Hilary
There's always something new to learn!
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2000
- Messages
- 6,483
The adventurers:
Me - Trip organiser and planner. Subject to sudden bouts of insanity when activities such as white water rafting sound like a good idea and the book now button gets pressed before the brain fully engages. Always on the look-out for laundry facilities.
DH - Has two main hobbies of angling and eating out. Lone male of the group who is happy to go along with whatever has been arranged for him as long as it fits around his fishing trip(s) and meals. Always on the look-out for next restaurant.
DD1 - (18) Wary of her mothers rash decision to book any activities more hazardous than painting fingernails, but is looking forward to the trip before coming home to face her A level results.
DD2 - (14) Very laid back about the whole trip. Has been saving up to pay for a tandem paragliding trip as seen on one of the web-sites (but not booked by her mother)!
Whistler
Monday, July 28th
This morning, after packing up, having one last fill at the breakfast buffet and checking out, we had to collect our hire car. Id booked a Standard Wagon, which we thought (from the photos on the Hertz web-site) would be like a Jeep / Discovery / Land Cruiser, and we tried to guess which one would be ours from those parked on the lot outside whilst we waited in line to collect it. When we were taken out to our car, it was an estate car, about the size of a Sierra. Nice enough, but not exactly what I thought it would be!
What was good, being an estate car, was the size of the trunk we wouldnt have to fight with the cases every time we needed to pack up and move on.
The drive out of the city was straightforward and we found Capillano and the suspension bridge with no trouble. This is on the outskirts of North Vancouver and can easily be reached from the city, but we had decided to go here on our way to Whistler as we were heading in that direction anyway. The centre at Capillano has a lot of First Nations exhibits and there was a demonstration of dancing whilst we were there, and some story-telling and craft demonstrations throughout the day.
The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world, and it certainly looked pretty wobbly! We all made it to the other side of the river gorge without mishap and spent a while wandering around the exhibits in the forest area before wobbling back to the main centre and the obligatory gift shop. Then we left Vancouver and took the Sea to Sky Highway along Howe Sound and up towards Whistler.
We were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch and found a roadside café at Britannia Beach called Mountain Woman which had been recommended in one of the guidebooks Id read. Mountain Woman was at home, and the cooking smells coming from her converted trailer were appetising, so we sat outside on the patio to eat. The kitchen appeared to be housed inside an old lorry, with the café part tacked on the front and the patio attached to that. One look at the tyres (sorry tires were in Canada after all) and we knew the lorry wouldnt be going anywhere in a hurry!
Back on the road and we soon arrived in Whistler and found our hotel. Id booked accommodation with kitchen facilities here, as I thought it might be useful, and we also had a separate loft area with the main bed and a Murphy bed in the living room. Much as I would have liked to tuck myself away upstairs, it seemed more sensible to let the girls sleep up there and DH and I to take the Murphy bed. That way, I could happily make a cup of tea when I awoke early in the morning and not disturb them too much.
There was a pool at the hotel, so DH went for a swim and I unpacked, then it was out to find somewhere for our evening meal. There was plenty of choice and the deciding factor turned out to be which restaurant had the best air-conditioning / shaded outside tables!
Tuesday, July 29th
The complimentary continental breakfast turned out to be a winner, and the likelihood of us using the kitchen in the room was looking slimmer by the minute! After breakfast we headed out to look around the shops, but they didnt seem to open before 10am, so we walked around the village, which is mostly pedestrianised, making a note of places where we would like to return. The whole feel of the village reminded us of Center Parcs partly because there was no traffic, but also because it is geared to sports and, consequently, quite casual.
At 4pm we had an appointment with Ziptrek Ecotours. This was one of the activities about which DD1 had severe misgivings, and the rest of us were quietly nervous. From the web-site it was described as a series of zip-lines through the forest and across the river gorge with some ecological information along the way. Well, it sounded like fun at the time I booked it .
We checked in at the appointed time and were taken out to meet the van to take us up to the starting point. There were 10 in our group, ranging in age from DD2 at 14 to DH at 49, with everyone else somewhere in between, but mostly in their 20s and early 30s (hmm, should that have worried me, I wonder?). We were taken to the equipment building and helped into our harnesses and hard-hats. Then our guides introduced themselves as Eric and J, and I didnt know whether to be disappointed or relieved that they werent beefy Canadian lumberjacks, but both young lads from England! They gave us a thorough safety talk and did a lot of team-building to try to put us at our ease.
Eric and J led us through the forest, talking about first growth and second growth but, if Im honest, I have to admit that I was more concerned with what lay ahead than the ecological chit chat at this stage! What lay ahead turned out to be the practice line where we were instructed in the technique to apply when tackling the real lines on the course. Todays temperatures were up to 37oC, but if we werent already perspiring from the heat, most of us had clammy hands by this stage. This line was only (only!) about 20 feet long and no more than 8 or 9 feet off the ground, but it was still a bit of a leap of faith the first time we launched ourselves into thin air, attached by a chunky metal clamp to the metal cable. Eric and J explained the mechanisms involved and we tried to look re-assured. We all made the first zip successfully but the nervous laughter soon subsided as we made our way to the next real line.
