Christmas is only a few days away. I’ll be working right through as if it was any other week. Thousands of guests will arrive, after the relative calm of the past few weeks. Although with 58cm of beautiful snow overnight last week, I now know the potential for mania at work in the mornings. We had our staff Christmas party last night – one of four laid on at the Fairmont Chateau with some of the best tasting food I think I’ve ever had, photos with Santa and taxi vouchers for the end of the night. Safe to say it was a brilliant night out.
The tickets crew
All work and no play would make Laura a dull girl
Work is feeling less novelty and more like work nowadays. There is always something that needs done. Whether or not I can be bothered that day is another matter. Information, prices and policies are constantly changing too, which makes it hard to keep up. I have fallen on my feet in that my job is completely unique and it suits me. I work two days in tickets, three validation at the moment, or vice versa. Validating is the easier of the two and it is nice to have the chance to talk to everyone, but two or three days standing outside is about my tolerable limit. Tickets is more intellectually stimulating, but at the time same faffing with drawers of cash and sales reports can be very tedious in large amounts.
Surviving validating all day outside in temperatures of -17oC a couple of weeks back was a touch challenging. Toes were nearly lost and I’m not joking. We should have another cold snap to look forward to in January.
Me trying to keep warm at work. Showing no skin helps.
I’m trying to balance work with the fun stuff and don’t seem to be doing too badly. I can’t remember a time I didn’t get up at 6am now. Hangover or not, and whether I’ve been up until 2am or not. Days off are too precious to waste and going to the slopes late (N.B. 9am is late….oh how things have changed) is just not the done thing.I usually manage to get out boarding three or four days a week and had some amazing days out. I rode (well, slid) my first black runs with Joey, who distracted me so I looked the other way as we were passing by the black diamond signs at the top of the run.
I took a full day lesson last Monday, in a blizzard. I’d been out the night before, up at 6am for Fresh Tracks with Ange and Kate, unlimited early breakfast at the Roundhouse Lodge, 1800m up Whistler mountain with first access to the slopes…only $15.
Kate, Ange and I: Prior to stuffing ourselves with pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, pastries, fruit…..to the point of nearly vomiting and not being able to ski
Two super-cute Japanese girls, Maki and Aya, took our lesson and had us boarding down steep powdery slopes, through trees and over small jumps/drops. It was fantastic, but on 4 hours sleep and a hangover, my energy was fading by the afternoon and I spent most of my time flailing pathetically, stuck in waist-deep powder.
Open-air Hot Tubs
What more could you want really? Adrienne and Tracy scored one with their new place and love having friends round to share it.
Adrienne, Carlene and I. After half an hour my face was as pink as my wine and I had to get out and sit down for a while.
First Visitor!
My friend Paul from school visited for a few days as a stop on the tail end of his round the world trip and I hope I gave him a decent taste of Whistler life. He spent most of his time in pain after trying snowboarding for the first time: one day in a lesson and one day with me attempting to teach. I dragged him out of bed at 6am for fresh tracks breakfast after a hefty night out at the infamous Longhorn Saloon. He didn’t seem entirely impressed, but when in Whistler…!
Writing No More
My effort to write for the local paper ended before it started – the one article idea I sent the editor was entirely ignored. Back to the drawing board!
Disneyland
Whistler is amazing. Just in case I haven’t made that clear.
