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My grand plan for the year was to not work for as long as possible and get to Canada around October to search for a suitably cushy job in a ski resort. I held my end of the bargain up - and didn’t work for around ten months, but when it came down to finding a high paying, low-effort job in Canada, I was screwed. On closer inspection in Canada, I had plenty of options for work but from traveling for the better part of a year and not working one day, I was struggling to find the required motivation for serious job hunting..

I really believe traveling is a great pass time, but after chasing the dream non-stop for almost 300 days straight, I was finding it hard to absorb anything new on offer. Unfortunately in Canada, this hit home hard, and it prompted me to begin making plans for the final ascent back home, back to the real world. After sitting around for what seemed like forever in Canada, I finally worked up the courage to make arrangements, and with-in a week, I was to be on yet another flight. Possibly the last for awhile.

On my final day in Canada i was feeling rather nostalgic. It was hard, partly because I was heading home for work and (hopefully) serious debt reduction, but mostly because I had had such an incredible year and it was really hard to think about what i would do on those other days of the week - as I had honorarily re-named every day “Saturday” for the year. Boarding the plane was filled with mixed feelings. I had learnt and earned (not in monetary terms though =) so much this year that I had no idea what to do next or what would happen next.

This was it, the final leg of my journey.

To view my gallery from my second visit to Canada this year, click here.

Well, no time right now (really doñ´t need to be stuck in an airport where no one really speaks English) for any longer than neccessary, so gotta go make my flight.,

But I´ll be back soon to sum up an absolutelly incredible time in Canada (where it averaged a ¨Balmy¨ -15 Degrees C), lots of piks to upload soon too..

Now as i move over the equator, i´m kinda glad i´ve only packed half my cold weather stuff ..

Any way gotta run =)ç

stay tuned..

Hi hi..,..,

Just thought I’d write & let you know what’s been happening .. Feels like my brain’s gone into some kind of shock for now, and it feels better getting some of it out..

Things have been really GREAT so far.. It’s been go go go since i started, and now I’m really looking forward to a break and a bit of a Holiday.. Been skiing every day for what, 7-8 days straight now and it’s starting to be a bit of a burden.. Oh listen to me… Tough. So far, We’ve Skied; Mt Baldy, Red Mountain, White Water Mountain, and Fernie Resort.. (Soo tough - Tomorrow, we’re off to Ski Kimberly Resort, Then off to Banff to ski around there (Lake Louise, Sunshine etc), then will also probably go to Powder Springs, and Maybe Whistler if we get time (oh, how do we do it all..?)..

Been at Fernie for the last 3 nights (tonight is our last..), and we have this great self contained apartment.. Unfortunately, never in my life, have I slept on a more uncomfortable sofa bed.. After one night of agony, I decided that the floor was the best option.. Better.. Which is saying something..

Bloody SORE from skiing hard - Sooo many double black runs (grins).. No bad (ok, permanent) stacks, a few bruises, but that’s about it so far (touching wood..). Been eating like a horse (as you do at the snow), and Rob is making sure we are getting the most out of it all.. He’s CRAZY when he gets on skis.. Yeh, MUCH worse than me..

Bought some new Skis in Vancouver.. Atomic Metron MX’s (yeh, I don’t know what that means either,.) But apparently they’re hot.. Got them for a bargain.. Reduced from $1400 to $500. Ok, if you wanna get technical, and caught up in nancy pancy details, converted that probably goes more like $700AUD, but they would have gone for around $1500 in Oz.. They already look rather second hand, but they are really great, and are serving me well thus far..

Money is rather thin in the snow, and it’s quite amazing how easy it is to spend.. The A$ isn’t all that great either at the Mo..

I sore my first Ice Hockey Match this afternoon in down-town Fernie.. It was quite amazing.. but left halfway through as the Quarters are 20mins long, then they break for 15 mins in between, AND they stop the clock if someone farts.. It seems a game lasts about five hours..

A highlight for me was when a player stopped mid play and skated off the ice with his hand over his face. His team mates then pointed to the ice, and the reff. proceeded to use his hockey stick to usher the players teeff off to the side =) (bloody funny.. literally..).