This line went across the river and looked very long and very high! Im not good with distances, but it looked to be about 30 feet high and 90 feet long. It felt about 90 feet high and 300 feet long. Eric was quick to stall any nerves by telling DD1 and DD2 that he needed them to go across first because they were the lightest, and therefore most at risk of getting stuck half way across! My babies!!!!!! DD2 went first and, typically for her, looked cool and calm and unconcerned about the river raging below her. She made it to the other side and then DD1 was launched. She looked a lot less relaxed, but also made it safely across without having to be rescued from the middle. One by one we all followed, and all stood on the platform on the other side looking pretty pleased with ourselves and trying to let some blood back into our knuckles.
There were a total of five lines of varying lengths and heights, all criss-crossing over the river. After the first one I began to enjoy myself, as the unknown wasnt quite so unknown any more. The fourth line was the longest at nearly 1000 feet and travelled along the valley from a platform built high in the trees. To reach this platform we had to climb seven flights of scaffolding stairs the hardest physical challenge of the trip! Most of the group was pretty relaxed about the whole thing by this stage and there were a lot of shrieks and whoops as we zipped down the line, taking about 30 seconds to complete the length. Believe me, 30 seconds can feel like quite a long time when you are that far above a river and boulders, however much youre enjoying it!
By the time we got to the last line, J was telling us that he expected us all to try going across upside down and back-to-front, and Eric was launched to show us what he meant. He must be joking! He was joking, wasnt he? The first of the group went over upside down and back-to-front! and then there was no stopping us as we all tried something, even if not a full-blown somersault! If you had told any of us at the start of the trip that wed be doing aerial acrobatics by the end of it, I think most of us would have walked out then and there, but it was brilliant!
By the time we had climbed out of our sweaty harnesses (pity the next people to wear them!) and been driven back to the village, DD1 was all set to buy an official Ziptrek tee-shirt, she was so enamoured of the whole experience! She was still a bit concerned about some of the other activities Id got lined up for later in the holiday, but we all felt a sense of achievement at having done this one, as its something were not likely to try anywhere else.
Our supper this evening was filled with talk of our exploits, but Im ashamed to admit that the zipping outweighed the eco-tour information in terms of wow factor. I do remember that we were shown some bear markings on a tree, and I was impressed with the enthusiasm Eric and J showed for promoting the preservation of the rainforests surrounding Whistler, even if their audience had their minds on other, more immediately pressing personal safety concerns!
laundry footnote: our room was right next to the guest laundry - coincidence or did they know about my plans?
Me - Trip organiser and planner. Subject to sudden bouts of insanity when activities such as white water rafting sound like a good idea and the book now button gets pressed before the brain fully engages. Always on the look-out for laundry facilities.
DH - Has two main hobbies of angling and eating out. Lone male of the group who is happy to go along with whatever has been arranged for him as long as it fits around his fishing trip(s) and meals. Always on the look-out for next restaurant.
DD1 - (18) Wary of her mothers rash decision to book any activities more hazardous than painting fingernails, but is looking forward to the trip before coming home to face her A level results.
DD2 - (14) Very laid back about the whole trip. Has been saving up to pay for a tandem paragliding trip as seen on one of the web-sites (but not booked by her mother)!
Whistler
Monday, July 28th
This morning, after packing up, having one last fill at the breakfast buffet and checking out, we had to collect our hire car. Id booked a Standard Wagon, which we thought (from the photos on the Hertz web-site) would be like a Jeep / Discovery / Land Cruiser, and we tried to guess which one would be ours from those parked on the lot outside whilst we waited in line to collect it. When we were taken out to our car, it was an estate car, about the size of a Sierra. Nice enough, but not exactly what I thought it would be!
What was good, being an estate car, was the size of the trunk we wouldnt have to fight with the cases every time we needed to pack up and move on.The drive out of the city was straightforward and we found Capillano and the suspension bridge with no trouble. This is on the outskirts of North Vancouver and can easily be reached from the city, but we had decided to go here on our way to Whistler as we were heading in that direction anyway. The centre at Capillano has a lot of First Nations exhibits and there was a demonstration of dancing whilst we were there, and some story-telling and craft demonstrations throughout the day.
The bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world, and it certainly looked pretty wobbly! We all made it to the other side of the river gorge without mishap and spent a while wandering around the exhibits in the forest area before wobbling back to the main centre and the obligatory gift shop. Then we left Vancouver and took the Sea to Sky Highway along Howe Sound and up towards Whistler.
We were looking for somewhere to stop for lunch and found a roadside café at Britannia Beach called Mountain Woman which had been recommended in one of the guidebooks Id read. Mountain Woman was at home, and the cooking smells coming from her converted trailer were appetising, so we sat outside on the patio to eat. The kitchen appeared to be housed inside an old lorry, with the café part tacked on the front and the patio attached to that. One look at the tyres (sorry tires were in Canada after all) and we knew the lorry wouldnt be going anywhere in a hurry!
