The day started early for us with our jetlag, followed
quickly by a great buffet breakfast at the Honey Badger. Typically, we start our hikes around 8am at
home, with an early drive. Here, we had
to wait until 930am to get started…it felt like an eternity. It wasn’t so bad, as we sat at the bar waiting
for our luggage to get weighed and prepared for the porters to carry. This gave us the opportunity to say good bye
to our new Edmontonian friends. Daniel
had arrived and given us some sleeping bags to choose from, water bottles,
hiking poles and gloves.
The drive to the base was really interesting. In the van was Daniel and our cook, Chepazul
(aka ‘chef’). After dropping off the
unnecessary rentals at the shop in Moshi, we picked up Thomas – co-owner of
Tro-Peaks with Daniel. He was a really
happy guy and spoke perfect
English. We passed millet patches on the
side of the road that is used for a local liquor. He explained how he and Daniel went to school
locally, after getting sponsorship due to costs at the local university. They met and long-short, started
Tro-Peaks. The drive was long but
interesting, as we travelled into the Macheme tribe region near the start of
our trek. We saw van buses that were so
full, people were holding onto ropes hanging off to the left of the
vehicle. I was waiting to see the van
tip over personally! Lol. Towards the
end of our journey up to the start, we stopped to obtain meat on the side of
the street for our dinners….ten minutes later, we picked up chicken. This area was just what I’d think of when I
think of Africa. Rough foliage, small
shops with coca-cola signs, women in colorful fabrics and bags of items or
trays of bananas on their head, sugar cane and rebar abound.
Upon arrival, there was a large gathering of locals waiting
for the opportunity to work as a porter and a few stragglers wanting to sell
merchandise. Upon passing through the
official gate of the park, it was tourist vehicles galore and a large number of
hikers preparing for the days ahead. We
had to sign into the official log book with our passports and the permit number
Daniel had obtained. We sat in the
‘tourist’ area until things were organized.
Tro-Peaks was VERY well organized and had their crew hired before
arrival, thus no extra porters were required and our wait was minimal. We did however see many of the larger
companies pick up lines of porters and march them into the gate and prepare
them for the journey.
In that time, Chepazul arrived with our lunch. Another group had a large picnic set-up in
the area and so we assumed we were to eat the lunch. I ate the chicken, which was sensational, and
the boiled egg (probably within 2 minutes) before Daniel asked why we were
eating lunch already. Oops. We bumped into a guy we had met from Calgary
at this point as well, which was nice to have someone to talk to. As the days progressed, it was surprisingly
quite difficult to find people to talk to given the nature of the trip. We never saw him on the trip again.
Daniel then brought us over to our porters and we met our
second guide, Bryan. Bryan is a guy just
about our age, fun-loving, loud but charasmastic and very respectful. I felt at ease instantly with him. Bryan started us on our journey on the short
dirt road. He showed us the monkeys
waiting for food and researchers driving up in their jeeps. The pace was initially a bit of a shock for
Ben, but well liked for myself. ‘Polay
polay’….slowly slowly…’sippy sippy’…the words we’d hear every day for the next
five days.
As we continued to climb, we passed the ‘start’ sign – basically,
you’re stuck now as this is an ascent only route. It was certainly amazing and humbling seeing
the porters fly past us up to camp with 15kg loads balanced on their heads or
necks in nothing but a pair of old runners worn to the sole and dripping with
sweat. Around us, the jungle was
amazing. Ben’s hip flexors were sore
quite quickly – he was a bit worried. I
had some hiking poles and was dominating the early hill, but polay polay. A number of flowers were seen on this route
and we captured a few with our camera.
My personal favorites were the Hot Red Poker flower and the Ingatinus
kilimanjaricus (hooked flower). During
the ascent, a Finnish two-some came up behind us and in their Finnish accent
said, ‘Stay to the left, here comes our cook – we call him Chef’. Maybe it was the fact that it was just the
two of us, but this cracked us up and still does today. One of those things I guess.
