on the back of a motorbike, with your arms outstretched trying to take flight, leaving everything behind...

yoohoo, yoho

I never actually mentioned on the blog that I was going on this trip - last time I was online was before I went and I had full intentions of posting about how excited I was, but then I heard the news about the death cab concert and the last post came about instead!

So! Last week me and my friend Ryan went to the neighbouring national park, called Yoho (Lake Louise is in Banff national park), to a small town called Field. It's only twenty minutes up the highway, but it was so nice to be out of Lake Louise for two nights & two days! The town is even tinier than here (didn't quite believe that was possible, but clearly it is) - it doesn't even have any cell phone coverage! I didn't take my laptop either so it was actually a really nice aspect to be completely cut off from the world and without that type of technology. The reason we went is to go cross-country skiing, as Field has some really good trails. It was so much fun, but god I was knackered! Ryan's an advanced skiier and this trip was, what, my third time? The first day we did 26km, to a place called Emerald Lake. The trail was intermediate and I didn't do too badly, except near the beginning there was this massive hill that wouldn't've been out of place on the actual ski hill (honestly! kind of...) that I wasn't expecting. As I'm a snowboarder skiing feels really strange to me and I hadn't yet learned how to stop, so I was plummeting down this hill screaming my noggin off and panicked, mainly because I wasn't in control. With snowboarding, although I spend a lot of time terrified I'm confident that I know how to stop so I always still feel like I've got some control, whereas with this I was just a mess... I ended up going belly down at the bottom of the hill and burnt my arms as I wasn't wearing long sleeved. Didn't feel so bad though, as Ryan face-planted! Unfortunately I didn't get to see it as he went down before me, but on the way back he pointed out the hole where his face had landed, haha (: It's funny 'cause skiing can be so graceful, or so so terribly unattractive. I spent most of the time flailing around with pole and ski waving in the air, usually in opposite directions....

The conditions weren't the best, as you can see it was overcast both days, but it didn't bother me as if I'm being honest every day here is beautiful. When you're used to the gray days of Manchester hanging over miserable brick buildings, it can be a gray as it likes here but it just doesn't compare. The overcast-ness does however means my photos suck... I didn't take any of the actual Emerald Lake, which I wish I had! There had recently been an avalanche and all the debris was still on the lake, there was a couple of trees poking out of the snow which was amusing! 

The second day we did a shorter route as we were going home in the afternoon (and were exhausted from the previous day), I think it was only about 9km, to a place called Natural Bridge - given it's name as natural erosion from the river carved a bridge in the rock. I didn't get any photos of the actual thing, but the water photos and the bridge are from that place - my god, it was so beautiful! As I've already mentioned on the blog I'm fascinated by water and for some strange reason feel really at peace when I'm around it. It was only partially frozen so it was really good to sit on the bridge eating peanut butter & banana sandwiches contemplating life, the universe and everything. I'd like to see it in summer for sure!

The few indoor shots are from the hostel we stayed in - it was so nice I couldn't believe it! It wasn't a HI, just a large-ish house which meant for strange feelings on the first night... We had the hostel to ourselves (it was awesome!!!) on the first night but it felt like we were some randoms creeping out in someone elses house! The artwork is some of the stuff that was up, done by the owners sister-in-law... I really like the red one with the wolves. You can't really see it in these shots but it's actually painted on maps of field - reminds me of something my best friend did in GCSE art! And the food shelf masking tape label was fully unappreciated by me, as you can imagine.

Despite Field being smaller, I actually really enjoyed 'getting away'. One thing that Lake Louise is missing, because it's such a tourist trap, is just a chilled, eclectic cafe to hang out in. It was part of the grocery store actually but didn't feel like that at all, there was loads of ethnic style things everywhere + for sale, and wooden seats and benches etc. We ended up there on the last day, as we had difficulty getting home - we were supposed to be getting the Greyhound which is the most unreliable thing ever, so we went to the info centre at 3pm (bus was around 4) to find out what was going on and it turned out the road from Revelstoke to Golden was closed, meaning the Greyhound was gunna be two hours late, at least. The lady was like 'why don't you just hitchhike?' but we had our skis with us so it didn't seem like the best idea... So, we decided to go to this cafe and get drunk instead. A fully amusing experience, especially when walking to the highway involved crossing train tracks and snow banks. Of course I ended up on my arse thigh deep in snow, which resulted in a very kind Ryan helping me out a very horrible Ryan quickly pulling out his camera, the bastard. 