Back on the road and we soon arrived in Whistler and found our hotel. Id booked accommodation with kitchen facilities here, as I thought it might be useful, and we also had a separate loft area with the main bed and a Murphy bed in the living room. Much as I would have liked to tuck myself away upstairs, it seemed more sensible to let the girls sleep up there and DH and I to take the Murphy bed. That way, I could happily make a cup of tea when I awoke early in the morning and not disturb them too much.
There was a pool at the hotel, so DH went for a swim and I unpacked, then it was out to find somewhere for our evening meal. There was plenty of choice and the deciding factor turned out to be which restaurant had the best air-conditioning / shaded outside tables!
Tuesday, July 29th
The complimentary continental breakfast turned out to be a winner, and the likelihood of us using the kitchen in the room was looking slimmer by the minute! After breakfast we headed out to look around the shops, but they didnt seem to open before 10am, so we walked around the village, which is mostly pedestrianised, making a note of places where we would like to return. The whole feel of the village reminded us of Center Parcs partly because there was no traffic, but also because it is geared to sports and, consequently, quite casual.
At 4pm we had an appointment with Ziptrek Ecotours. This was one of the activities about which DD1 had severe misgivings, and the rest of us were quietly nervous. From the web-site it was described as a series of zip-lines through the forest and across the river gorge with some ecological information along the way. Well, it sounded like fun at the time I booked it .
We checked in at the appointed time and were taken out to meet the van to take us up to the starting point. There were 10 in our group, ranging in age from DD2 at 14 to DH at 49, with everyone else somewhere in between, but mostly in their 20s and early 30s (hmm, should that have worried me, I wonder?). We were taken to the equipment building and helped into our harnesses and hard-hats. Then our guides introduced themselves as Eric and J, and I didnt know whether to be disappointed or relieved that they werent beefy Canadian lumberjacks, but both young lads from England! They gave us a thorough safety talk and did a lot of team-building to try to put us at our ease.
Eric and J led us through the forest, talking about first growth and second growth but, if Im honest, I have to admit that I was more concerned with what lay ahead than the ecological chit chat at this stage! What lay ahead turned out to be the practice line where we were instructed in the technique to apply when tackling the real lines on the course. Todays temperatures were up to 37oC, but if we werent already perspiring from the heat, most of us had clammy hands by this stage. This line was only (only!) about 20 feet long and no more than 8 or 9 feet off the ground, but it was still a bit of a leap of faith the first time we launched ourselves into thin air, attached by a chunky metal clamp to the metal cable. Eric and J explained the mechanisms involved and we tried to look re-assured. We all made the first zip successfully but the nervous laughter soon subsided as we made our way to the next real line.
This line went across the river and looked very long and very high! Im not good with distances, but it looked to be about 30 feet high and 90 feet long. It felt about 90 feet high and 300 feet long. Eric was quick to stall any nerves by telling DD1 and DD2 that he needed them to go across first because they were the lightest, and therefore most at risk of getting stuck half way across! My babies!!!!!! DD2 went first and, typically for her, looked cool and calm and unconcerned about the river raging below her. She made it to the other side and then DD1 was launched. She looked a lot less relaxed, but also made it safely across without having to be rescued from the middle. One by one we all followed, and all stood on the platform on the other side looking pretty pleased with ourselves and trying to let some blood back into our knuckles.
There were a total of five lines of varying lengths and heights, all criss-crossing over the river. After the first one I began to enjoy myself, as the unknown wasnt quite so unknown any more. The fourth line was the longest at nearly 1000 feet and travelled along the valley from a platform built high in the trees. To reach this platform we had to climb seven flights of scaffolding stairs the hardest physical challenge of the trip! Most of the group was pretty relaxed about the whole thing by this stage and there were a lot of shrieks and whoops as we zipped down the line, taking about 30 seconds to complete the length. Believe me, 30 seconds can feel like quite a long time when you are that far above a river and boulders, however much youre enjoying it!
By the time we got to the last line, J was telling us that he expected us all to try going across upside down and back-to-front, and Eric was launched to show us what he meant. He must be joking! He was joking, wasnt he? The first of the group went over upside down and back-to-front! and then there was no stopping us as we all tried something, even if not a full-blown somersault! If you had told any of us at the start of the trip that wed be doing aerial acrobatics by the end of it, I think most of us would have walked out then and there, but it was brilliant!
By the time we had climbed out of our sweaty harnesses (pity the next people to wear them!) and been driven back to the village, DD1 was all set to buy an official Ziptrek tee-shirt, she was so enamoured of the whole experience! She was still a bit concerned about some of the other activities Id got lined up for later in the holiday, but we all felt a sense of achievement at having done this one, as its something were not likely to try anywhere else.
Our supper this evening was filled with talk of our exploits, but Im ashamed to admit that the zipping outweighed the eco-tour information in terms of wow factor. I do remember that we were shown some bear markings on a tree, and I was impressed with the enthusiasm Eric and J showed for promoting the preservation of the rainforests surrounding Whistler, even if their audience had their minds on other, more immediately pressing personal safety concerns!
laundry footnote: our room was right next to the guest laundry - coincidence or did they know about my plans?
But of course, that's further along in the trip....and I mustn't give anything away......
