After an unsuccesful attempt for a US seasonal work visa to work at Lake Superior, we decided to take to the road and explore Canada and Northern USA instead. We purchased a 2007 Ford E150 which has been fitted out Read more…
So things got a bit busy recently as everyone was doing what they needed to prepare for their Level 2 and Level 3 snow board and ski exams. The tension was mounting. We undertook the Level 2 Ski course and Read more…
All of a sudden, the daytime temperatures in Sun Peaks have gone crazy from minus 10 degrees to plus 9 degrees and people are shedding layers! It is nice to try and get rid of the tan line from your Read more…
Over the last couple of weeks we have been to our first ever ice hockey match, demo’d some brand new snowboards and splashed out on some spanking new ski boots. It has been a busy time. Quite a few of Read more…
So with no formal training and about 15 days in total on skis, we both managed to pass our Level 1 Ski Intructor’s exam. That means we are both now qualified to teach beginner skiers – at least the feeling Read more…
After we both got struck down by the lurgy, we had just a week to get our skiing up to standard to start the Level 2 ski training (even though we wouldn’t take our level 1 exam until two weeks Read more…
The day after the exam was very exciting for me as I ventured out of Sun Peaks for the first time since we got here at the end of November. The nearest town is Kamloops which is an hour drive Read more…
So finally after five weeks of training with Winter Sports our Level 2 exam was upon us. The weather was the coldest yet and the temperature at the top of the chairlift on Day 1 was minus 47 degrees with Read more…
Last weekend I undertook and passed the Level 1 Adaptive Sports. We learned how to guide the visually impaired, used outriggers, had a go in a sit ski (very tricky), tethered people while snowboarding and learned about how to approach Read more…
We are now a week and a half into our Level 2 Snowboard Instructors’ course and our bodies are feeling it and our heads are mashed. Pete is carrying a shoulder niggle, I hurt my ankle yesterday in a tree Read more…
For the last 2.5 days we have been undertaking avalanche training (AST Level 1). It started with some theory on Friday night in the lecture room while we watched fresh powder fall outside. There were some pretty sobering videos of Read more…
The three days of the Level 1 course have been quite intense with homework in the evenings, tasks to do over lunch and lots of feedback to be absorbed throughout the day. Day 1 seemed to go pretty well and Read more…
For the last six days we have been training every day so it has been full on. When we’ve had some snow overnight we’ve had mornings playing in the powder but sometimes that is more difficult than you might imagine. Read more…
Our three days off consisted of one day recovering from too many beers and tequila shots for birthday celebrations followed by two days of practicing our technique and riding switch. Our switch riding is definitely improving and starting to feel Read more…
Day two of training and the weather was amazing. For the first time since we had arrived you could actually see the peaks of the mountains with blue sky and freshly groomed powder. Just amazing. The instruction concentrated on the Read more…
After another pants night of jet lagged sleep, Day 1 of Level 1 training has arrived and to prepare for it a good breakfast was in order. From the buffet I chose the healthy option of porridge and fruit topped Read more…
We have arrived! We met a few guys from the Winter Sports Company at Heathrow airport and then boarded a nine hour flight to Vancouver during which we actually sat next to one of our fellow snowboarders. We all successfully Read more…
“So where to this time?” – we have been asked this question several times today by friends and acquaintances we bumped into at the airport in the Isle of Man this morning (you can’t go anywhere in the IOM without Read more…
One of the many great things about travel is coming home to see your friends and family. Your time away makes you appreciate those that you love and miss and then you suddenly find yourselves within a crazy scramble to Read more…
Exactly five months after arriving in France, this morning we left Paris to get our ferry from Calais. It feels strange to be leaving – just when we were getting the hang of some French! As our boat left, I Read more…
The thing I love about travelling in the van is that you can be flexible and change plans really easily. With the recent rain storms and snow we decided that the best thing to do was head for some city Read more…
Wow! How the weather has changed and this morning we woke up to snow! So rewind to Friday when the weather was beautiful, warm and sunny in Nice. Then we saw that on Saturday heavy rains were forecast, so time Read more…
Whilst Janet was spending a weekend in Edinburgh, Pete settled on a campsite just outside Nice in Villeneuve Loubet Plagne. It is right on the coast and very flat enabling Pete to go on a couple of one-handed cycle rides, Read more…
A surprise hen weekend was being arranged in Edinburgh to celebrate Lauren’s engagement and imminent wedding in the Isle of Man at Christmas. Janet was upset not to be able to go to the wedding, as we will be in Read more…
Sometimes in travel the biggest thing is to keep an open mind, not planning your route too much and then being open to change to your original plan. During October, this ethos had become really important in trying to find Read more…