Christmas Day in Sun Peaks

Finally Christmas makes sense!  All those Christmas card pictures, the pine trees, the snow covered roofs and roast turkey dinner all make perfect sense when you experience a White Christmas.
I didn't need my own tree, I found those decorated by others were much more rewarding!

It was so exciting watching families check into the hotel, bringing enough food to feed their respective armys and with presents gift wrapped among the suitcases.  Even a Christmas Tree accompianed one family to make their Christmas in Sun Peaks complete.

Christmas Eve I played hostess to some 'new recruits' behind my counter! 

Christmas Morning dawned warm and sunny, a special treat.  I joined MS with her dad and brother for a casual trek along the snowshoe trails.

Due to the warm air, the snow was constantly sliding off the trees, and some stray snowballs were flying around.....

Frosty enjoyed a Christmas Bevvy!

Christmas Day 2010

Snowshoe Trails

Well, this winter it isn't just about the skiing.  My first new winter experience was going Snowshoeing.  Definitely not a winter sport option in Brisbane, and not something I have ever wanted to do on my 5 day long snow holidays, where as much downhill as possible was all I ever wanted!

Learning to snowshoe was brief, all I had to do was be my clusmy self, and all of a sudden in the middle of Sun Peaks there was nothing else but us and the trees....



Adventure Centre Staff

 

Since first trying Snowshoes, I have taken the opportunity to start exploring some of the trails in Sun Peaks.  This has lead to some interesting photo opportunities and some amazing views of Sun Peaks from a different perspective.

   

  

 Black Capped Chickadees at the bird feeding station

Squirrel!!!!

Snowshoe Hare tracks

  



Mt Tod seen from above Fairways Drive







Cedars (i think?) on Mt Morissey



Following the trail....



I'm glad its winter!



Home for the winter!

After some big fun days in Seattle and a nice quiet night in Vancouver, it was time to board yet another plane and head to Kamloops, in the interior of British Columbia.  Timing is everything... I was sitting next to a Kamloops local who was returning home.  He actually was on a flight which tried to get to Kamloops the day prior, and after spending a night in Calgary, had flown back to Vancouver to try again to get home.  Ironically, it was perhaps the smoothest flight I have ever had into that airport.

I was greeted at Kamloops airport with the wonderful smile of MS and more snow on the ground.  $250 worth of essentials, groceries and booze later - it was finally time to head up the hill.



Kamloops Region




Uphill to Sun Peaks




Edge of Sun Peaks





Welcome note

 

 Have you ever considered just what you need to bring for a winter in a ski resort........




 After a wonderful pizza dinner with the girls, I then returned home to completely unpack EVERYTHING, staying up till 1am.  Jet Lag can sometimes be a bonus!

I'm settled, unpacked and moved in.  And I brought a little bit of home essentials with me.....and tim-tams, iced vo-vos, caramello koalas, shapes, minties, bundy!

Over the Seas - to Canada & more

Well, what a trip!  All went smoothly despite getting 20mins sleep the night prior to boarding my domestic flight to Sydney.  Everything packed and a little under the allowed luggage weight I headed across the Pacific to land in safely in Vancouver, which had unusual and unseasonal snow on the ground!



Outside YVR Airport



After meeting my friend AR at the airport, we got sorted and headed to the Canada-US border in a neat little Nissan Versa rental car, following the snow dump all the way to.......





Seattle!

For almost 3 days of Seattle fun, including the Experience Music Project, Sci Fi Musuem, Battlestar Galactica Exhibit, Coffee at the First Starbucks ever (we have the mugs to prove it!), Seafood at one of the Piers and enough Happy Hour cocktails to wipe out my jet lag!  All to soon it was back to Vancouver, just in time for another snow dump.





Let the countdown begin...

Woot Woot!!!
Just 1 week to go before I get 2 plane rides, cross the international date line for a super long tuesday,  and wave goodbye to a long hot summer in favour of a cold and snowy winter.  Canada, here I come!