ok so i have been a bit slack but here it is. Postcard number two. looks like i am going to sum up two and a bit months of my life in this posting.
well since my last post we had Christmas. this involved a very different routine to what i am used to but i say thanks to the Sheppard's and the Dar Woon Families for welcoming me and including me in their Christmas celebrations. basically it was spent at Kit's Mothers with a small gathering at her mums place, then it was onto a boat, and over to the island where i met adams family and spent Christmas eve and Christmas day with them. this inculded a drive from one end to the other, as most of the family is in Victoria and they live up near Nanimo, but it was quite a nice drive and gave me a chance to reflect on things. then on boxing day it was back onto the ferry (which was alot busier) and back to Vancouver. and then to top it off we had the extended family gathering for Kit's mum's family, which is a very very large gathering.
the Rovers had decided to go snow camping and that i had to come as well. now i wasnt instantly thrilled at the propect of goinig camping in snow, parcitalry in a cave, but i agreeded to the trip. so we spent a number of hours cooking the food and freezing it all ready to take with us. so we were set to go, snow shoes and all. and we hiked in at Mt Seymour and out into the back country. unfortunately for me this is when home sickness came crashing down on me. well i soldered on and after digging a number of rather large holes in the ground (one to sit in and one to sleep in) we settled down had dinner and in the morning got up to discover that our food supply had been compromised. so we returned to civilization a day earlier than planned but it was still quite an experience.
New years was celebrated at one of the rovers places, and with me cooking a BBQ for a number of hours, which was very therapeutic and one of the best home sickness cures. it was odd watching for fire works from other cities in other bits of the world besides the city i was in. having spent last year watching them on Sydney harbor it was quite odd, and knowing that often we would be either in the city or at some ones place celebrating in the back yard it was a big difference. and the following moring it was up and attit for the new years tradion in vancuover of the polar bear swim!!! to say the least it was cold.
mid january brought on my second snow camping experince, and this time i have to thank Nick P and his group for taking me and the Bairds for cooking for me and looking after me up at the snow. at ROVENT i was quite supprised to discover how warm it was, particularly after i was told i wasn't allowed to attend if i had not attended cold talk. so i had been to cold talk, and here i was in the snow, having dug out a space again but this time for a tent to go. i had alot of fun at rovent and got to meet a heap of new people and enjoyed the activities. but the Miss Strawberry Flats pageant was a bit odd and i don't think i need to experience that again. i spent most of my days in shorts and it was quite warm so i was quite ok. had to layer up in the evenings because it got cold but it was alot of fun.
for australia day i sorced aussie beer and enjoyed it with a few mates, quietly enjoying some coopers and some boags. so that was a nice way for me to welcome my national day!
my entire month of febuary was spent doing one thing. working for Vanvouer 2010. yes i was employed by the olympic games. Located at Canada place, other wise known as the MMC (main media centre) i was one of the small army of EVS (event services) staff located down there. what did i do? well i gave directions, i kept people out, i let people in, i chatted to the media and my collegues, met people and had a lot of fun. part of my job was assiting the general public and directing them to where the Olympic Cauldron is located, as it was located in the area near the venue.
through out the olympics i didnt go to any events but did experince the madness that was the games, as Vancouver went absolutly MENTAL (there is no other phrase for it). i manged to visit most of the Provincial Displays/Houses, epxerinced a large ammount of great music, good performances, got to the 7 fingers yet again.... (HA HA @ my younger brother). it was just extrodanary to see. people cued for hours to be involved. so i can but say it was amazing.
now its over and the city has one helluva hangover..... and now it try's to get the motivation up for the paralympics. i am off to the opening on friday and am realy looking foward to it.
so planning for europe and asia progresses and it seems to all be coming together. now i just need to find a bit more work and i am set for the rest of this trip. oh and on a side note, i have been keeping up my fitness and diet challegnes. i have not drunk any Cola drinks in 2 months now....
Well as i like to say, Dont do anything i wouldnt and keep watching the Skiies......
and as always links to photo albums are at the bottom
Richard "Gonzo" McCoy
March 2010 (still going obvisouly)
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games
Scout Camp called Rovent
January 2010
Snow Camping
Christmass Time