 
Our first camp was at Machame Camp (3000 meters). We learned our routine at this first camp –
arrive, sign-in with the ranger at the hut and go rest in the tent until ‘washy
washy’ time or meal time. It was pretty
crazy that our first camp was at an elevation as high as our local mountains in
Canada. The site we were assigned was
right next to the hut and was our least favorite site of the five we stayed
in. Being a female, I was introduced to
the toilet. Hmmmm….how does one describe
this piece of work. It took a couple of
goes to get the right position but it worked eventually. Some people had recommended a ‘she-wee’…I
laughed. After using the toilet twice, I
cried I didn’t have one. Haha…(not really).
A porter arrived with our hot water to wash, his name was
Jeremy and he was to be our server for the 6 days. It was welcomed after our cool down and rest. He then guided us to a larger tent for
popcorn and Kilimanjaro black tea. After
the snack, we took a brief look around the site. We saw some very large groups with nice tents
and even the portable toilets we’d heard about.
As we laid napping/resting, hikers continued to shuffle into camp after
6pm that night. Dinner was to follow,
followed by our first night at 3000 meters.
It was short and chilly, but easily manageable.
Side note: We tried
explaining to Bryan what butter was. For
the life of us, he could not grasp our
descriptors (like really, how do you explain it?) Later, we found out its called FAT SPREAD…we
all had a good chuckle.
DAY 2 - LET THE HEADACHES BEGIN
Jen and I were wide eyed by 1am. We would learn that this would be the norm
for the next 5 nights. I decided to go out for one of my reluctant pee breaks
(Diamox increases frequency), and as I finished tripping over Jen and fumbling
with the zipper to just get out, I heard something I haven’t heard in a long
time…nothing. Surrounded by dozens of
tents, perched on a 3000m ridge, amazingly there was not a gust of wind, not a
snore, nothing. It was actually surreal
with the mountain way off in the distance.
Actually, there was one sound…one of our porters seemed to snort around
4am every morning…drove me nuts, but we were normally awake by then.
Hike started at 7am after a delicious cream of wheat
porridge, eggs, bread, and hot dogs. Our
path would take us straight up through large boulders through the region called
Moore Land (Semi-dessert). It had
reminded Jen and I of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. The path was quite wet, as Tanzania had been
experiencing more rain then normal.
Throughout the morning, Daniel noticed we never took many breaks. We were always used to quick hikes with
breaks in Canada (to the chagrin of Jen)….but poley poley….no need to stop, so
as a result, we began to pass group after group and this soon became the trend. At one point, we caught a glimpse of a rare
eagle. Daniels reaction caught us off
guard. He was usually quite laid back as
we asked question after question after question on anything about the mountain
and Africa in general. Daniel then
explained that this eagle was rare to spot, and he had only seen it maybe every
7-9th trip (he has done 92 in total to date).
The clouds began to roll in and the air cooled as we reached
3900m before heading back down to our second camp at 3800m. This camp was big, flat, and ugly, but our
site was located away from the crowds and the toilet was quiet. The Lemoche route was 100m further at Shire
Huts campsite and its path would later join ours.
We both had slight headaches and Jen also had some nausea but
nothing too concerning. My heel was also
getting sore from a stupid injury I had acquired at work breaking ice on the
river. Settling in, I saw my first 4
stripped grass mouse, though we would see these throughout the trip. We also saw our first local raven which has a
white stripe on their back, as well as their version of a sparrow (more yellow
with stripes)…I got a kick out of them.
We took a short break in the tent while it rained for an hour or two. Once the clouds lifted and the rain subsided
to a light mist, we walked to the neighboring Shire Camp (Lemoche route) to
meet with some of our guides friends…boy did they get along. After 20 minutes, we headed back for dinner
and straight to bed….we are still trying to learn how to sleep past 2am!
Some words we learned today…
Poa: Cool
Nzuri: good
For dinner we had pumpkin soup, curry rice with beef, and
watermelon. We continued to have never-ending
tea, which by the end of the hike, we would be sick of lol.
Side note:
It is quite amazing how hard the porters work. They basically live on little to nothing, are
dressed in worn out hand me downs, and have to beat everyone to each camp and
have the camp ready for us. They
actually run, and to no surprise, do take a rare fall. We saw several, some that looked serious, but
they would just get up and continue because their job depended on it.
