After many, MANY months of waiting, skiing arrived. This was welcomed with my little accident the previous day, and it felt like a well desereved rest was needed.
Got up early on Sunday 14th and set off.
Got to school, put up a couple of banners for Mikes birthday, gave him his present (a Bad Mother Fucker wallet and a full-bleed Unicorn stronghold for his new deck) and left.
We got to the airport in good time, checked in, had a look around the shops, had a free shot of some vodka cocktail (that wasnt too bad either), and boarded.
Let me say now, if you ever have the oppertunity to fly Air India; dont. It was hideous.
Cramped, rubbish food, and there wasnt anything good on the telly-thing. Doesnt sound that bad, but when youre all spilt up from each other because the flight youve boarded has already been in the air for 12 hours from India, THEN you start to realise the problem.
I was next to an old Indian guy that slept the whole time and who seemed nice enough, and on the other side a guy called Mark. Im glad he started talking to me, he seemed pretty cool, and he helped make the flight a bit more interesting. We drank together; this was good. I had wine, he had gin.
We both spilt it all over ourselves at some point, so come off the plane smelling alcohol-ly.
Im still trying to find him on FB..
The real problem came when I tried to get off the plane; my passport was missing.
I remember putting it in my pocket about 2 hours before landing, but 20 minutes before getting off, and it wasnt there.
With the captain, a couple of cabin staff and some ground-crew, we searched all around, well, everywhere.
When I finally get off the plane, Im marched into immigration, where a RUDE American(?) tells me Ill either be deported, or spend lots of money running around trying to get a new passport.
To spare you the details, an hour later after waiting, bag searching and phone calls home, I pay $200 to get into the country on a temporary permit. Luckily, Air India photocopied our passports at Heathrow, so I could prove I actually had a passport to begin with.
I got on the bus to appaulse, thankfully, and fell into a bad-mood sleep on the way to the hotel.
Mike and I have our first ninja cigarette, it was scary.
Monday is brilliant skiing with our instructor Ben, where we just rocket down loads of slopes all day - Greens up to Double Blacks; surprisingly good fun, seeing as how I htought Id be pushed out of Expert for 'not being aggressive enough'.
That night, Luke is very ill..
Tuesday, more rocketing about, and plans are made for me to go to Toronto to get my Emergency Passport.
Everyone goes swimming, but I duck out; partly bad mood still, mostly feeling ill.
That night, I am very ill.
Luke is still ill.
Wednesday, I go out for an hour or so again with everyone, but go in for a rest because moving makes me feel ill. I fall asleep in the public caffertia for an hour or two, getting weird looks when I periodically wake up; GOODTIMESSSS (Y)
I am still ill, but almost fully recovered
Luke is still ill, but almost fully recovered.
That morning, Teddy is ill.
That night, Mike is VERY ill.
Thursday I get up TOO early and head for Toronto with Carrott - we hired a car (paid for by yours truely). 2 hours there, 2 hours waiting around for my passport, 2 hours back. Nice, boring day. Further $156 for my passport.
We went night skiing that night, which was wicked. Ungroomed but slightly mushy snow is naiiice, and a good experience to have. BITTERLY COLD WINDS THOUGH.
Mike is still ill.
Friday was quite sad, becuase I was seemingly just getting fully into my stride, but it was hte best day for skiing; cold still, but bright sunlight all day.
It was nice to ski in sunlight, made it seem all happy and warm.
However, skiing the next day would have been hideous, as the snow was melting by the end of hte day, and wouldve frozen solid overnight, making skiing near impossible. Good way to end though :)
That night we headed for Niagra, and filled the coach journey with 20 Questions, except there was limitless questions, and what you were thinking of could be anything. At all. Sam managed some really obscure things, not helped by her misleading suggestions.. ¬¬
That night as well we went to look at the Falls by night, which is really rather nice.
The whole river was frozen, pretty much, and all the mist coming off hte falls was freezing on the railing aroudn the edge; it made pretty patterns which were particularly impressive to Emma, Pelham and me.. ^^
Saturday we went under the falls, which wasnt as impressive as Id hoped - the bits you looked through were frozen, so the only bit to look from was at the side a little way off; this was full of people, and not overly interesting. We abbandoned it, and went off looking in the surrounding shops..
At this point, the story takes a sad turn; I saw a beloved Maccaroni Grill. I nearly went in and said how i used to host there, but resisted the urge, becuase of how weird Id look (I dont really know what id do if someone did that to me, and I dont think Id care either..)
After that, we headed to a shopping complex, had a mooch around, and Ive found a new favourite shop; Urban Heritage. I intend to buy a number of things online, their tshirts were QUITE witty..
After that, nothing left to do but come home.
We headed for the airport, I got funny looks for my yellow passport, we got on the plane, I slept.
It was uncomfortable, and my eyes REALLY hurt the next day. I rejected all food presented to me..
We got home, I explained to my parents about my passport, they filled me in on the nothingness that had hapened here whilst I was away.
The circle of life continues.. ^^
We did a few evening activites inbetween as well, I just cant remember the order everything went in (for that matter, the order of hte things Ive put down - correct me, if you feel so inclined..)
One night we did a special bowling that came from that area of Canada; our team won overal. Hells yeah.
Another night we went to a big, heated outdoor swimming pool, which was nice to sit in whilst still feeling slightly queesy..
Overal, it was a nice little break away; Ive further refined my skiing, I know that Canadians are very nice people, and Ive learnt the true value of keeping my passport safe; after sitting in immigration with guys saying "Im from Poland and theyre deporting me", you dont want to be back in that room any time soon..
My total bill for hte passport is a little under $480CAN, which is covered by insurance btw, so Windeatts claiming it back for me..
Safe to say, this is my most epic most to date, and Im well aware of this - Ive missed loads out, and to those of you that have made it this far, well done! See me for a gold star (Y)
No doubt as Ive said before, Ill recall amusing annecdotes and slot them casually into conversation..
Im tired now.
Dudes (Y)
