WHISTLER & VANCOUVER - 6 MAY

We are up early to have a last bath – with the jets working! At 9 we are at the ticket booth for the ski lifts. The lady behind the counter hears the two of us speaking and the next thing we are having an conversation in Dutch and Afrikaans (she is from Holland and so happy to be able to speak her language!!!). Going up is not as scary as the first time. This time we go up the second slope and on our way up Luc spots 3 brown bears in the forest below us!! All I can think is imagine coming down the slope on your skis and the next moment there is a beer family in front of you!!!! Now I know why I don’t ski! We get to the top and decide not to go higher as it starter raining softly. Luc runs around in the snow and then it starts snowing softly!!! This is our first time in falling snow!! Luc moans because we cannot go up the next ski lift – which is a little open car. Eventually I feel really bad – and also realising that we might not get this opportunity again – so I give in. We are the only two people in Denims and sneakers on the slope and the attendant feels so sorry for us that she gives us two disposable plastic rain jackets. We have no idea of how to get on the car – and no time to think, cause it is jump and go – flying up high in the air and I am trying to hold Luc and get the safety bar down!!! And it is real Strydom luck, as the snow starts coming down and we can barely see in front of us. We are cold and wet and freezing! All that Luc can say is “My hands are dead!!!”. But both of us try to make the most of it and enjoy the moment … HA HA HA !!!! When we get to the top we decide not to get off but to go straight back down. But a little problem with that plan, as the safety bar hooks the emergency stop cable (cause it was down and was not supposed to be down!) and we manage to stop the whole line!!!! Never a dull moment when the Strydoms are around!!). We finally get down – frozen but happy. We go for lunch at one of the pubs – bad food, but great fire! Then it is time to get to the train back to Vancouver. The Whistle Mountaineer is a tourist train and Luc loves it! We get drinks, snacks, stunning scenery and good commentary. It is a really beautiful ride and such a stunning country. The bus driver of the transfer bus is so kind he drops us off right at our hotel (which is not on the route). In the street we meet the first of many, many beggars (most of the drug addicts), begging for money. I was a bit concerned about the hotel and mixed reviews, but we get a really nice room (with microwave and fridge) and great street views. Exhausted by the time we get to bed.
REFLECTION:
I ask the lady at the counter if it is safe to walk in the streets at night. So she tells us where to go and where not to go – and area with “crime”. So I ask her what sort of crime. And she replies “beggars and drug users who will ask for money” (!!!!!). Wonder what she will say about South Africa? WAR!!!!!