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Wednesday, 26 February 2014
6 DAY KILIMANJARO MACHAME ROUTE with TRO-PEAKS!!! DAY 1 and 2
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Days leading to the big Hike
Well, it was an interesting, LONG flight. First time on KLM, and overall, it was a good experience. With Jen's little surprise getting us first class seats, we began our trip sitting back with champagne as a starter (just what I need…a drink that goes to my head before a bumpy 9 hour first leg). Just after takeoff...we experience something slightly embarrassing to both Jen and I. We receive our first meal and noticed we both received lemon chicken skewers with a salad. This was not acceptable seeing I had ordered the tenderloin and Jen ordered the pasta. We called the attendant over and told her there was a mistake. She kinda looked at us funny and first didn't say anything. We thought she didn't understand us as they were all dutch (previously, I asked for a rum and coke and got a tomato juice haha). She finally told us that this was an appetizer before the dinner. Holly cow…really? How much fricken food were we going to eat?? Well, by the time we landed…Jen literally could have rolled me out the door. Add that with the really bumpy landing, I wasn't feeling too great. One hour of transition, we were off on our second flight for another 9 hours.
Just a side note…Our flight actually went right over Reindeer lake…I was able to see Crater Bay (South end of Reindeer Lake)…kinda cool. Our second leg went over the Sahara dessert…insane how much sand we flew over!
Landing into Kilimanjaro was kind of interesting. There were no lights to be seen. Even after we touched down, Jen had to ask me if we landed... it was that smooth. The airport was so dark….felt odd. After the doors opened, everyone scurried off the plane (Jen teared up stepping onto African soil) in a mad dash to get their visa's approved. Didn't take too long…maybe 15 minutes (4 windows visited….first one to get a stamp, Jens favourite, then forms approved, then finger prints taken, then access into Africa). Once we got our bags, I ran to convert $200US into Shillings…which was funny because I literally got a pile of money 3 inches thick….yeash. From here, Jen and I walked outside to 30-40 waiting tour companies holding signs. Took us 10 minutes to finally find ours, Tro-Peaks. Joseph was a friendly looking, shy driver who took Jen's bag and showed us to the van. Once we were loaded, I heard a knock and looked to my left to see a wide eyed, super positive man with a big smile, looking at me and extending his hand to me. I would later learn this was the famous Daniel….co-owner of the company that has been well liked by the majority of guests.
We had 40km to drive in total (just past the town Moshi)…which seemed like a quick drive…BUT, it felt a lot longer, and ended up taking over an hour….probably had something to do with the speed bumps every 100 meters and dozens of pedestrians walking on the dark shoulders the entire way. Finally, the driver turned on the signal light, indicating we had arrived to the quiet street which accessed our lodge. This is were I finally started to get a bit nervous - just like that commercial ad for booking.com on TV right now (look it up). The road was almost inaccessible! Some of the pot holes were big enough to get stuck in, and it was pitch dark. What were we getting ourselves into.
Our room felt basic, with partial lighting aiding us just barely. We were too tired to care. We decided to set up the mosquito nets and hit the hay. Even with the 100% humidity and +25 temperature, it actually felt quite cool through the night, even with just a little fan aiding our comfort.
The morning brought a refreshing positive vibe to it. Birds I had never heard before woke us up…accompanied by roosters in the background and other different sounds we don't know yet. As I dug myself out of our netted cocoon, the place looked a lot cleaner then I remembered the night before. Jen like usual, was not ready to get out (Jen says: it's 7am on sunday with nothing open!), so I decided to go outside to see where we actually were. Half awake, I walked onto the patio and immediately felt something was different. All the trees were moving! It took me a few seconds to realize it was 15-20 monkeys playing in the trees (what looked to be several families). Oh yeah…we are in Africa! This immediately gave me a jump to my step….I was ready for this :)
At breakfast (which was included and amazing), we met a few Canadian families who were extremely friendly…and a nice Irish couple! We even shared a cab with a crew from Edmonton to town for coffee made from local beans grown on the side of the mountain (soooo good!). Jen of course didn't have any, and settled on a tea. After walking the street for an hour, we were finally suckered into an alley and ended up buying 2 wood figurines…they had us at hello. The nice thing was…the cheap prices made it a bit easier, especially compared to Mexico. Jen wanted more shopping time (ugh)….but our cab was waiting, and we had a debriefing with Daniel in a few hours, so off we went for some more speed bump driving;)
Before jumping in the pool to cool down, we had our debriefing with Daniel. He was a bit more intense then I was hoping. I guess he just really wanted us to be ready…he was all business. I did screw up on a few things. First off…we are not allowed to bring any plastic bottles on the mountain…which was my plan, so I now need to rent a few jugs. I also needed to bring mitt liners for the cold mornings…guess my ski gloves for summit day were not enough. After all was said and done, (and our tour operator was officially fully paid), Jen and I realized we were going to be short US cash after all tips were doled out…..yeash, that sure didn't last long.
