Why...? (REvisited)

Reminder that I need to continue writing this post came in a form of a older man in his late 30's, longer messy hair, born and raised in Kelowna, BC. It's not what you think it is, although it would be a nice twist. Last couple of days Guss and I spent in a mountain range called Marriott Basin between Pemberton and Lillooet, roughly 200 km driving North of Vancouver. 

Chasing sunset at UBC

Sleeping in a mountain hut with 15 random people gives it some kind of special feel to it, being with a similar minded people in a confined space. Days are short and pretty much everybody is in bed at 10 pm latest. That means waking up around 6 am. When you are up there you want to use every ray of light. But again, like many things I'm babbling about, moral of the story is somewhere else. After a long game of same game name I didn't remember, we've all got to bed. As usual I put my music on (Pearl Jam was band of choice if anybody gives a f****) and after 10 min somebody approached me. It was that guy from the beginning of the already long story. 

He noticed I didn't have a sleeping mat (thing you put under your sleeping bag for more comfort) and offered me his. Since he was kind of skinny and I have natural mattress all over especially while lying on my chest, I declined. Of course I wouldn't accept his mat either way but after I thanked the guy I put my headphones back. For next couple of minutes I had a cheesy hollywood smile on my face. Not because of that mat but because I was reminded why I'm here.

-30°C and a clear night sky, Marriott Basin, BC

I'm already used to people being genuinely good, but every now and than I try to remind myself that just a couple of months ago things were different. When somebody random asks you something they are interested at things you are saying. After an hour or two they still remember what you said. I'm amazed by that...honestly I forget what I'm talking about after 10 min let alone if somebody whom I'll probably never see again talks to me.

New Year's eve fireworks from our host

Every time I've been asked why Canada, my one word answer is still people. Of course without a job(s), without a prospect of some stable career, beautiful nature, good food, good public transport etc. it would have been all for nothing. And every time my answer is people I try to "convince" myself otherwise but it always comes back to people.

When leaving the bus saying thank you to the driver, waiting in line in front of the bus, no yelling on the streets, no honking and nervous drivers, bus driver waiting before moving if somebody with big luggage is not yet seated, not a single awkward and unpleasant situation, people helping people for no reason except helping, smiling people etc. Good money helps, no need to ignore that. I won't get to much into politics but dynamic / mostly free economy and common sense is a good recipe for people being generally happy. Voting with your feet is a best way to measure where people wan't to move and where not.

CCTV

I've been talking with some young teenagers (again, not what you think!) and it is astonishing how mature they are. Working couple of jobs while studying not out of the need but because they want, planning their future, being taught responsibility...almost like me but I'm 10 years late :D

Of course those are the ones I had the opportunity to chat, but at some point you need to start to make general assumptions. Similar to that one that Asians usually don't have a sense of humor and Korean Pop is stuck in 90s just making it to a bigger level with boy bands of 10+ guys. I've been told that K-Pop stars as a part of a contract sign a clause that they can't have sex at all because that would be bad for their PR. Strange, almost like a Korean cuisine. Enough of the prejudices for today...

Reminder, Vancouver is cheating rest of the Canada

Boring and short segment for mountaineering people.

There are countless possibilities if you are an outdoors person. If you are a beginner trails for snowshoeing are everywhere and a lot of people in different online groups doing it. Half an hour driving there are 3 small ski resorts overlooking Vancouver. Hour and a half north is Whistler, biggest ski resort on a North American continent (not sure about South). Off piste skiing here is more common I suppose because of the very good (dry and fluffy) snow and lots of forest skiing. Comparing Whistler with European ski resorts, Whistler is a small resort. To be honest we need to compare demand for the skiing since whole BC counts only 4 and a half million people.

Big thing here is also backcountry skiing (or skining) with a lots of area for touring around and skiing virgin routes. Nice huts on some strategic points that allow you to go for couple of days and never do route twice. Ice climbing is scheduled for next weekend. Strange since we are talking about Canada...

I'm talking about just things I researched, let's say 2 hours driving from Vancouver. And talking about winter. Summer is offering more activities (climbing, whitewater kayak, sea kayak, hiking, caving) in terms of numbers and of more stable and sunny weather. For now I prefer winter but we'll see.

Mountaineering in any way or form is a activity in which you must be humble one way or the other. Even if you are arrogant, sleezy, egoistic...you quickly come to your senses once you are up there. I don't like hippies and I like Slayer (South Park was pretty clear on that matter) but mountains gives you a pretty good perspective how small and insignificant you are. And let's all say it out loud, humbleness is a virtue.

It was not so short, sorry.

Milky Way
(for better pictures of it, please donate for Full Frame camera, on 1-800-PURE-ART)

I got some complaints about how long posts are so I'll finish up with final thought...

3 months have passed and all I have said about Vancouver and my trip in the past I can now say with more certainty. I want to stay and live here. I feel like I was Canadian a long time ago, boring and polite (Asian people don't read this!).

Also, everything I mentioned above can almost be framed in this picture. Add food on every corner of the street and nice people in the photo and that wraps it up. Notice, I'm not trying to compare Vancouver with other similar towns, since obviously I haven't live anywhere else, hence can't judge and compare too much.

Vancouver from above

My blisters from ski boots needs a little bit of time-out so. 90 days passed since I landed in Canada and 18 of them I spent in the mountains, either on single or multi day trips. So next couple of days it is time for other important segment of my life, food and booze.