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| Windmills in Amsterdam |
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| Koninginne Dag (Queens Day) April 2011 |
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| Amsterdam Canal Cruise |
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| Pepa and I try on clogs in Amsterdam |
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| The mighty AJAX of Amsterdam. Voetbal steeren in aktie |
Friday, 13 May 2011
From North America to Europe first stop Amsterdam
I left Calgary at -9 degrees and was picked up at Schiphol by John Boon, my dad's cousin. Boony spent nearly a year in Australia when I was about 2. It was a sultry 23 degrees in Amsterdam. I skyped mum and dad to say hi. It was 3am in Canada, midday in Holland and 9pm in Sydney. I was stuffed. I didn't want to go for a sleep because my time clock would have been way out of whack so I grabbed my skateboard and went out exploring. Boony and his wife Sandra live right in Amsterdam and have the most gorgeous 3 year old daughter with the brightest blue eyes. I spent quite a few days with Boony and Sandra and got to enjoy a festival called Koninginne Dag (Queens Day). It was just great. In this life you've got to try everything so Boony took me to the weed shop. Wow and I mean wow. Nothing more to say on that. I tried to get hold of some of the family in Rotterdam but that was not going to work out at this stage....so I'll gather my stuff, skatey under my arm and head off to Paris.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Canadia
A month in Canada was wonderful but it is time to get some heat back into my body. Where to begin? With such limited net time I have only been able to do minor Facebook stuff. I'll start from the start.
The drive from home to the airport was OK; the time at the airport was a bit sombre and then as we were saying our goodbyes Belle had to go and get teary which got us all going. That's OK Belle, if it wasn't you it would have been dad.
Travelling with the Frasers made it easier. We eventually landed in Kelowna BC and had a huge celebration dinner with the Beaudry family and Sean and Blair. The next order of business was to get some snow time happening up at Big White. I was a bit rusty on skis to begin with but got into it quickly. The Canadian powder is just a little bit different to Australian conditions but there is no looking back. I went and stayed with Sean and Blair in the 'pigpen' condo that they were using to nurture many species of bacteria.
So it was skiing, drinking, sleeping and then doing it all again.
Eventually it was time to leave the mountain and head for Vancouver Island. It is a pretty little place but I must have a chat with my Uncle Nick to see what he did there for years.
Back to Vancouver and I was on my own for the first time. I got to stay with Mary Leathley and she was just lovely. I brought my skateboard wheels and trucks and I had promised the guys from Rayne that I would visit them and buy a board. I met with Mike at the Rayne Longboard shop in North Vancouver and we went over what I was looking for. I settled on the Hustler and to my surprise Mike and the Rayne team gifted me the board, a T-Shirt and an awesome Hoodie. I am now set up for transportation and ready to roll. I'll have to repay Rayne Longboards for their generosity by adding photos to my blog of my Husler and I at significant landmarks around the world. Video is not out of the question either.
After Vancouver I went to Banff and stayed in a hostel. I heard about a gig called "Couch Surfing" and ended up in Calgary with my couch family, a young couple.
We went Line Dancing which is an activity I have not done before - what a great night. We were in the bar that the Cool Runnings guys had the barfight in. It is so cold here. I skyped mum and dad and Belle and it was so cool to introduce them to my Couch parents. A couple of days on and I'm on my way to Amsterdam. I am ever grateful for everyone who was so hospitable and if I can ever do so I will be pleased to return the favour. Canada is very nice, very cold - and I'll be back.
The drive from home to the airport was OK; the time at the airport was a bit sombre and then as we were saying our goodbyes Belle had to go and get teary which got us all going. That's OK Belle, if it wasn't you it would have been dad.
Travelling with the Frasers made it easier. We eventually landed in Kelowna BC and had a huge celebration dinner with the Beaudry family and Sean and Blair. The next order of business was to get some snow time happening up at Big White. I was a bit rusty on skis to begin with but got into it quickly. The Canadian powder is just a little bit different to Australian conditions but there is no looking back. I went and stayed with Sean and Blair in the 'pigpen' condo that they were using to nurture many species of bacteria.
So it was skiing, drinking, sleeping and then doing it all again.
Eventually it was time to leave the mountain and head for Vancouver Island. It is a pretty little place but I must have a chat with my Uncle Nick to see what he did there for years.
Back to Vancouver and I was on my own for the first time. I got to stay with Mary Leathley and she was just lovely. I brought my skateboard wheels and trucks and I had promised the guys from Rayne that I would visit them and buy a board. I met with Mike at the Rayne Longboard shop in North Vancouver and we went over what I was looking for. I settled on the Hustler and to my surprise Mike and the Rayne team gifted me the board, a T-Shirt and an awesome Hoodie. I am now set up for transportation and ready to roll. I'll have to repay Rayne Longboards for their generosity by adding photos to my blog of my Husler and I at significant landmarks around the world. Video is not out of the question either.
After Vancouver I went to Banff and stayed in a hostel. I heard about a gig called "Couch Surfing" and ended up in Calgary with my couch family, a young couple.
We went Line Dancing which is an activity I have not done before - what a great night. We were in the bar that the Cool Runnings guys had the barfight in. It is so cold here. I skyped mum and dad and Belle and it was so cool to introduce them to my Couch parents. A couple of days on and I'm on my way to Amsterdam. I am ever grateful for everyone who was so hospitable and if I can ever do so I will be pleased to return the favour. Canada is very nice, very cold - and I'll be back.
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| Rayne Hustler |
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| Canada |
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| Group Shot - Big White |
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| Breezy and I |
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| Banff |
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| Banff friends |
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