Well…we are eating some stone fired pizza for supper (7pm) outside with thunder around us, we are hydrated up, and ready for what will hopefully be a successful 6 days.
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| Bubblies before takeoff |
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| We thought this was the wrong meal ordered…I guess it was just the appy! |
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| Seeing we lost our "cool" vibe…we were offered a picture of the 2 of us. |
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| Jen knocked out….me on the other hand… When I took this picture, my camera flashed…waking up anyone without a blindfold. |
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| She gets more than enough sleep when she flies. |
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| Supper…prime rib…yum |
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| Breakfast before landing |
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| Can you count how many TO's |
Our room felt basic, with partial lighting aiding us just barely. We were too tired to care. We decided to set up the mosquito nets and hit the hay. Even with the 100% humidity and +25 temperature, it actually felt quite cool through the night, even with just a little fan aiding our comfort.
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| Our bed…it worked. |
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| It worked. Keep in mind…in Moshi…this is almost the highest end ($50/night)…couldn't imagine the $15/night rooms. |
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| These guys were everywhere! Wish I was able to capture a photo of a baby…but they were too fast. |
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| The pool….main hangout spot in the afternoon (pic taken at 7am) |
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| Such good coffee!! |
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| Can you tell I'm enjoying it |
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| Odd..there was a lady standing outside of the shop with a gun…random |
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| Majority of the women exhibited bright colours….walking with stuff on their head. |
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| A cool snail on our exterior room wall. |
See u in 7 day with good news…fingers crossed!
Friday, 14 February 2014
AFRICA...Let the journey begin!
Finally, after hundreds of emails back and forth with our Tour Operator (TO), thousands of reviews read on Trip Advisor (TA), questions asked to friends and companies, hundreds of hotel enquiries, and so on...Jen and I are finally packed and ready for one of our most exciting and challenging trips to date. As I look down at our new duffle bags bought exclusively for our porters on the 6 day kilimanjaro hike, I realize this trip will be a mental challenge, as well cost more then we realize, but in the same breath, this is a once in a life time opportunity and we needed to take it!
Soooo, what is my biggest hurdle to overcome on this trip?...will it be the 5800+ meters of mountain to climb through forecasted rainy conditions, or will it be the black flies and heat on the following 4 day safari, or will it be the expressed safety concerns in Stonetown we have read so much about online directed towards first world tourists? Nope...none of them! My focus will be to keep my expectations in check; which will be really tough because for the amount of time and money invested in this, we basically could have bought a car haha.
I've read Africa is a bit different then what we have previously experienced in trips. We will need to put aside all the small annoyances we grew accustomed to here in Canada. For example...I've read we should expect to have showers in cold water at least a few times, or have the power go out for hours or days....or have no TV at night before bed (heaven forbid right ;). These are just a few things I personally need to let slide after paying 400-$700/night for a room....but seriously....where is this money going? Who is the one getting rich off this? Oops....already started to analyze....so I should digress. lol.
Jen and I decided to head to the airport several hours early to take advantage of her Priority Pass and have a nice meal in one of the airport lounges. After a $70 cab ride…our adventure has officially begun!
Update!!!
Jen surprised me by upgrading our flight to first class! Nice little surprise for Valentines day:)…. I got her cupcakes hehe. I am going to be so full of…of….everything haha. Mind as well take advantage of it! As I type, I'm watching the olympics (just saw Chan win the silver), having a Guinness, french onion soup, and observing Jen getting anxious over the upcoming flight over the ocean…priceless. Always amazes me how someone who flies so much is so scared of flying;)
We have 20+ hours of flying to look forward to, first stopping in Amsterdam for a few hours, then straight to Kilimanjaro. This will be our first time on KLM, and with what I've seen on the reviews, should be a good flight....I hope. There are personal TV's on each seat, but apparently the shows are not near as good as Air Canada.
