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Hi guys,
hope you are well. Been a busy weekend in Kelowna, British Columbia, driving, playing cricket, watching hockey playoffs, playing cricket & DRIVING!
Kelowna is aboot 744kms west of Calgary, with a population of about 150,000. It really has the feel of a small town rather that a big city, based in a very pretty valley around a very large lake. It only took us 9hrs to get here (inc a couple of food stops) on Friday night, got to the hotel around 2am (with the hour we gained crossing a timezone).
The drive through the Rocky Mountains was unreal! the road itself is fairly flat winding around the mountains that just rise up and everywhere. Didn't get time to stop for a decent picture, but I will definately be back up there soon for a look at the glaciers, lakes etc.
Stayed in a nice little hotel in apartment room with 10 guys from Bangladesh, SA, Pak, Ind and good only knows where else. It's like the united bloody nations!
Our first game got off to an average start after the council watered the ground/pitch the night before. The locals put down sawdust to absorb
Rocky Mountains
Photos just don't do them justice...the moisture and scraped it up with snow shovels. It worked ok but the pitch was very slippery as I was about to find out. The first ball I faced I worked off my leg to fine leg for a single and was thinking about 2, that is until I tried to turn and went sliding about 2metres along the pitch before depositing myself on my backside. Well played. At least it was a memorable start...
I put on a quick 19 runs including a cow corner 6 before my teammate decided to give me out LBW to a ball pitching WAY down leg. Didn't even have time to look up and he had the trigger finger up. The Kelowna keeper and captain actually apologised to me on the way off, very friendly.
We went on to win convincingly, before packing up and heading down to the waterfront for a feed on the best pork ribs I have ever had and about 18 jugs of beer. My south African drinking buddy Grant and I were somewhat dusty the next morning, but the Flames got a win and I fluked some genuine wins in 8ball before the affluence of
Kelowna Cricket Club
Nice club rooms, it is situated in a big sporting complex for soccer, lacross, rugby, cricket etc. incohol got the better of us. Yes I am wearing a flames shirt and yes I am on the bandwagon. 'We' can clinche the series tonight in Calgary with a win over the ducks....
Had a look around the famous Kelowna 'beach' between games on Sunday morning. It is aboot 100m long and consists on some sand / gravel on the lakes edge. All the good looking people were hanging out, the blokes walking around with tops off & the chicks in skimpy clothes, so we fit RIGHT in. Really pretty with the mountains rising up right next to the lake.
Bowled Oliver out for 30 in the 2nd game after we put on 140 in 30 overs. The game had to be stopped for 5 mins after I deposited my 2nd 6 into the river besire the ground, oh it was massive! Made 25 in pretty good time (yes that means aboot 96 balls Ross you smart arse...)
Discovered Timmy Horten (or T-Ho's as we locals call it) which have awesome dog nuts. Had 2 boston creams already, spectacularly filled with gooey custard and chocy incing on top. Good thing I have to walk/run everywhere otherwise
Me Batting
Smacking up a storm in Kelowna, aboot 0.73 secs before being given out LBW I will get as fat as Bretty... he he he
The drive back was a long one, but a good fun weekend all round.
P.S Congrats Matt & Victoria who had a little girl Sophie Charlotte Blackberry! Can't wait to see some photos...
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Tot: 0.145s; Tpl: 0.017s; cc: 11; qc: 29; dbt: 0.0814s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
anonymous
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liar
Abe you are obviously playing on very small grounds if your clearing the fence. a quick 19............ i find that hard to understand. Good to hear all is going well. dee's are back by the way and the blues still smell. Take care, talk sometime soon