Ski & Snowboard [3/3]

The alarm went off at 6:24 which I set. Yesterday it didn't go off because it was one of those old radio-alarms that display the PM light at the top (making it look like it was AM) while the bottom light was for the Alarm-On mode. Went to Tim Horton's by myself and got a 2-pack Peppermint Tea for $1.50 plus, as always, hot water. Then 7:45 leave the hotel and go directly to BigWhite, getting there at 8:40. Our 2-hour snowboard lesson was conducted by a "John" from Maple Ridge. And then practice without any pause for lunch. I fell so many times almost twisting my neck at one time and certainly shaken up my central nerves up there when I fell on my butt. I also slid downhill in various ways but I was actually able to turn instead of just zig-zagging. And then with only about 45 minutes or so before we need to return the equipment and get on the bus, I wanted to quit already as I was already tired out from lack of sleep, lack of breakfast and all that wiping out. JT was eager to get more practice of snowboarding knowing that he won't have as much opportunity as I, so we went to the slope where we took lessons and just practiced. He went to the snowboarding slope while I just went to the skiing slope which was flatter (not the one with the puller). And then I got a soup&sandwich from the Village for I think $6.25? Ate it on the bus when we left at about 14:39. At 17:39, the bus stopped somewhere along the highway for washrooms. I didn't get off, preferring to hold it (hours already!) because I wanted to watch the movies. We saw (in sequence) Medallion, Lara Croft - Cradle of Life, and XMen2 all of which I've seen before. Got back to that same Coquitlam Centre parking lot at about 8pm. TL's cousin came by to pick us up and we went back to TL's place for a short while. Then got into JT's car and had dinner at the former Carefree Restaurant (forgot the current english name) on St. John street in Port Moody.

Ski & Snowboard [2/3]

6:20 woke up. McDonald's was opened at 6 apparently but their tills haven't started up yet even though we got there at about 7. So we went to Tim Horton's instead. I bought two muffins. 7:30 we left for Big White. 8:25 arrived and it was a splendid day without a cloud in sight. 10 to 12 was ski lesson with Lea from Switzerland. It was originally an older guy called Terry but there was a switch. It was the first time I ever skied but I think all that rollerblading I did during the summer helped. I actually didn't have any difficulty getting used to wearing such long extensions on my feet. Walking and climbing on the skis was also not a problem. I was able to remain centered between the skis especially when climbing and was pretty relaxed doing so too. Climbing uphill by stepping sideways would've taken way too much time. JT was also a first-timer. DP and TL have been up the mountains before and they brought their own boards. Then we went to Sam's pub for lunch and were served by an ok-looking girl named Jaime (I heard her name being called). We simply had a soup&sandwich deal for I think $7.25.

JT decided to practice at the slope where we took lessons while TL and DP walked with me across from the top of the Gondola ride to the ski sloped leading back the lessons area. We then went down there on our own. They went up the Gondala again I guess to continue at Bullet Express while I went to find JT. We then took the Gondola and then went down the slope that leads to the bottome of Plaza Chair which we took. I forgot if that was what happened. Anyway, we skied and had fun. The bus is scheduled to leave at 4:30 and 7:30. We chose to leave at the later time, of course to max our time up on the mountain. My screwed sense of navigation caused me to always get mixed up with where the rental hall was and where we ski and stuff. I went to look for Jonathan and wanted to ski down instead of taking the Gondola thinking it would be faster but I ended up taking the Plaza Chair back up. And then I thought I missed a turn and tried skiing down again only to take the Plaza Chair again. So finally I ended up taking the Gondola after all just to be told on DP's walkie-talkie that Jonathan has already returned. Anyway it was fun all the same although it was getting dark. So after I came back up to the Village Centre, we walked around trying to decide where/what to eat. I don't remember the name of the restaurant but I think it's either the Copper Kettle or the one opposite of it (there's another more casual dining area connected to the fine-dining area). We sat near the pool table; I remember that. I had fettucine with chicken. Then we hopped on the bus and headed back.

JT wants to focus on snowboarding. I think I will rent ski's and snowboards a couple more times before I decide on buying what equipment. Maybe Cypress, Grouse, Seymour and Whistler don't have something like the Discover program that BigWhite has. Too bad.

Not much else happening at the hotel. We played some Big2, blackjack and fish. And I was watching Discovery Channel on dinosaurs and prehistoric people until one. The other guys have already slept. Then I showered and went to bed. Oh yeh, TL and I went to the nearby Liquor Store and got a 270mL Vodka Mudshake (5%) for me and a 4-pack 330mL Bacardi Breezer Caribbean Key Lime (5%) to share. DP also got the Mudshake earlier. Then we sent TL I think it was to go down to the pub with the bottles to get them opened up.

Ski & Snowboard [1/3]

8AM @ Tony's house. We didn't actually leave until probably about 8:20. His mom drove us to the parking lot in front of T&T at Coquitlam Centre where the bus will pick us up. We waited for a while and finally left at 9AM after people visited the washrooms. The bus was full-size with washroom but they taped up a piece of paper encouraging people to use washrooms elsewhere. We were the last ones to be picked up. Everybody including the driver was chinese; some spoke cantonese and some spoke mandarin. The driver was Aaron and the tourguide was Nickel. The driver always seems so laidback. He probably makes pretty good money while he gets to drive around for hours and see all sorts of things. There were movies being played on the bus as well. Going there we saw Finding Nemo and Tarzan. A part of Sinbad was also played until we arrived.

12PM @ Merritt where my friends and I elected to go to A&W @ Nicola & Vogh. Left at 1pm.

Approximately 14:55 got to Summerhill Pyramid Winery where we took pix and got to sample red, white and ice wines. Then we left at 15:25 and stopped at FarWest store at 15:43 but apparently they close at 3 instead of 4. So we moved on and got to the hotel at 15:48. My friends and I walked around the hotel and then played Big2. We were quite bored. And then dinner at Milestone's across the street. I had pizza. Watched Pearl Harbor and Behind Enemy Lines on tv and I slept at midnight. The hotel's movies either didn't appeal to us or we've already seen them.

Ski & Snowboard

$128 plus tax for a 3-day bus tour to Kelowna including Big White. I don't even know what the english name of the tour company (·sªº____) was. $54 for the "Discover Program" which included a 2-hour lesson, lift and equipment rental. And the hotel was Hotel Sandman. Not too bad of a deal at all. But that was because we were 4 guys in one room. Which was fine.