Decisions, decisions...

The season here at Big White is very quickly drawing to a close. We have had a couple of days in the last week around +10 which has had us all out in shorts during the day around the village and in just a t-shirt up on the hill. The big upside has been the construction of a number of beer gardens around the village - simple roped off "licenced" areas with a bbq and keg making for really social apres ski hours. It is amazing how quickly the sun changes a place like this. The days are noticeably longer every day and it has a little more bite to it.

Thankfully our base will hold to see us through to April 19 when we all scramble back down the hill and into reality. In some ways at this time of year we want the temperature to either be above +3 or below -3 as anything in between yields very icy, uncomfortable and dangerous conditions on the hill.

Everyone is sharing their plans at the moment for what the Spring and Summer hold for them. For me the decision is a big one. The economic downturn has hit hard and job prospects are slim. My old job back in Perth no longer exists and I am negotiating with them now as to how exactly that works (any advice is appreciated). I can either head home where I know where everything is and try my luck there or stay on here in Canada where I don't know where everything is. Now of course it is always easier to find work back home where you have an established network and a mum that lets you live at her house, eat her food and washes your clothes (any comments about this will be deleted) but I'm here now and it would seem such a waste not to give it a crack.

So now I am living week by week...its exciting, a little scary but mega fun. Next week Amy comes to visit me from Whistler and we will pack up my house together and close the season here at Big White. Next Monday we are hiring a car (the Windstar is gone - that's a whole other story...) and driving back to her place in Whistler, overnighting in either Merritt or Hope (but probably Hope as most roads lead there) by a river, in a tent, with the bears. Before hitting Whistler for one last week of ski bum life. There is a big ski and snowboard festival being held in Whistler that week with international music, arts and ski and snowboard demonstrations amongst some great parties. It will be a fun way to cap off the season.

Then its down to Vancouver and back on the couch at Tim's place. I'll be working hard from the get go in Vancouver trying to land a job and a place to live. I have been doing some long hours on the net so I have fair idea of where I want to live and how much I should pay for it. As for work...obviously a professional placement is the goal to earn real money again and experience working abroad. In the meantime I will dig holes if I have to pay the rent. If it looks like I won't land anything worthwhile then who knows?? I'll probably travel through a few places on my way back home.

I have touched base with some contacts in Vancouver thanks to generosity of friends and family and I will be meeting with them in person to try to find my feet. Despite the bland appearance of this blog I do have hundreds of photos from the season and some cool little video clips of Matt and I riding which I will share with you all...one day. The first thing I am buying when I have a decent wage again is a really good camera.