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Published: December 11th 2012
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So after going home and saying 'Hi!' for 2 weeks, we were off to the cold depths of Canada. Airtransat was our carrier and we were not expecting much, however we were pleasently suprised. Those extra leg room seats for £10 more were worth their weight in gold!. Our own screens and loads of room. Bargain at £250 each. A long flight later and we touched down in Calgary. It was all going so smoothly until we hit immigration. Question " how long you staying?"" 5 Months" we said. "Ummmmmm, thats a long time, are you going to be working?" "No, just snowboarding" " So how are you supporting this trip" "Savings". "Show me your bank accounts". Well it just got worse and worse. They ended up going out and speaking to Marks cousin, who was picking us up, about us. This confirmed our address but it didn't help that we had not met her before but had previous stamps in our passports for Calgary. After an hour and a half grilling finally they let us through. It was the lack of return ticket that really annoyed them. The best we could say was we will go when the snow does!!!!
Crazy, I felt like saying sod this, I will go spend my savings in another country, and Canada is in the commonwealth. We felt like criminals smuggling drugs across the border.
When we finally got through we were greeted by smiles from the Klay family, patiently waiting after our immigration nightmare. I can imagine they thought, who the hell are we bringing into our home!! Back to the house, a quick unpack and a cuppa. Stories exchanged and after a few hours we were both strugging with the jet lag. We were given a lovely room, much better than some hotels we've stayed in!
The next few days were spent shopping, exploring Calgary and meeting the rest of the Klay family. They could not have made us more welcome. Vanessa and Neal, Kay's chidren were very sociable and a pleasure to meet as were their friends Ruth and Peter too. Within 24 hours we had invites to Christmas and New Year and Ruth had arranged for more medication for me than I have ever seen. We thought we had been adopted. A very big thank you.
So Sunday 18th Nov was moving day to Banff. The Klays
offered to drive us which was very kind of them and saved us quite a lot in transfer fees. We very excited to be getting back to one of our favourite little towns and back on my board. Mark was his usual apprehensive self. Worrying about accomodation, worring about his riding, just worrying in general! I was fine bar the fact I could not stop shivering! Apparently it was not even that cold, a pleasant -5! I knew Mark would be fine and within a few days and he settled down with all bar our accom situation. We were to have a couple of weeks in a BB then into a house. The BB was from about 1950. The decor was old, the place was old but it was cheap and we would put up with it until we moved. We were going to be moving into a room in a shared house.
We were invited up to see the house on the Tuesday and I was hoping all would be ok. We got in the front door to be told "no need to take off your coats, you will not be staying long" and "by the way you
can't see the room as someone is sleeping in there"! OK, so what was the point in coming up? We were shown a horrible falling apart kitchen and a lounge that had more clutter than a second hand junk shop. The woman made it perfectly clear we were sharing her house and that she wanted privacy so expected us to be out A LOT! Well, Marks face said it all and when he wiped his feet on the way out I knew we would not be living there. But that left issues, money is tight and this was already £500 per month. We were going to struggle with the budget. So through the papers we went, calling other places in Banff. One came on. Master suite with ensuite bathroom. Looked big, looked nice but blew the budget! So obviously it was perfect and we went to see it. A very happy Mark and a deposit put down. We moved Dec 1st. The house is large and central and shared with 5 others. 2 Aussies, 2 Lituanians and a Phillipino, perhaps a bit premature to judge but all seem pleasent and have made an effort to welcome us. Can't ask for
more than that.
So the reason we came here was for the boarding and within the 1st 24 hours it did not stop snowing. Off to Lake Louise to make some fresh tracks!. Mark's favourite hill. Obviously all the mental preperation, the perfect turning and no falling was not in fact reality and no surprise I spend most of the first day on my arse. Mark was better, staying up and practicing on the runs. But things have improved rapidly. A 2 hour lesson and I am gliding down greens and blues turning both ways. Boarding is such an improvement on those ski's I used to have. A black has yet to be conqured but give it a few weeks and you never know. Mark is now teaching me 'switch' ( riding with the wrong foot forward ) which completely screws with your head but once mastered, it will be the board parks for us and a few 180's and rails. Mark is picking up some speed and will soon be jumping and popping that board around the mountain.
During our first 2 weeks the World Cup Ski events were held at Lake Louise. Womens and mens downhill
followed by Super G. It was a great event to watch with cow bells ringing, freebies and the grandstands to watch from. It was crazy busy so we decided not to board and just take the experience in. It was clear there were 2 competitors far superior than the others. Svindall for the men and Vonn for the women. Both winners of all their races even with them making mistakes. Mark became the papparazzi of Vonn and got some good shots. Apparently she has now made the laminated list!
On our recovery days (muscles aching so much we need a day off!!) we spent our time walking the Bow River, known for all its pine trees bowing over the river each side. Mark got snappy with the camera and seems to have a real eye for photography and has now signed up for a photography course. Wildlife is everywhere here, deer just roaming in the gardens and elk just wandering down the street. We were even lucky enough to see a wolf running along side the road on our way to Louise. Not sure how long it will take for this to become the norm!!
Eating out in
Banff has also been a highlight and I can highly recommend a few places. Bear Tavern Ribs, Tommy's $7 steak sandwich and Melissa's $20 dollar entree deal allowing Mark to have steak and Lobster for $20! What we have missed though is the social life we had in Thailand. We are watching the pennies and this town is so transient that its much harder to make friends. We have however made an impression on a few barmen and get a hello and a chat when we show our face. Especially in Tommy's where Mark had found a fellow Chelsea fan! Hopefully the house will bring more of a social scene but too early to say at the moment.
So I think I can sum up the first few weeks as a learning curve. The scenery is stunning and the mountains awesome but we are going to have to work hard at the boarding and hard at making friends, but hey!, we are up for the challenge. Canada hasn't beaten us yet!
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