hmmm, so I'm discovering the joys of being a traveller, and not having to be in any particular place at any particular time...
I've been in Banff a week now, and was meant to be on the bus back to Vancouver tonight but have decided that I love it so much here that I'm staying at least another week, but hopefully for a few months. There are heaps of jobs going, but finding accommodation is a different story. Apparently it's always hard to find accommodation during the winter season, but this year is especially difficult for some reason.
I have a job interview tomorrow morning at the Rimrock Resort, which is one of the flashest hotels in Banff - it's just out of town and is nestled right in the wilderness. I've got an interview for a hostess position (I'm no entirely sure what that equates to in NZ terms, but I think it's waitressing) - and the awesome thing is, if I get this job, I get staff accommodation too so that's awesome! (It's like $7 a day and your get free food and stuff. It's a pretty sweet deal)
So in the last couple of days I've 'hit the mountain' for a bit of riding. The snow here is awesome - so soft and powdery! I have been hiring gear, but if I get this job, that'll be the first thing I buy! I'm not totally gumby, but I've got a long way to go before I'll consider myself a 'snowboarder'! One of the kiwi guys here is a pretty mean boarder, so I'm working on getting him to give me some free lessons!
I'll post soon, hopefully with happy news about the job situation!
XXX
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Monday, December 11, 2006
Banff!
I'm in Banff, in Alberta now. It is amazingly beautiful here, nestled right in the middle of the Canadian Rockies. Unfortunately I'm only here for a week, but I'm thinking about extending my stay for a few more days. There's lots of jobs going here and I would love to stay for most of the season, but finding a place to live is almost impossible!
I've met lots of awesome people here - finally a few more kiwis! We've been out every night and the Banff nightlife is really awesome! So far I've experienced 'Dirt Night', the pump and tap pub, and 25c beer night (that's a lot of beer for not much money!)
Apart from sampling the local night scene, I've been doing lots of exciting things during the day. I haven't made it up the mountain yet, but it's been snowing up there today, so the fresh powder tomorrow should be awesome. I've bought myself a styley new jacket too - so I'll look the part, even if I spend most of the time on my bum... i'm not looking forward to the bruises...
I've been up the Banff gondola, which is 2280 odd metres up Sulphur Mountain. It was an awesomely clear day and you could see forever... lots of mountains, all covered in snow - soooo very, very pretty! I have lots and lots of photos (I promise they are coming soon). I've also frequented the Hot Springs - it's very relaxing to sit in a 38degree pool when there's snow all around you.
Banff is incredibly pretty and I know that I'll definately be coming back on my way East. But for now it's back to Vancouver and the real world (finding a job and somewhere to live...) for a little while at least.
I've met lots of awesome people here - finally a few more kiwis! We've been out every night and the Banff nightlife is really awesome! So far I've experienced 'Dirt Night', the pump and tap pub, and 25c beer night (that's a lot of beer for not much money!)
Apart from sampling the local night scene, I've been doing lots of exciting things during the day. I haven't made it up the mountain yet, but it's been snowing up there today, so the fresh powder tomorrow should be awesome. I've bought myself a styley new jacket too - so I'll look the part, even if I spend most of the time on my bum... i'm not looking forward to the bruises...
I've been up the Banff gondola, which is 2280 odd metres up Sulphur Mountain. It was an awesomely clear day and you could see forever... lots of mountains, all covered in snow - soooo very, very pretty! I have lots and lots of photos (I promise they are coming soon). I've also frequented the Hot Springs - it's very relaxing to sit in a 38degree pool when there's snow all around you.
Banff is incredibly pretty and I know that I'll definately be coming back on my way East. But for now it's back to Vancouver and the real world (finding a job and somewhere to live...) for a little while at least.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Sunshine and Raindrops!
Today it's Wednesday, it's 6degrees and the sun is shining!
I'm losing track of what day is what and when I did things, but since I last posted, I've been a busy beaver...
My roomies and I headed up the Harbour Centre Tower Lookout the other day - it's like the skytower, but with a very different view! It's 360degrees of mountains, city, sea and sky - very magical! All to the North, it's just mountains forever! There was still a little bit of snow in the city, so it looked like it could be on a Christmas card! The ticket is good for all day, so we popped back at night to see all the twinkling lights of the city - Vancouver all of a sudden gets smaller when you can't see the mountains!
I've also cultured myself with the art gallery and museum of anthropology - both amazing and really opened my eyes to new things.
The gallery had an exhibition called 'paint' which was paintings by B.C artists from the last 40 years which was amazing - I spent about an hour in that exhibition alone!
The museum of anthropology is on the grounds of the University of British Columbia (UBC), so we had to wander through seas of students to get there - it was odd to see students going to school at this time of year, cos back home everyone is on holiday!
Apart from that I've done the usual city-girl-shopping thing, but haven't (yet) spent much! There's lots of things I like though - and the shoes, the shoes! I could quite happily live in the shoe shops here!
Today I'm headed to north Van with some of the hostelers - we're going up to the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. I'm not sure how high or long it is, but it's big and runs over a big canyon... scary stuff, but it should be awesome, cos it's a really beautiful day here!