The 'bus stop' in Field doesn't actually exist - you just stand on the highway! It was so sketchy, and we didn't know if the bus was gunna turn up anyway... but that didn't matter, as we ended up unintentionally hitchhiking! We were just stood at the side of the road minding our own business when a truck pulled up (not like a lorry massive truck dodgey thing, like a car pick up er thing. yes) and was like get in! So we did, and got home safe (: Well, relatively. I was still drunk, and continued to get drunker. Oh dear, that's a story for another time...

It was a frickin awesome three days. I love skiing!!!!! Can't believe this is almost over. I'm trying not to think about it :Z

PLEASE PLEASE OH MY GOD PLEASE

FUCK MY LIIIIIIIFE !!! ADHJADHAS

For those of you who obviously don't live on this planet, my favourite band of four years and fo' sho' forever are Death Cab for Cutie, and it is one of my dreams, my complete dream, to see them live. They came to England when I was 16 but it was when I didn't have a job - the tickets were £16 but my parents weren't going through shit so I didn't want to ask them for money. They're from Seattle (near the Canadian border) so I was hoping when I came here to Canada they'd be somewhere nearby. And now what do I find out. THEY ARE GOING TO BE IN MANCHESTER IN APRIL FOR £20 WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME OH MY GOD I WANT TO DIE

Yes you may think this is an exaggeration, but I love them so much. They've been the soundtrack to my 'growing up' - a massive cliche I know but I really don't give a shit. I am in shock. My god.

HOWEVER they are playing in Calgary on May 25th... But there's two problems. A) I was planning to leave Alberta early May and head out west to Quebec, a 3 day bus journey B) They are $56. I do not have $56 to spare.

A can be solved pretty easily - I'm not even joking, I'm that desperate to see them I would stay in Lake Louise longer just so I could. They've been together for such a long time now (There is like, seven albums I think?) that I'm paranoid it'll be the end sometime soon and I will live my life without seeing them.

B however, is more difficult. I am getting down on my knees and begging and saying PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GOD LET SOME RANDOM STRANGER GIVE ME $56 OR SOMETHING HAPPEN YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD MEAN TO ME ARGGASFJDJKGGBAJSASJDAJ. Why hasn't my credit card come in the post yet.

I know I sound completely crazy in this post. I am. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG I CANNOT BELIEVE IT I WILL NOT RECOVER FROM THIS FOR A LONG TIME

see HERE for previous deathcab obsessive post

internationally TBTF

Complete photo dump of two of the possibly the best days off ever... As planned we went cross-country skiing, although we didn't get up quite as early as we wanted! Crystal introduced Jess and I to the wonders of yolk in the hole/holey egg, a breakfast delight which has now become a slight addiction to the point where we're cutting the mould off old bread in desperation. Actually, that happens quiet a lot here... cooking with moudly food I mean. Damn the village market and it's ridiculous prices.

Cross country skiing was AMAZING. It was bizarre to not be strapped into just one plank of wood for once - and much more dangerous it appears! There was one large downhill section that I literally screamed the whole way down and stood rigid still whilst praying to the snow gods that I would remain upright. And I did! Not so much for Jacqui and Jess though... hahahaha (: Never a funnier sight. 

We took a route down from the Chateau at the Lake. It was so beautiful - definitely making for feelings of being in Narnia! It has been snowing all day so the visibility wasn't great but I still think we got some pretty sweet views!

So after skiing, it was off to Banff... Had the easiest hitchhiking experience ever! We weren't even on the highway yet, just on the slip road, and the first car that drove past we thought we'd try our chances with and thumb it... AND IT STOPPED! We were so excited. The bloke was so nice, he had to clear out his car and everything for us. He was a Calgarian that had been skiing/snowboarding here, and was so nice, he didn't even get annoyed when we took him on a wild goose chase rounds the houses of Banff searching for the HI! (I stayed there for a week so I had an idea of where it was, but just not as good as an idea as I thought...) After checking in, a trip to the Hot Springs was in order... Sitting in a hot pool whilst being snowed on. A bizarre experience. Oh wait, I forgot about the maccers stop! Hahaha. We ate it twice that trip :Z Terrible I know, but we feel we are deprived in Lake Louise without one, and so unashamedly abuse it whenever we're in town. Nom.

