Whistler!!!!! We made it!!!

We had a little holiday within our holiday with our trip to whistler! It was ace, we took the bus up after I finished work on the saturday, arriving around 10pm, and headed straight down for drinks in the bar! Whistler itself is a very lively place, with lots going on....while being surrounded by awesome scenery!!! It is like a little ski village hidden in the mountains!!! On sunday we awoke to rain, so decided to go for a llllooooonnnngggg breakfast! (Mark also had to buy some pants....as he had forgotten his...much to our amusement!!!!) The sun then started to come out, and we decided to spend the afternoon ziplining! Although known for its snow and winter sports, Whistler is also a fantastic summer sporting area...and we were there at a cross over time...snow still in the mountains, but cleared forest at ground level! As it was still cloudy in the mountains, the forest was a good choice for our afternoon activities!!! I loved the Ziplining, and i think the boys did too.....you are basically harnessed to a line that runs across a huge creak....and then you slide down! It was a great way to experience the forest, learn how it is being managed, and have some fun!!!! (and i got to wear a yellow jacket again!!!) That evening we ended up eating Italian and in the bar listening to some live music!!! The next day was ski / board day, so we were up early! The sun was shining and the mountain looked amazing! We headed to get our gear and meet our instructors....we had booked lessons as it was our first time on these slopes...and all the nursery runs were closed for the season!!!! I ended up having a private lesson as noone else had booked in for skiing lessons, so a bargin!!!! The snow was amazing.....the change as you climbed the mountain in the gondola was awesome....at the top you would never know it was spring down below!!!! I started well, and my instructor was quite pleased.....but then came the comedy! As it was a green run...it was gentle in places and steap in others, and although i was in control on a gentle slope....on the steap it was a different story....i could no longer control myself at all.....imagine the scene...a calm peaceful afternoon, people gently skiing down the slopes, then me, screaming and waving my arms in the air like some crazy woman as i not only went down, but also across the slope!!! As the trees neared i decided i had to fall over.....so down i went, but by this time i had picked up quite a bit of speed.....and i slid...sideways...propelling a lot of snow, and me straight into the first tree! Well, i say into, more like underneath! I ended up completely stuffed under the tree branches (which came to ground level!), my legs were stuck up in the air, with the skis hooked up on various branches, my body was pined to the ground under the branches and my arms were stuck above my head! What a sight!!!!!! ;-) The instructor had to come and take my skis off, literally untangle me and pull me out! All i could do was laugh!!!!! All he said was....."why didn't you fall earlier?!!!!" hehehehhee...luckily only suffered bruises, so i carried on....i think i provided amusement for a few people on the slopes that day!!!! My poor instructor.....at one point when another learner cut me up he had to position himself almost under me so i was on his back and stop us both!!! hehehehhe I was very proud though, the first time down i fell a lot - maybe 10 times, but the second only 3!!! The instructor was impressed too....he said he had enjoyed the lesson - hmmmmm, yes, i'm not surprised!!!!!! Mark and Matt also had a great time, they were boarding - Matt for the first time, so well done him for that! They say the green slopes in whistler are like blue ones anywhere else in the world, so doing a green run on your first time on a board is pretty impressive!!!! That night we were shattered, we could hardly talk, let alone walk!!!! We all suffered bruises and stiffness in strange places.....but it was well worth it!!!! We were only away a few days, but it was amazing, and the landscape absolutely breathtaking! (Oh and Mark and Matt joined the olympic team!!!) It was fab having Matt here, we had an absolutely excellent time! (Dope!!!! - Boarding phrase!) xx