This also gives Jen and I some time to organize all the paper work that comes with a trip like this. For example, at one point of the planning, we had to take the scary plunge of wire transferring a large amount of money to our African TO…talk about trust….and a bit scary. This is why we needed to review dozens of blogs online, TA reviews, and so on, just to trust this company fully with our money….yet we are still waiting on our receipt lol…but I'm pretty sure this is typical slow African business.
Another funny thing about Tanzania is currency. Many steps of our planning/booking seemed to work on different currencies! For example, our Zanzibar resort quoted us in Euros, our TO quoted us in US, and all the restaurants and operations quote in local Shillings…fun.
We are expecting lots of rain…and lots of bugs. We were advised to separate much of our stuff into plastic waterproof bags….not fun. Try stuffing a large Burton puffy jacket into a small bag, then transfer it into a little duffle…ugh, but Jen was able to stuff her AK Jacket basically into a sandwich bag…insane. Jen also wanted to buy special mosquito spray…didn't want to take any chances. We had to drive to MEC to get the highest deet possible….but at least the name brand is called "Bens" :)
Well, off we go. Our next blog should be the night before the hike (3 days). We will be well hydrated, and probably a bit nervous. Hope my knees hold up, hope the weather holds, hope the altitude doesn't get the best of us….hope! (a line from one of my favourite movies "Shawshank Redemption").
Cant wait!
Soooo, what is my biggest hurdle to overcome on this trip?...will it be the 5800+ meters of mountain to climb through forecasted rainy conditions, or will it be the black flies and heat on the following 4 day safari, or will it be the expressed safety concerns in Stonetown we have read so much about online directed towards first world tourists? Nope...none of them! My focus will be to keep my expectations in check; which will be really tough because for the amount of time and money invested in this, we basically could have bought a car haha.
I've read Africa is a bit different then what we have previously experienced in trips. We will need to put aside all the small annoyances we grew accustomed to here in Canada. For example...I've read we should expect to have showers in cold water at least a few times, or have the power go out for hours or days....or have no TV at night before bed (heaven forbid right ;). These are just a few things I personally need to let slide after paying 400-$700/night for a room....but seriously....where is this money going? Who is the one getting rich off this? Oops....already started to analyze....so I should digress. lol.
Jen and I decided to head to the airport several hours early to take advantage of her Priority Pass and have a nice meal in one of the airport lounges. After a $70 cab ride…our adventure has officially begun!
Update!!!
Jen surprised me by upgrading our flight to first class! Nice little surprise for Valentines day:)…. I got her cupcakes hehe. I am going to be so full of…of….everything haha. Mind as well take advantage of it! As I type, I'm watching the olympics (just saw Chan win the silver), having a Guinness, french onion soup, and observing Jen getting anxious over the upcoming flight over the ocean…priceless. Always amazes me how someone who flies so much is so scared of flying;)
Inhaling Pellegrino, Guinness, and soup….going to feel it later.
Nice day for flying….hope its a sign of more to come!
The couple beside us was watching TV on their iPhone at full volume….awesome.
We have 20+ hours of flying to look forward to, first stopping in Amsterdam for a few hours, then straight to Kilimanjaro. This will be our first time on KLM, and with what I've seen on the reviews, should be a good flight....I hope. There are personal TV's on each seat, but apparently the shows are not near as good as Air Canada.
First plane we take to Amsterdam…330-200
The second leg of our trip….330-300…a big boy.
This also gives Jen and I some time to organize all the paper work that comes with a trip like this. For example, at one point of the planning, we had to take the scary plunge of wire transferring a large amount of money to our African TO…talk about trust….and a bit scary. This is why we needed to review dozens of blogs online, TA reviews, and so on, just to trust this company fully with our money….yet we are still waiting on our receipt lol…but I'm pretty sure this is typical slow African business.
Another funny thing about Tanzania is currency. Many steps of our planning/booking seemed to work on different currencies! For example, our Zanzibar resort quoted us in Euros, our TO quoted us in US, and all the restaurants and operations quote in local Shillings…fun.
