Our Olympic Journey Begins: Travel Day and Skiing Whistler

A couple of days ago, we left Toronto at 6pm EST and made the first leg to Edmonton. We arrived in Vancouver around 9:30 PST where we found 3 of our 4 bags waiting for us. Missing? Our skis. After speaking with Air Canada baggage (a shout out to Eric – thanks for being so nice!) we weren’t sure what happened. Did they get on the plane from Edmonton? Did they even get on the plane in Toronto? No idea.

Next day we planned to ski but, without our skis, we had to rent. Went to the Salomon store at the base of Blackcomb and got some nice skis and poles and then hit the slopes. What a great day! So much snow and so few people. I think the word has not gotten out that Whistler IS OPEN for business.

The weather was not the greatest – overcast and rainy at the bottom of the hill but snowing and blowing at the top – typical Whistler. But there was some great powder for those brave enough to look for it. We started out just Steve, Denis and I but were joined mid-morning by Denis’s daughter Vanessa and her uncle. The five of us skied together until about 2 o’clock. There were some great powder spots on the Peak to Creek run – 3kms from top to bottom. It was VERY tiring. Conditions went from windy, low visibility and a little scary to snowy and beautiful to corn snow at the bottom. But that’s Whistler!

The airport mystery was solved when we got the message that someone took our skis by mistake. Apparently, they had a similar bag and they were in a hurry. They offered to meet us on the hill so Steve and I went for some drinks après ski – I sampled a few of the martinis at Dubh Linn Gate and waited for our skis while Denis took a few more runs. Denis is a ski junkie and couldn’t stop at 2 o’clock though Steve and I were done for the day. My legs are still tired! So we got our skis, Denis came off the slopes and we went for dinner. We checked out the Mongolie Grill in Whistler Village. Great spot! Here’s the concept: it is stir-fry but you go through an ingredient buffet, choosing what you want. Then you hand over your bowl to the chef who weighs it and then cooks it. And you watch. ☺ Very neat!

We did a bit of shopping in the Village and I bought more Olympic pins and Denis Bought an official Cow Bell – the one souvenir he wanted. For the rest of the evening he was clanging as we walked around “so you will know where I am” he said. It also brought a lot of smiles to the international crowd of people in the village.