill seekers.
We finished up donning lots of sun lotion, life jackets and climbing aboad a big blue motorised inflatable boat.
We came to ride the rapids on the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon. It’s pretty awesome having a water proof camera to catch the action. We all got soaked, and the water is bloody cold, under 10 degrees C, so petty chilly.
We stopped and climbed a rope ladder to see a water fall, cool. So the rapids on the Colorado river don’t go by the worldwide scale of 1 to 5, but by it’s own scale of 1 to 10 due to their severity. The highest we rode was six, extreme enough that there is a plaque commemoration a few people who didn’t make it in the past. The afternoon was a leisurly boat ride in the sun taking in the awesome scenery. How many people who have been to see the grand canyon have seen it from the bottom, and then how many have ridden the rapids down there, probably not too many.
And then as a bonus, to get back out of the canyon we had to be air lifted out, in a helicopter! I’d never been in one before, and it was great to do it there.
All of this is arranged by the haulapai Indians, the same guys who have built the sky walk out over the canyon, so they’re doing pretty well for themselves.
The day ended with a bone crushing 2 hours aboad a yellow school bus across the bumpy desert, not fun.!
We set off to drive onwards at half five and again the car battery is dead, so it could be down to a light being on. But it’s slightly worrying that we could get stuck out in the desert without anybody to give us a jump start, so we’ll check at a garage in a bit.
Last night we stayed in Seligman on the Route 66. This town is a serious tourist Route 66 place, big neon signs and stuff. The Roadkill cafe where we ate last night has things like pavement possum, curbside kitty and airbrake owl on the menu. Alan had 18″ ribs, and amazingly finished them all!
So onwards through the desert.
Tags: american, arizona, boat, bumpy, bus, canyon, cold, drive, grand canyon, helicopter, hot, hualapai, indian, native, rapid, rib, river, roadkill, route 66, splash, usa, water, waterfall, wet, yellow
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Friday, September 4th, 2009
So I’m on a bumpy easyjet flight to Manchester. It’s not bad, I’m sat by the wing exit so have plenty of leg room 
On the way through airport security I removed everything from my pockets, removed my belt, and still I beeped passing through the scanner. So while the security guard tried to pat me down, it got tricky as these shorts have no hope of staying up without my belt or hand to hold them, so all the security guards had a good joke on me.
On Wednesday, Nic and I headed down to Milan for the afternoon. The day started of with nic having a huge hangover and me a little worse for wear, but driving over the Saint Bernard pass was so stunning I felt great. So awesome that I had to keep stopping to take in the views. Driving across Italy was smooth and fast as usual. We chose to do the park and ride, thanks to wikitravel’s advice.
Milan is pretty cool, didn’t seem too touristy, but was pretty while modern also. I had liked to find some sunglasses, as I’d like some with prescription lenses. But like with current spec trends, I’m not a fan and never found anything, I’ll have a look in London, but may have to wait until LA.
Pizza and cocktails ended the day by the canal before heading back to Verbier.
Yesterday ian and I did some stuff, like cleaning the car, photographing it, then going for a joy ride up the mountain. It was super strange to be up there where I’ve spent so much time in the snow. It got a bit steep but nothing my car couldn’t handle, maybe a little something for the vertigo. We saw some marmots, odd creatures, take lots of photos, and made the car all dusty again.
The week I have been surrounded by Wii’s, but I prefer doing the real sports.
Oh and I’ve been having trouble with my ears, especially my right ear. They’ve been blocked, I’ve had trouble hearing, and it even got to the point where my ear was hurting. I’ve tried ear drop to see if I could clear them that way, but it on improved for a day. My toncils have been swollen and sore also, so I think I’ll have to try and see a GP when I find one. And my ears are having issues at altitude now.
So no more car now. It’s been great fun to have a comfortable, powerful, head turning car, but I’m not sad to lose it. I’ll certainly think twice before buying such a luxury toy in the future.
Maybe we can find something fun to drive in America.
So to the lake district with dad this evening, a nice walk tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll be nice and fit for it after exercising at altitude the past days.
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Tags: airport, audi, awesome, beauty, car, cocktail, cold, doctor, drive, ear, geneva, hot, italy, joke, luxury, milan, mountain, photograph, pizza, problem, rain, road, s4, sale, scanner, sun, switzerland, toy, verbier, vertigo, walk, windy
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Saturday, August 29th, 2009
I’ve spent a rough night in my car. At first I slept in a car park overlooking Dover. I woke at 1am to a police van parked behind me. The didn’t see me asleep on the folded down rear seat, half in the boot, and were worried something horrible had happened. But the were off after a short background check.
I woke later to two cars parked near me, 10 or so young guys with torches checking over my car. When one came up close I climbed to the front, switched on the engine, and drove off, blinding them.
I found a much more pleasant place to sleep up the coast, and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise over the sea.
Martin and I now qualify to dive 
We did some dives in an old quarry, flooded with sunken boats, cars, airplane ad newts. It’s pretty fun, and I can’t wait to do it in warmer waters.
