It's been a fun few days

After a mammoth amount of snow, we've had a good few days on the slopes, and had some fun apres skiing! On Monday, we went out for some skiing/boarding over at the Gem Lake area, on a beautiful bluebird day. A few runs later, we headed in for lunch and then went out for a hike towards Black Forest, using the groomed nordic trails and some snowshoe paths, that were well trodden, so no need for snowshoes. After a quick snooze, we then had our tickets department party at the steakhouse at Happy Valley. Very nice food and company, and the annual awards ceremony! Adam is proud to be the recipient of the most sarcastic, and together, we were voted best couple! (Slightly worrying prizes, as you'll see below!)
After a slightly groggy start, we headed out early yesterday for a free staff trip over to the sister resort of Silverstar, located somewhere near Vernon - about 2 hours drive away. Lots of us from tickets were there, feeling a bit delicate. Silverstar is very twee. It's meant to be "Victorian", but is actually rather more reminiscent of a wild west town, painted in gaudy colours. Nicer than the brown and brown that we have here at BW though. Adam headed off with some of our boarder friends, determined to have a blast down the black diamonds, while I stuck with another boarder colleague, and we stuck to more sedate green and blues. We managed to stay on cat tracks and roads for a lot of it - challenging for boarders when the run goes flat!
Silverstar is quite interesting to look at though - much denser tree coverage, so less tree runs, but some quite steep groomed runs. It is also nestled in between a slightly curvy mountain, where BW is a much flatter hill. Lots of nordic trails and skidoo trails intercut the runs. It was also totally empty of other people. We could go for ages without seeing anyone. It was a good day out, though we were all completely pooped by the end of it.

Snow = deep!

Snow = big chunk!

Disturbing award for 'best couple'!

Lake Country / Winfield, on the way to Silverstar

Also Lake Country / Winfield

Inukshuk at Silverstar

Silverstar village

Nobody here!

I had a go at snowboarding!

Snowboarding is well 'ard innit? Good fun though! Very glad to have been wearing a helmet... Made it to the bottom of the hill on one piece! Adam's foot is on the mend, and we're currently scoffing cadbury's finest dairy milk - imported!
Still a skier at heart!

Well that did it

You certainly have been doing your snow dance for us, haven't you? There's been absolutely masses of the white stuff this week. And more to come! I'm sure some pictures will be added later - Adam's been out all day enjoying it.
We're starting the long wind down to the end now - looking at flights, new jobs and potential new homes for when we get back to Blighty. It started with a good pal of ours heading home early on Sunday. We wished him well at a big bash at the pub on saturday night, and all felt a bit flat the next day. It will be horrible saying goodbye to all the new friends we've made.
However, there are a few bright spots on the horizon. We can now start saving some dosh, as we've paid all our rent - hurray! (Well, there's the small problem of paying for flights home first, but that's do-able!) We're hopefully heading for a day out at Silverstar resort next week  - the sister resort to Biggie. Adam and I have a shared day off tomorrow and are heading out in such of powder (shouldn't be too hard to find, with the amount we've had this week) at Gem Lake. We've also got a staff meal at the nicest place on the mountain on monday - good excuse to dress up. (Ankles upward, anyway. Walking boots required everywhere with this amount of fluffy snow.) So, lots to look forward to.
D 'n' A

Our current visitor is quite a snazzy boarder!

Yoyoyo
Youngest sister is in town this week to crack snowboarding during intensive sessions on the slopes. Shame she's not had as much snow as our most recent guests. This has not stopped us having a giggle! Adam has been chief tour guide over the last two days, and I'll be second in command until she goes. From not knowing which way the wrist guards go on, to quite stylish linked turns (when she can be bothered), youngest guest is doing really really well. (And no injuries!)

Essential gondola shot

Cruisin' the magic carpet, with a run to herself

Not too big for a cruise on the carpet myself

Progression to a chairlift with Adam

She's doing really well. Hope the next few days gets her even more confident!
In other news.
Adam consented to some very silly photographs this week. He agreed to prove that he does indeed own a shirt worn by Will in 'The Inbetweeners' film. And poses to match!

Nice specs mate.

We found some MASSIVE icicles.

MASSIVE

We also celebrated Valentines Day. Three of us ticket ladies spent a morning composing "poetry" for each and every one of our 25 workmates. We then had a long afternoon making individual cards! Other members of the department posted things in our Valentines post box, and many yummy consumables were produced. Fantastic! We also celebrated with a romantic gondola ride - the bubble was decorated with pillows, blankets, balloons, candles (fake) and romantic music - which I promptly swapped to something I preferred! Strawberries and champagne also included. Fab surprise - fits of giggles the entire journey.

Tickets Valentines!

What a giggle! Keep doing your snowdance for us, please!
Lotsa love, the Big White people.

A much overdue blog entry from Adam…

Hey all, haven’t been blogging for a while! I sprained my ankle on the 26^th Jan and haven’t done much of note since. I spent the first week on crutches and I’m still trying to get enough strength back in my ankle to be able to go back out on the snowboard. For such an active person, to be stopped from doing anything remotely physical other than thumb wars is a real pain in the ass!

What I have leant however is how complicated the ankle joint is and how much it gets f****d up when we abuse it!

We still haven’t made any firm plans for what to do after the ski season but as we decide we will update the blog.

Enjoy the rest of your February everyone and see you all soonish J

English snow is not quite the same as Canadian snow

Evidence:

That white stuff in the far background? That's low-lying cloud!

Main village area - pedestrian other than the pistebashers and skiiers. (Taken at 7.40am) We sometimes work in the building on the right.

That's a foot of snow on that roof. And those icicles? Quite small at 3 feet long... And this was taken on the gondola lift we take to work at Happy Valley.

Well, I'm missing the main evidence - I didn't get my camera out in time, but there are HUGE snow piles at the side of the road - will have to try and catch that next time I'm out. It hasn't snowed here since the middle of the week, but bright sunshine makes up for it, and it won't all vanish in the next few days!
Enjoy your snowmen and tobogganing guys!