So it was back to the hostel for pre-drinks and subjection to terrible African music from Crystal... (: I'm only joking! Kind of. I couldn't help but find 'African Queens' funny. We ended up going to a place called Dancing Sasquatch, as it was dubstep night! So strange to be in a proper club, unlike the B&G that's only just bigger than your downstairs toilet and where we know everyone. It was a lot of fun, but I remembered why back home I'm actually not that into clubs... I just find them to be full of boys who think that they're gods gift to women and have every right to touch you and girls who always manage to convince you that they're a lot cooler than they actually are and make you feel like shit. Which leads me to another thought - I've realised that I don't like English girls much. Not personally, of course, but as a whole... I'm not friends with a single English girl here, partly because it's just me in Saddleback but also because English girls are so fucking bitchy! I can tell them from a mile away because they care too much. Care too much about their appearance, how they look to everyone else, how cool they are... I dunno, sounds bad but in work as soon as I hear an English accent (ESPECIALLY southern, ew) creep out of a girls mouth I just don't want to know! I really don't want to go home back to those kind of people. I want to continue not wearing makeup and not feeling bad about myself all the time and not being so judgemental of other girls as soon as I meet them. It's not going to happen, but my god when I think of going back to Manchester and back to that world I feel so scared...

ANYWAYS. The dubstep night was still awesome! I love this place and these people. I feel so, so happy right now it almost consumes me. I still don't know what the fuck I'm doing in summer, but I'm excited. I know it'll be amazing.

church night

There is no church in Lake Louise. (to my knowledge, anyway...) However, everyone religiously attends the bar on Sunday nights, of which they often end up with much worshiping of the porcelain god. Hence, church night! Pretty much the best night of the week... these photos are from around three weeks ago, a night on which I was described as 'the drunkest girl at the bar' - always a great compliment to hear. (Yes Dad, I see you there shaking your head!) 

This was Tarra's (Blonde girl in the second photo) last ever church night... She was supposed to be here 'til September but her Grandma got sick so she went home. It was my first Lake Louise goodbye, and my god I am not looking forward to May, as that's when everyone (including myself) starts to leave. I will probably talk more about this in a later post, but the idea of leaving this crazy bubble makes me so sad. The time has passed so quickly and it's so insane here that I thought by May I would be wanting to leave, but it's approaching soon and I can't imagine this life ending. I can't imagine not living with my wonderful housemates and living the BBSD lifestyle...

Although it happened a few nights ago, I must document it. I SAT IN A REAL IGLOO. Well, technically it was a 'quincy' as an igloo is made with blocks and this was more a massive pile of snow that'd been hollowed out. It was still fucking amazing though! Me and Crystal had decided that night to go party in Chucktown (coincidentally, at a 'tight and bright' themed party, interesting ice breaker) and happened to meet the bloke that made it. He operated CAT machinery stuff and the hill and one day just brought it home, made a massive pile of snow, and then hollowed it out. It was massive! It had fairy lights and sofas and a heater and everything... sitting there was just surreal. I really wish I had had my camera to be a good Asian and take photos. Oh well, I am definitely gonna be back there sometime soon anyway!

I AM SO TIRED. I've been working seven days in a row as I swapped my days off with Christel (she wanted to go to another ski hill in Golden with Mel for a few days)... It has been interesting. I opened sunday monday and today, and on Saturday night I went to bed (after igloo adventures) at four and on Sunday night (church night!) went to bed at three. And had to wake up at five. Brutal, but worth it. Another good thing came out of it too - for the first, and probably the last, time this season, both me Crystal and Jess have a day off together (tomorrow)! We were all so excited and we're definitely gunna make the most of it... We're planning to go cross country skiing, then hitch to banff, go to the hot springs and then out in town (: To a proper club, my god! We're gunna stay at the HI - it'll be nice to be back there again, so many good memories. Stoked! (:D)

soup over flowers anyday.