Australia day and all that jazz

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Hi all - finally I have posted a new entry. Apologies to all those who dutifully added themselves to the subscribers list only to receive a big fat NOTHING. Well I hope this next entry is worth the wait!

From the mountain photos below, you can see we are having a GREAT season. It just keeps snowing! February March have brought some cold snaps ( -15 degrees) and some sunny days, very conducive to après (or after work) drinks on the village patios.

Staff housing is riotous as ever, with a "goodbye party" every second night or so, for all the people who were just staying a couple of months.

Australia Day was unbelievable here, aussies are far more patriotic away from home, the photos below show the vibe. Most aussies took either Australia Day, or the day after (or both) off work and many started their morning with a champagne/beer breakfast at Housing at 6:30 am. Me though, I knew I would be asleep by 2pm if I tried that, so I went to work at 6:30am, only to be ambushed at the bus stop by aussies in SHORTS, THONGS AND ZINK holding blow up kangaroos and belting out "I still call Australia home" at the top of their voices. I have to tell you, even at 6:30 am and at -2 degrees in the dark snow covered bus stop, I still felt a twinge on national pride. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera so you will have to imagine it :P

After work and an afternoon nap I managed to do some australia day partying myself. Every bar in town had an Australian theme on - Rugby on the big screen and VB behind the bar etc etc. Though I don't see what a wet t-shirt competition has to do with being australian.... oh well. It was a fun night in the end.

In February Micah and I took some time out from Whistler and went to Vancouver, staying in the lovely Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. We managed to rack up $400 on your room and dining bill over two nights! Eating the "complimentary chocolates" and micah's $28 glass of scotch probably didn't help. Oh well you live and you learn... Bought a laptop, so its easier to keep in touch now. So if anyone is available/would like to chat let me know!

Well that is the latest, sorry it have been so long, but things stay pretty much the same week in week out here in Whistler! We are probably moving to Vancouver for the Summer so things will pick up there.

Take care everyone

xxx lize

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Photos

Blackcomb 1
A beautiful sunny day up on the slopes.

Blackcomb 2
Just a wee cat trail.

Blackcomb 3
This is our view when we walk behind the staff housing buildings to Base 2 on Blackcomb.. from there its straight up the gondola to Alpine! Though it takes about 4 lifts up and a couple connecting runs to get to the peak - 2284 metres.

Village 1
Whister Village. Looks like this after a little snow.

Village 2
Um this is somewhere in the middle of the village..near the cinema I think.

Australia Day
OK, we didn't dress up per se, but we were patriotic on the INSIDE.

Australia Day 2
Pre party drinks and fun at housing (or after party, depending on whether you had been celebrating since 6am or working that morning)

Australia Day 3
Typical housing hall party, until it gets busted up by housing patrol. Apparently wedging the apartment doors open is a fire hazard. Yes it will be MUCH harder to evacuate if all the doors are OPEN.

Australia Day 4
Kate. Now that's what call auschraylin.

Australia Day 5
One of the places we finally got into - Tommy's

Australia Day 6
Lee and Kate tearing it up on the Maxx Fish dance floor. Unfortunately it wasn't the most popular place on Australia Day, and they failed to get the place pumping.

Australia Day 7
Waiting in the taxi queue to go home. Still happy aussies!