Living Life in a Sling

The last week hasn't been bad at all. Work has been slow, so there has been plenty of time to fool around. I've been put on the cash desk which is way cruisy compared to boots or the tech desk. It must be a pretty funny sight for the customers though, as the other person behind the cash desk is my friend Tim... who has broken his arm in 4 places and also has one arm in a sling. He has his left arm tied up and I have my right.. we make good partners in scarying customers into taking out insurance, and we have also mastered the hula dance.. but it looks more like two spastics attemting the mexican wave. It's amazing the no. of jokes that has been cracked!!

The other night we had our staff party, what they called a "Torchlight Dinner". The idea is that you catch the last lifts to Whitehorn Lodge near the top of one of the runs. You ski/board to the lodge, have a buffet dinner, drinks and live entertainment. Then you ski/board down the mountain in complete darkness except for a torchlight on your head and a few torches on either side of the freshly groomed run. Coz I couldn't board, I caught the lift on foot with Tim, and "attempted" to walk along the run to the lodge. Only thing was the run was extremely steep and my shoes didn't grip the ice much, and I found myself walking with uncontrollable speed down the hill as opposed to across it. It was both scary and funny, as I am screaming just like when I'm on a borad. And just like being on a board, I had to stack it to stop. In the end, Tim who was just as handicapped as me had to support me as I made the rest of the way across.

The dinner and entertainment was fantastic. It's amazing what a few drinks can bring out in people. Not that I was one of them! At the end of the night I got taken down on the ski-doo they use for mountain patrol. it was really cool, pity it didn't go as fast as I wanted it to. My friends were rather jealous that I got to ride down on one, but when I was at the bottom watching everyone else ski and ride down, I was quite dissappointed I wasn't part of the string of small beams zig zagging down the mountain. it sorta looked like the cartoon depiction of a shooting star, the group lead at the front with a larger, brighter torch, and a stream of tiny stars following the same path down. The whole night was such a unique experience.

Not being able to ride is a bit of a pain. But since I don't get to take advantage of 2 hour ride breaks, I get to work 8am-3pm straight and go home early which is good. On my days off, I go down to Banff and chill in a coffee shop, or use the internet. Last weekend I also went to the hot springs where you sit in an outdoor pool of 39 degree celcius of hot spring mineral water from the mountains. You get to enjoy the mountain air in the comfy warmth, and the only thing seperating you from the view of the white mountains is the steam arising from the water!

Yesterday I also went to see the ice sculpture competition held at the Chateau. There was a few really good pieces of artwork, pity the photos don't really capture it well. And to think they sit in the open until it melts, which is prob a few months from now.

Anyways, a Happy Chinese New Year to all. If you want my account details to transfer my red pocket in, drop me a line! =)