Already got some leads for work later in the year as at this rate, I’ll either be TRULY homeless, back in Australia real soon, or extremely broke.. So possible options include Vancouver, IT Contract work, and i’ve spoken to the nice people at Ram’s Head Inn @ Red Resort, and voiced my interest in helping out there.. So all good so far - Wanna come stay with me if I’m running a lodge at the end of the year..?

Speaking of work, I had to do a “Boarder Run” the other day.. Ok, not as dramatic or nearly exciting as it sounds (Mind you, another friend of mine has “recommended” that i do a xtreem games style boarder run in South America with some of the locals, which i’ll probably be giving a miss on.. He also recommended there was a nice gaol to say in in the area.. Some people have strange ideals of fun, eh..?). Um, where was i?? Yuh, I had to cross the boarder the other day, as I bloody forgot to get my Work Visa stamped when i entered the country in Vancouver.. Let me tell you, those boarder police don’t like a joke much.. ( I tried a few out on them before realising it was futile). I did joke (actually, not sure if it was a joke or not now thinking about it) with Rob and Belinda on the way to the boarder that I’ll see them in 15 years… All good, the nice surly officer stamped my passport, and I’m still free to come and go as i please..

..I got an email back with instructions on how to get to where i’m staying in Salvador in Brazil the other day (the next leg of my journey).. Holy CRAP. I can’t even pronounce the address..!! It doesn’t even LOOK like a bloody address.. Thankfully., I’ve got a few emergency phone numbers to call which were attached with the address, however, they all state clearly “No English”, except one, that says, ” some English, sometimes”.

Soo, looking forward to Brazil, Rio, Carnival, Salvador and everything.. Not looking forward to the two drooling days of flights to get down to Rio..

I’ve booked my Inca Trail Hike in Peru, and by chance, I met some people in Vancouver who’s daughter runs or works for a Galapagos Island tour Company - which i believe will be quite expensive but BLOODY WORTH IT.. Then I’ll be recovering from that in the Bahamas afterwards..

I’ve been feeling, i guess, prematurely home-sick the last two or three days, missing all my friends and family HEAPS.

I was told a story today about how Bill Gates forked out $10 Billion recently to immunise the whole of Africa against a shite-load of diseases. — This made me stop and realise that this is my choice, and GAWD DAMN I’m one lucky bastard.. So i stopped feeling so depressed and miserable, and started to smile again..

It’s all a perspective thing i guess - sometimes hard to see what you have and the value of it all when you actually have choices and things that we take for granted in a first world.

Well.. - here I am in my first stop, Canada… It’s been a really long lead-up to this moment and now I’m really smiling.

I’m currently writing from Red Mountain Resort in Canada (British Columbia), which has been my first chance to actually stop for a second and reflect on ALL that has brought me here..

We (*Rob, Bel & I) hired a car in Vancouver, and after a couple of parking fines, a red-light ticket -the parking fines are real cheap by the way , and a few wrong turns, we finally arrived at Red Mountain around 5pm today (these time zones are doing my head in..&$#%). We are staying at Ram’s Head Inn for a few days.. The place is great and feels really cosy, but that’s not why were here.. We will be out tomorrow first thing for some fresh powder. It’s been absolutely dumping snow here, the drive up was amazing (check for photos next week) and speaking to the locals, they say the snow’s now the best it’s been for a while. Can’t wait..!!

Last night we stayed in this tiny town called Osoyoos (i think it’s pronounced Oh-soo-yerse, but with a Canadian accent). The drive from Vancouver took over 9 hours, and we HAD to stop and buy new skis etc.. so we did it over two days. Earlier today, we ripped up this tiny little Ski Resort close to Osoyoos, called Mt Baldy. It was totally awesome, the best snow I’ve seen for ages– and really cheap at $38 for a days lift pass (compared to $87 in Australia’s major resorts).

For me, the fact that I don’t have to live, breathe, and BE work for an extended extended period of time is so fantastic in itself, it brings an instant smile and feeling of relief to my face and mind. Possibly the first totally stress-free feeling I’ve had for as long as I can remember.. ..

I am totally looking forward to the year ahead now; previously I’ve not had the head-space to actually appreciate what’s now reality.

Life has so much white noise. I’m working on changing that - going to be focusing on what’s truly important.. (still not 100% sure what that is, but I’ll have a damn good go at figuring it out - without the interruptions of responsibility..)..