After 20 hours in the air I arrive in Vancouver, from tropical Queensland to cold and bleak Vancouver. Already with 24 hours of travel I have been on a roller coaster. Funny things happen when you get into the fatigue state. Feeling like death on the plane with a headache and fatigue, I was beginning to regret my 2 months of late nights and early mornings and non stop adventure. That thought came into my head, that uncertainty a weary traveller feels. The "what the hell am I doling" thought. But you push through, knowing that this is part of your journey, your adventure, for there is no greater adventure in life, then those experienced overseas. And so the constant search for more depth in life continues.
2/1/14
Well, were to start... The first week has been full of intense moments, I guess you have to expect that when travelling. I guess I will start with my time in Vancouver. The start of my trip has already been an incredible journey. In 24 hours I have already found an amazing travel buddy and friend. It all started with the flight from Brisbane, as I was lucky enough to sit next to her. From here we spent 3 days exploring Vancouver, living up the start of our incredible journey. It is amazing the like minded people who come into your life when you are following your dreams and putting yourself out there.
I arrived in Whistler New Year's Eve, to spend it with my favourite travel buddy. While I had a great time as the clock ticked over, I got very sick, very quickly. Thankfully I had only had a few drinks, as I got a raging fever and chest infection that made me bed ridden for the first couple of days of the new year. I am determined to get better though, it is now snowing, which means a good day of boarding tomorrow. Body, you better be ready, cause nothing can stop me from snow boarding in fresh snow. Feeling pretty unwell, but so determined to get out there.
4/1/14
Day 2 in the slopes and I was straight into the back country with some hard core boarders. These tree runs were not for the faint hearted, they were steep and unforgiving, but I love a challenge, and thankfully I made it out alive. With some epic crashes, one involving about three rolls, thankfully into powder snow, got stuck in some trees, and did an epic 360 getting my board caught in the snow and regaining my feet to continue on the run, all in one swift motion, don't even know how that happened.
Anyway, I proved myself worthy today, so I think I am officially initiated in with the full time boarders. Ready for anything now... While I love the adrenaline rush of the difficult back country, nothing beats the feeling of flying down a nicely groomed run flat chat, closest feeling to flying I reckon.
7/1/14
Being boarding for 5 days straight now, my legs are hurting and the snow is getting thinner. I am giving every run my all, every jump and mogil. By the end of the day every turn hurts my aching muscles, but every day I am ridding with boarders that know their stuff, I need to learn a lot every day. I need to get stronger, faster, and more confident, but for now I am only just keeping up with the guys. I am determined to get out there every day, I want to do the tricks, the switch foot, the terrain parks, the 360's and the epic jumps. I have 4 weeks left, time to get serious...
8/1/14
You take a fall, a hard hit, your fingers are so cold they hurt, your body so tired it burns and yet you push on, you push on to get better, faster, stronger. It is not for the success, it is chasing that feeling, of reaching your potential. The feeling of such great speeds you feel you are flying, such heights, you feel limitless, and great tricks, that even blow your own mind and expectations. This is what life is all about... No, it is not all about snowboarding, it is all about pushing your own limits, finding it with in yourself, your own greatness. It is not what you find when you compare yourself to others, but rather, that feeling of inner accomplishment and growth... Never let anyone shrink your own potential, because you are capable of great things...
14/1/14
Today was a bit of a wake up call of caution. I got an epic hit to the head after pushing myself that little bit harder on a jump. I guess you can't call it an accident when you push yourself to ride faster and jump higher. My snow boarding had been improving every day, but today I pushed my boundaries a little too much, but I still have many more things I want to achieve on the slopes before I move on from this snow boarders paradise they call Whistler. I have now been riding 12 days straight, my muscles are sore, but my love for this strange sport is ever so strong. No knock will keep me down...
17/1/14
Snow boarding has become so much more than a fun sport... In my 17 days of boarding I have done many a tree runs and seen amazing scenery. From cliff face, to peak views. Some days I really do feel like I am on top of the world! Flying down a steep slope, literally feels like flying. Floating through fresh powder snow up to the waist and getting air on jumps, again... Feels like flying. Mastering a new trick, or landing an epic jump gives you satisfaction like no other. Discovering new terrain or hiking up a glacier to make some fresh tracks, snow boarding is an adventure like no other.
19/1/14
In the 2 months I have been travelling I have come to see one thing... Everything around you may be in constant state of change with adventure around every corner...but your internal battles remain the same. You can't travel to escape yourself, but you sure can travel to expand your understanding of this world we live in.
21/1/14
Every day amazes me here in the snow with new experiences and new achievements. I am Improving every day, regardless of the competition. I must share all my triumphs, for I am reaching a level of snow boarding I never dreamed of.
