Not only did we get a better aircraft 747-400 called "Long Reach" we got better pilots as well. These boys ignored their fuel bonuses and made it to LAX in 11 hours! Perhaps they were assisted by the luxury of a half full flight with plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the video library.
After getting stuck in a massive immigration line, and making a mad dash from one side of LAX to the other for my Air Alaska connection. Security pulled me out of line to inform me that one of my bags was going nowhere if I did not re-attend to it. It was missing its transit tag. Whom ever tampered with my bag (as I discovered bottom buckles left unsecured) lost its transit tag in the process. So a big thanks to the Bag Drop boys for remembering who kicked that particular bag under their rope.
Before I arrive at Vancouver, I just have to mention that my Air Alaska flight had THE hottest hostie (if not woman) I have ever seen. Not counting my 'Nasty Hot' category - which is dominated by Tara from Boston Legal (played by Rhona Mitra) ...this hostess was your iconic all-american Daisy Dukes (Jessica Simpson's version anyway)
Wish I could have taken photos from the decent into Vancouver, even in bad weather the islands and logging log-floats in the channels made for a very special view. YVR itself was one of the more impressive airports I have been through... 1) for its art work and design 2) for its stark contrast to LAX, with NOT one single person in the immigration lines. There were only 30 people on my flight in, and they were all processed by the time I was out of the "Washroom"
I waited 2 hours for my next connection, (and pleasant surprise of a fully paid ticket waiting for me) to catch the coach which took me from Vancouver up the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway. I did not bother with photos tho cos the weather was so bad, I'll wait for much better weather.
I arrived in Whistler Village at 4.30pm on Thursday 5th Nov and by 5pm it was dark. I was very happy to be checking into the Summit Lodge & Spa for the weekend. My reward for over 30 hours in transit after not sleeping for the 36 hours leading up to it (a last grab for cash from work:)
Believe it or not I actually still SLEPT ON the COUCH on my first night in Whistler!!! More to do with exhaustion than a queen bed aversion.
My room for the last two nights was the left window on the top floor center. You can also see from the centre photo how low the clouds have been sitting this is all of Mt Blackcomb that I have been able to see 3 days in. You will see a mountain in the selection of pics from arround the village, but only cos it is a little one ...which is neither Whistler nor Blackcomb.
Above... my view when I woke up on my first morning in Canada.
Finding a room is going to be a much bigger challenge than I was already expecting. Long term (resident) renters are getting punted out of there homes... home owners are moving into their own rentals... and prices being fetched for properties in the month of February ALONE... are often as much as if they had been rented out the whole season. There is so much money being thrown around by people both needing to be here for the Olympics (broadcasters) and just wanting to be here for the Olympics, is obscene. Homeowners are booting tenants from their rentals so that they have a place to live while they lease out there own homes - for the equivalent (in some cases) of a years mortgage payments!!! (and we are not exactly talking small mortgages either, it is a snow field.)
As I have been putting this blog together, I have caught a break... securing a room to myself in a two bedroom suit for $200/week for up to the next three weeks. At which point the owner is moving in to rent out his house. Excellent value compared to alternative options, but I do have to display the suite and pick someone to fill the other room on the owners behalf. Worth the time & effort.
Realistically I am looking at having to share a room in a 6 Bed, 3 Bath, 3 Kitchen, 2 Lounge, 2 Deck, 1 Sauna, 1 Tuning Room, Chalet with 10-12 others for $1200/month - cable, Internet, gas, hydro, snow removal and cleaner all included. Just to ensure I have a bed for the WHOLE season... cos most places tenants are getting punted during the Olympics... there are going to be A LOT of travelling homeless in February.
A walking trail inbetween the Village and Brio, not nearly as pretty in the pic as when your actually walking through it. Not quite as barron as the walk down Swift Gulch Rd to Avon.
