Top 20 of 2014

It’s funny the differences in culture from Canada to the United States. If you look on my Facebook you’ll see a difference between my friends from the United States and my friends I’ve made abroad. My friends in the States are posting about their office jobs, husbands, and kids. My friends here in Canada and abroad are posting about the perks of travelling, photos of their latest adventure, and where they’re off to next.

I’m not saying one is better than the other. When I was little I told my mom I wanted to travel around the world, but I then that idea faded like most childhood fantasies. Then I grew up and I thought all I wanted was to settle down and raise a family in a nice little house in the suburbs.  But by accident I changed.  I never planned on being on my own, but last year I set off by myself for the first time just to take a few weeks to think about the current state of my life and I never went back.

My mother keeps saying I need to stop and settle down. That I'm Peter Pan. I'm not though. In my previous life I was spoiled and I never did anything on my own including pumping gas or paying a phone bill, not because I have a rich family, but I was sheltered. I'm more grown up, fearless and responsible now than I've been in my entire life.  One day when I settle down, I won't have the freedom or the ability to do what I am doing now. And when my last day and my last breath comes will I regret all the places I never saw, or be thankful for all the beauty in the world that I did get to see? Option number two please.

It is all of this that came into mind on my walk to work today. My mind is a battlefield of in which on one side I want to be home to give my mommy all the things I promised when I was 10, such as a stone house by a river and a house full of grandkids vs. seeing and experiencing the world. Remembering what I've managed to do in one year though reminds me why I'm just not ready to come home yet. So here is my year summed up in 20 highlights.

1. Snow tubing

Mt. Norquay, Alberta

 

2. Dog Sledding

Canmore, Alberta

3. Walking on rivers and lakes 

Lake Louise, Alberta
 

 

 4. Hockey games!

 

5. Montreal, Quebec

It's a spa, on a boat!

 

6. Quebec City, Quebec

 

7. Vancouver, British Columbia

 

 

9. Working on a lavender farm and winery

And learning how to mow the lawn and ride a tractor

10. Tofino, British Columbia

Seeing whales, riding on a sea plane AND attempting to surf.

 

11. Hiking

 

12. Drumheller, Alberta

Where the dinosaurs are

13. Canoeing  

 

14. Camping

And got to hang out with horses

 

15. Petted wolf dogs

 

16. Columbia Icefield, Alberta

And stood on the Athabasca Glacier,
and rode in the only snow coaches available anywhere besides Antarctica

 

17. Toronto, Ontario

 

 

18. Ottawa, Ontario - The capitol of Canada!

 

 

19. Niagara Falls, Ontario

 

20. Went snowboarding

 

 

12 December 2014

Greetings! From my warm and toasty room. I know it has been awhile, but nothing interesting has currently been happening in the Canadian Rockies. It gets warm, it gets cold. All the snow melts, and a week later there's snow up to my knees.

Last week I went snowboarding for the first time ever.

Apparently this is a really great board

I purchased my board off of Canadian craigslist, also known as Kijiji. A new board and bindings would have easily been over $500, but I purchased mine used for $125. When I went to get it waxed the girls at the shop were surprised at how much I had gotten it for. My boots and helmet which were half of the price of gear in the stores in Banff unfortunately did not make it in time to my lesson last Thursday, so I had to rent boots and a helmet. I'm not going to lie, rental gear makes you feel like a dork on the hill.

Anyhow, I woke up early in the morning to catch a bus to Lake Louise which is 40 minutes away from Banff. Although Sunshine Village is only 20 minutes away, the thought about having everyone I know watch me as I tumbled down the hill wasn't very appealing, so I opted for the much quieter Lake Louise.

I had chosen the full day group lesson for snowboarding as it was around the same price as a 2 hour lesson. It turns out I was the only one who signed up for a lesson that day, so I got an accidental, full day, private lesson for half of the price.

I had prepared myself for anything, including a trip to the hospital.  My instructor asked me every time I fell if  I was ok, but only one of my falls actually hurt, the rest just looked dramatic, or were because I had thrown myself down as I didn't really know how to stop.

Although initially the thought of sliding on one piece of wood seemed unnatural and scary, when I got on the hill I was fine. My instructor Shannon was really great and there were no injuries at the end of the day.

Everyone kept telling me to be prepared to be sore. I didn't believe them as my falls didn't hurt and my muscles hurt more after bootcamp, but I did end up basically paralyzed the next day. The following days were painful as it was an effort to even put on my clothes. But at the end of the day I had a good run. I planned on returning to the hill this week, but due to our recent warm weather, most of the snow has melted, and that which remains is an icy death trap. Not conditions for a beginner snowboarder unless she was to go flying and face planting on ice.

The new face of pro-snowboarding? Probably not.