Our sweet little netbook computer broke down around a month ago. One day it just wouldn't turn on and that was the demise of our communication abilities.
I was particularly frustrated that it had broken down, as it was less than six months old and my Mum had gotten it for us as a going-away present. Also, despite being well aware that we were shortly leaving the country with our new purchase for an indefinite amount of time, the saleslady neglected to suggest to us that the international warranty might be a good idea. So we were all the way over in Canada with a broken computer and the option of either paying $150 an hour to get it looked at in town and potentially void the warranty, or spend similar money sending it home and being computer-less for our next adventures.
Then another possibility appeared. Adam and Robyn's friend Trent was over visiting and staying on our couch. He was flying home to Brisbane and thankfully would be happy to take our poor little computer home to my Mum to get either fixed or replaced under warranty, after which we will sell it online.
So this explains our lack of communication over the recent weeks. In this time we took the opportunity to get a laptop from down in the States, where they are much cheaper than back home. So here I am, tapping away on our brand, shiny, new 14 inch HP pavilion dm4 laptop.
The season is almost over. There are only 11 days left until the season ends, but the weekend after that, the hill is reopening for a final final weekend. Between the final weekend and then the final final weekend, there's a staff day up on the hill, during which the staff of Fernie Alpine Resort will be the only ones allowed onto the hill for a day of drunkenness and debauchery. There's also a staff party this Friday night, which should be much of the same, as staff parties tend to be.
One of the biggest events of the year is the annual 80's weekend, which gives all the Calgary and Alberta out-of-towners the chance to dust of the onesies and run around like fools getting all liquored up. It was fun for all us poor sods working as well, as we all got into the spirit and rocked side-ponies and fluoro colours. The weekend includes a Hot Tub Time Machine party, celebrating the movie that was filmed in Fernie and is about a group of friends that are taken back in time due to a faulty hot tub and get to enjoy a bodacious weekend in the 80's. It's pretty trashy but it's fun picking out all the Fernie hotspots.
While 80's weekend is held fairly specifically for the out-of-towners, Hot Dog Day is purely for the locals. It is a well-kept local secret and held mid-week to deter cranky Calgarians from making the trip. It is in a similar vein, with everyone getting oot and aboot in their finest 80's ski suits and caking on the blue eyeshadow. I have managed to find a delightful baby blue pair of ski pants with particularly fetching suspender straps. Only $6 from the Op-Shop so not too shabby I reckon!
On a completely unrelated, yet super exciting topic, we bought a car today! It is bluey-green and SO pretty. It is a 1996 Dodge Caravan and it is the first car I've ever owned so I'm pretty excited about that! The previous owner has made up a wooden insert that slides into the back and has storage area that will be perfect for our suitcases and an esky. It has a queen size blow up mattress and also comes with a propane cooker and all the utensils we will need. It is all set up so we can go camping and be sufficient for a decent amount of time.
This will be perfect for us, as we are planning a big road trip once our lease here in Fernie runs out. From here we will head to Kelowna and the Okanagan lake region, then Vancouver Island before heading down the west coast America through Washington, Oregon and California. In California we want to go to San Fransisco and LA and San Diego before heading to Las Vegas. After that we will go to the Grand Canyon, before making our way back to Canada through Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. If we leave in mid-April we will have two months before we need to be back in Fernie.
The Summer season up on the hill starts in the last week of June and runs through until the end of September and Zane and I are in talks to work up at Lost Boy's, which is open on the weekends for BBQs.
We are both so excited about the road trip. Even though this season has been awesome, we're pretty ready for some sunshine and warm weather. I envision us camping next to lakes and in forests and cooking up meals on our little cooker and cruising down the highways with the windows down, serenading Zane with my amazing singing voice. Oh it is going to be great.
Only 7 days of work left, this season has just flown by!
Much anticipatory planning and road-trip dreaming,
Love T and Z
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