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After one last gym visit and swim we checked out of our hotel in Cannon Beach and said goodbye to the cute bunny rabbits.We stopped briefly to see the residents of the Haystack – the tufted puffins. Through the binoculars we could watch them flying about and heading into their Read more

Heading South from Seattle we stopped in the “capitol” of Washington State, Olympia. Here we came across a mini White House which is used as the state legislative building. It was pretty fancy pants inside too, with the largest collection of Tiffany chandaliers. We found a great farmer’s market and Read more

Before leaving Kamloops, we visited the wildlife sanctuary as we’d heard the grizzly bears were awake for the spring. It was lovely to see them playing together but I wouldn’t want to have a play wrestle with them!There were lots of other orphaned or injured animals (usually hit by cars) Read more

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 with a bed, a small kitchen space, shelving and under 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 were both told that if we worked on a few 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 snood (worn under your helmet for warmth) but it is 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 our Winter Sports guys won ice hockey tickets for the 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 of being a beginner is totally fresh in our minds! 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 after the level 2 training began). No pressure!!!! Luckily, loads 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 away and costs $40 each way by pre-booked shuttle or 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 the windchill. It is a 4-day exam but it is 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 teaching those with a cognitive impairment. The instructors were great 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 run and I am nursing a sore knee from a 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 people getting caught in avalanches. Saturday morning we gathered at 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 the rider improvement section was especially enlightening. Day 2 was 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. For one of our first runs our instructor, Kyle, took 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 less bizarre. Monday was really busy on the slopes as 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 use of the lower body in your riding and was 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 off with a yoghurt. Pete selected the hot option of 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 cleared immigration and took another hour flight to Kamloops. Then 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 seeing people you know). The answer is Canada (via a 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 get to see everyone. And that is exactly what we 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 reflected that I never imagined loving so many parts of 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 sightseeing. Although from a morning of snow the weather had 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 to pack up and head off. And boy did it Read more