I’ve spent a couple of lovely evenings with ammy, ron and louise. (Martin’s boat neighbours until he got floating). They are all awesome people and have surprised me, and given me some ideas and thinkings for my journeys. They also had a connection to Nam that I didn’t know of, and was great to converse with them.
So now I’m on the boat to France, swaying here and there, it’s fun to watch people wobbling down the boat. I’m going to take a long, but hopefully scenic route down to swissland.
Bon journée.
Oh and it’s colllllddd, welcome to autumn!
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Tags: air, autumn, car, centre, channel, cold, conscious, deep, dive, diving, dover, ferry, open, padi, police, scuba, season, sleep, smile, sun, sunrise, swell, travel, warm, water, wave
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Thursday, August 20th, 2009
I’m laying in a cottage in Cornwall with big green letters painted on my front saying ‘lucky dip’ 
I had a lovely morning chatting with trixie. A wonderful pretty fairy girl, and lots of sunshine. So I left Glastonbury feeling much better than when I arrived. All the people there helped me feel good, and some told me that I did a good deal to make them feel better, so all in I left there feeling good 
Well I got to cornwall and the gorgeous weather was grey and English. But I was instantly ordered to get naked, painted up, stuffed pants with lottery tickets and the family and I went off to stand in a field, laugh at others, but mainly get laughed at.
We did not win the dress up contest, by far. Deb scared away all of the photographers. And we had a long walk through town, scaring children who we only wanted to give sweets and make them smile. We were carnival 
Ali, deb and I had Chinese, mmm and met Izzi, mark and a rather hairless drink.
I really hope we get to go to the sea and swim tomorrow, even if it does rain.
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Tags: bed, boat, bright, carnival, chinese, cold, contest, cornwall, cottage, dress, england, fairy, family, fancy, food, fun, girl, glastonbury, grey, hot, kernow, people, photographer, pretty, race, rain, regatta, shine, sleep, south, spirit, sun, swim, talk, walk, west
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Thursday, July 30th, 2009
I’m on a wizzair flight from Luton to Budapest. Super tired, I had to wake at half four to take a bus to the airport, which I almost missed. I find myself cutting things quite fine thes days.
Yesterday was pretty depressing.
To start off I saw the mess that was the front end of my car, after hitting the animal, destroyed bumper, broken windscreen/headlamp washer system. Great so that needs fixing as well as the exhaust and windscreen.
It was raining most of the day.
I went to the hair dresser to get a hair cut and was told by a hair dresser of thirty years to wait for somebody else to cut my hair. He couldn’t get his mind around cutting my hair in a non-classic, unconventional fashion. Well now I have shorter, more normal hair, than I can remember having. I like it.
So on the up dad alan and I went to the cinema to see Pelham 1-2-3. It was very Hollywood and predictable, and fairly entertaining, but not something that I’d usually pay to watch.
To heat up the damp day we went for an Indian, so the day was not the worst ever.
This seems to be the trend when I return to the uk, damp, dark, drab, dull. But that’s only because I just came from the beach. I still love the place, just probably couldn’t enjoy living there.
Off to the sun, dentist and fun I go.
Tags: 1 2 3, absurd, accident, animal, badger, cambridge, car, cold, curry, cut, damage, dresser, england, film, flight, fly, food, garage, grey, hair, hot, indian, kill, late, luton, movie, old, pelham, plane, rain, silly, sleep, spice, tired, wet, wizzair
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Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
i’ve just finished watching donnie darko. it’s not the first time by far, but it still has the same emotional effectivness that it has done every time that i have watched it.
today agota and i saw many of the interesting sites in dublin city; dame street, dublin castle, st. stephen’s green, christ church cathedral, the guiness storehouse and st. james’ gate factory, smithfield, the chimney, old jameson distillery, four courts, national photo archive, national photography gallery and some more. there is more to see in town like the cemetery, phoenix park and the gaol, all in good time.
it’s true this city may contain a quarter of ireland’s population, but it does feel like a smallll town. the weather changes, and we’ve had warm, cold, sun, rain and wind. the shopping seems a bit dull, but i did spend hours wondering around the west end of london, so i shouldn’t judge this.
oh and this city seems super expensive. the euro is expensive, though i noticed it has lost some value against the dollar, and the cost of everything is just expensive, like €5.20 for a pint!!!!!! food is no better, nor is anything else. this puts dublin up there with paris for being one of the most expensive places to visit as a tourist.
agota is at work, and i guess we’ll go out for a drink later, but for now i’m chilling and making a start at looking at my photos from my recent travels.
adobe lightroom seems to have done something that is annoying. while importing my library it has neglected many photos, due to the reason that some have the same name. i have over 20000 photos, and have used just canon camers, so it’s hugely likely that i’ll have photos with the same filename as the cameras rotate through the numbers. i will have to work this out, and i know it will cost a great deal of time and frustration.
Tags: attraction, cathedral, church, cold, cost, dollar, donnie darko, dublin, euro, expensive, film, hot, ireland, lightroom, movie, paris, photo, photograph, photography, pint, population, rain, shops, sights, sites, small, sun, tourist, walk, weather, wind
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