When I came to whistler I dreamed of boarding some back country and powder... I achieved that on my second day on the slopes...
Then I wanted to go to bigger jumps... I got so much time in the air and began landing nearly every jump... So then I wanted to land a 180... Mastered that today. Now I want to master the "big" jumps and before I leave I want to land a 360!
On top of the daily achievements I get some unexpected surprises... Boarding with guys that know their stuff that are fun to board with and can teach me more... Finding freshly groomed runs first thing in the morning, when I am by myself and get the whole run to myself making first tracks... Then today, going for a short easy day and end up boarding for nearly 8 hours, with some beers on top of the mountain watching the sunset! So today I not only got to make fresh tracks with a whole slope to myself... But I got to have beer on top of the world (or so it feels) with great company, and some new acquaintances and then get the whole mountain to ourself as we board down. Yeah, today was one of the best days!
Other highlights include... Boarding powder, finding new tree runs and right up there... Hiking to some untouched slopes with some awesome people, such fresh snow. Then later finding out that it was a high risk area for avalanches... Oops.
Unfortunately pushing your limits comes with consequences... The epic stacks can sometimes hurt. Almost getting whip lash with daily knocks to the head, getting winded on those face plants, landing on icy patches, not quite landing those big jumps... Yeah it hurts, but the rewards of reaching new heights and speeds is definitely worth it!
You take a fall, a hard hit, your fingers are so cold they hurt, your body so tired it burns and yet you push on, you push on to get better, faster, stronger. It is not for the success, it is chasing that feeling, of reaching your potential. The feeling of such great speeds you feel you are flying, such heights, you feel limitless, and great tricks, that even blow your own mind and expectations. This is what life is all about... No, it is not all about snowboarding, it is all about pushing your own limits, finding it with in yourself, your own greatness. It is not what you find when you compare yourself to others, but rather, that feeling of inner accomplishment and growth... Never let anyone shrink your own potential, because you are capable of great things...
14/1/14
Today was a bit of a wake up call of caution. I got an epic hit to the head after pushing myself that little bit harder on a jump. I guess you can't call it an accident when you push yourself to ride faster and jump higher. My snow boarding had been improving every day, but today I pushed my boundaries a little too much, but I still have many more things I want to achieve on the slopes before I move on from this snow boarders paradise they call Whistler. I have now been riding 12 days straight, my muscles are sore, but my love for this strange sport is ever so strong. No knock will keep me down...
17/1/14
Snow boarding has become so much more than a fun sport... In my 17 days of boarding I have done many a tree runs and seen amazing scenery. From cliff face, to peak views. Some days I really do feel like I am on top of the world! Flying down a steep slope, literally feels like flying. Floating through fresh powder snow up to the waist and getting air on jumps, again... Feels like flying. Mastering a new trick, or landing an epic jump gives you satisfaction like no other. Discovering new terrain or hiking up a glacier to make some fresh tracks, snow boarding is an adventure like no other.
19/1/14
In the 2 months I have been travelling I have come to see one thing... Everything around you may be in constant state of change with adventure around every corner...but your internal battles remain the same. You can't travel to escape yourself, but you sure can travel to expand your understanding of this world we live in.
21/1/14
Every day amazes me here in the snow with new experiences and new achievements. I am Improving every day, regardless of the competition. I must share all my triumphs, for I am reaching a level of snow boarding I never dreamed of.
When I came to whistler I dreamed of boarding some back country and powder... I achieved that on my second day on the slopes...
Then I wanted to go to bigger jumps... I got so much time in the air and began landing nearly every jump... So then I wanted to land a 180... Mastered that today. Now I want to master the "big" jumps and before I leave I want to land a 360!
On top of the daily achievements I get some unexpected surprises... Boarding with guys that know their stuff that are fun to board with and can teach me more... Finding freshly groomed runs first thing in the morning, when I am by myself and get the whole run to myself making first tracks... Then today, going for a short easy day and end up boarding for nearly 8 hours, with some beers on top of the mountain watching the sunset! So today I not only got to make fresh tracks with a whole slope to myself... But I got to have beer on top of the world (or so it feels) with great company, and some new acquaintances and then get the whole mountain to ourself as we board down. Yeah, today was one of the best days!
Other highlights include... Boarding powder, finding new tree runs and right up there... Hiking to some untouched slopes with some awesome people, such fresh snow. Then later finding out that it was a high risk area for avalanches... Oops.
Unfortunately pushing your limits comes with consequences... The epic stacks can sometimes hurt. Almost getting whip lash with daily knocks to the head, getting winded on those face plants, landing on icy patches, not quite landing those big jumps... Yeah it hurts, but the rewards of reaching new heights and speeds is definitely worth it!
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