Tomorrow I head up to Banff (14hours on a greyhound bus, ruh-roh!) and have a week up there - I hope get a couple of days boarding in and see the sights - Banff has some amazing natural features (hot springs, Peyto Lake, the national park) so I will be touristing it up! After that the plan (at this stage) is to head back to Van and start looking in earnest for some work!
xxx
I'm losing track of what day is what and when I did things, but since I last posted, I've been a busy beaver...
My roomies and I headed up the Harbour Centre Tower Lookout the other day - it's like the skytower, but with a very different view! It's 360degrees of mountains, city, sea and sky - very magical! All to the North, it's just mountains forever! There was still a little bit of snow in the city, so it looked like it could be on a Christmas card! The ticket is good for all day, so we popped back at night to see all the twinkling lights of the city - Vancouver all of a sudden gets smaller when you can't see the mountains!
I've also cultured myself with the art gallery and museum of anthropology - both amazing and really opened my eyes to new things.
The gallery had an exhibition called 'paint' which was paintings by B.C artists from the last 40 years which was amazing - I spent about an hour in that exhibition alone!
The museum of anthropology is on the grounds of the University of British Columbia (UBC), so we had to wander through seas of students to get there - it was odd to see students going to school at this time of year, cos back home everyone is on holiday!
Apart from that I've done the usual city-girl-shopping thing, but haven't (yet) spent much! There's lots of things I like though - and the shoes, the shoes! I could quite happily live in the shoe shops here!
Today I'm headed to north Van with some of the hostelers - we're going up to the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. I'm not sure how high or long it is, but it's big and runs over a big canyon... scary stuff, but it should be awesome, cos it's a really beautiful day here!
Tomorrow I head up to Banff (14hours on a greyhound bus, ruh-roh!) and have a week up there - I hope get a couple of days boarding in and see the sights - Banff has some amazing natural features (hot springs, Peyto Lake, the national park) so I will be touristing it up! After that the plan (at this stage) is to head back to Van and start looking in earnest for some work!
xxx
Friday, December 1, 2006
Frickin' Freezin!
Howdy once again!
This time, I'm writing and I'm actually half way round the world. It's now my 3rd day in Vancouver and I'm lovin' it! I'm sitting in the SWAP (Student Work Abroad Program) office on West Hastings Street in the middle of downtown, looking out the window at the Canadian snow. I can't quite see the harbour from here, but it's spectacular!
I arrived on Tuesday night (Nov 28th) about 2 hours late (due to flights being delayed in LAX) into about -10c and snow falling! It was so cold it actually makes you cough! It's unusual for Vancouver to be so cold and if they have snow, it's not usually until January, which is considered the middle of winter.
It's warmed up a bit now and the snow is starting to melt, but Vancouver is still a very pretty city. So far I haven't seen a lot outside of the central city because I spent my first day here doing all the paper work I need to work here. So, now I have started my new life - I have a bank account, a Social Insurance Number and the like!
Yesterday I went out with some of the other hostelers to Stanley Park, which is 450 hectares of reserve land in the North East of Vancouver Central. It was all covered in snow and a few degrees colder than the city, but it was amazing! We saw lots of little squirrels running around, Beever Lake was frozen and all the pines trees had snow on them - it was just like a Christmas card! We spent about 4 hours wandering around the park, which leads right down to the waterfront and an amazing view of Lion's Gate Bridge (which connects to North Vancouver). There is something very odd about seeing snow on a beach though - very surreal!
I'm going to head up to Banff next just to have a look around, and then possibly across to Calgary. It's pretty chilly up there though - about -20c on a good day! I'll post from there!
(Am trying to figure out how to get some photos up... but the SWAP computers (which are free) don't have USB plugs... they are pretty oldskool)
This time, I'm writing and I'm actually half way round the world. It's now my 3rd day in Vancouver and I'm lovin' it! I'm sitting in the SWAP (Student Work Abroad Program) office on West Hastings Street in the middle of downtown, looking out the window at the Canadian snow. I can't quite see the harbour from here, but it's spectacular!
I arrived on Tuesday night (Nov 28th) about 2 hours late (due to flights being delayed in LAX) into about -10c and snow falling! It was so cold it actually makes you cough! It's unusual for Vancouver to be so cold and if they have snow, it's not usually until January, which is considered the middle of winter.
It's warmed up a bit now and the snow is starting to melt, but Vancouver is still a very pretty city. So far I haven't seen a lot outside of the central city because I spent my first day here doing all the paper work I need to work here. So, now I have started my new life - I have a bank account, a Social Insurance Number and the like!
Yesterday I went out with some of the other hostelers to Stanley Park, which is 450 hectares of reserve land in the North East of Vancouver Central. It was all covered in snow and a few degrees colder than the city, but it was amazing! We saw lots of little squirrels running around, Beever Lake was frozen and all the pines trees had snow on them - it was just like a Christmas card! We spent about 4 hours wandering around the park, which leads right down to the waterfront and an amazing view of Lion's Gate Bridge (which connects to North Vancouver). There is something very odd about seeing snow on a beach though - very surreal!
I'm going to head up to Banff next just to have a look around, and then possibly across to Calgary. It's pretty chilly up there though - about -20c on a good day! I'll post from there!
(Am trying to figure out how to get some photos up... but the SWAP computers (which are free) don't have USB plugs... they are pretty oldskool)
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