We are expecting lots of rain…and lots of bugs. We were advised to separate much of our stuff into plastic waterproof bags….not fun. Try stuffing a large Burton puffy jacket into a small bag, then transfer it into a little duffle…ugh, but Jen was able to stuff her AK Jacket basically into a sandwich bag…insane. Jen also wanted to buy special mosquito spray…didn't want to take any chances. We had to drive to MEC to get the highest deet possible….but at least the name brand is called "Bens" :)
Well, off we go. Our next blog should be the night before the hike (3 days). We will be well hydrated, and probably a bit nervous. Hope my knees hold up, hope the weather holds, hope the altitude doesn't get the best of us….hope! (a line from one of my favourite movies "Shawshank Redemption").
Cant wait!
Friday, 23 December 2011
2011 almost over
Well, I'm sitting here at my desk at 8:00 am on the 23rd of December, and the farthest thing from my mind is work. I hope the city is aware as I look at everyone elses computer screen that its really hard to try to force people to work so close to xmas. For example, I'm spending my last few hours searching for good options for Jen's next new vehicle. My neighbour here is just random googling. 2 ladies to my left are trying to extend their conversation to the quiting bell. It's all very comical, but at the same time, no surprise.
For me, 2011 was an up and down year. I sold my first place (a condo). It was a place I worked really hard on, renovating everything from the kitchen, the floors, and paint. It was a crazy learning curve. Made a lot of mistakes along the way, but in the end, how could I be disappointed in the profit I got.
It was also my first home bought with my first (and last) fiance. This was scary and intriguing at the same time. We bought a foreclosure because we saw value that would have never been in reach for us at the time. Again, it took sweat equity to get the place to where we wanted it, but currently, it looks as though our neighbourhood is booming, so our built in equity was accomplished:) We also lucked out with our neighbours who are currently celebrating Hanukkah, very nice family. Our dog loves the off leash park 2 blocks away, and both our commutes are under 15 minutes with rush hour never a concern. If it wasn't for the fact we share 1 wall (infill) and have a small backyard, this could be a long term home.
This year was also the first time I had my truck stolen...followed by a second truck stolen 2 months later. Apparently there must of been someone in the area scoping out all the Tacoma's. This was basically a 6-7 month headache that is JUST now resolving itself. I had to buy a fancy new alarm, something my pocketbooks did not appreciate.
In April, I started a new career path, getting away from the consulting business in the oil industry, instead working for the city. I truly hated working for engineers. So with the city, I became a stormwater tech, which allowed for me to be home on a consistent basis and work outside near the rivers. This was greatly needed as we had a little dog to care for and a large home to attend to. Also, someone needed to be around when Jen was on one of her crazy week long calls. The micromanaging was the hardest hurdle in my job to get over.
Jen passed ALL her tests needed and is now a full fledged GI doc. This was a long process for the both of us (longer for her I know...14 years for her, 4 years for me). She worked crazy hours all year with extra call, but it "paid" off in the end. The skies are the limit now and she is now actively talking with several groups to cement down a long lasting career.
This year we travelled a few times. We visited Jen's dad in Phoenix for a full week. We golfed 4 rounds (which buggered up my knee), and did a bunch of shopping. We went to Vegas with our friends in May. This one was not as fun as the other dozen or so times we had gone, but it was still a good time. We did a road trip to Seattle which was a blast! We stayed at the Sheraton downtown. This would of normally cost us over $220/night, but because we gambled on hotwire.com, we scored 4 nights there for $180/night. We saw a mariners game, walked the town, and went to several wineries. Our last few days were spent on the hippy island of Hornby Island. Here we met with our friends Heather, Rob, Dan, and Sheri. We camped, did more local wineries, and relaxed. Well worth the 3 ferries to get there lol.
This year was also consumed by our wedding planning. Wow what a headache. The invitations alone were a battle. We currently have a wedding planner in Maui who is overseeing all our vendor scheduling. We are over budget by $4,000. Not only that, but when we invited 120 or so guests, we were expecting maybe 50 at best...we are now at 65! At any rate, it will be a great party and hopefully we will be able to capture all of them with our photographer Jenna who is part of Jen's family (cousin).
This xmas I will be leaving in 2 hours from work to Edmonton. As we speak, Jen is packing my truck so we can get away as soon as I arrive. We will be spending 3 nights with Jen's dad and Jen's step mom's family. After that, we will be driving to Prince Albert to spend a few days with my family...have my birthday at a bowling alley which is slowly turning into a tradition. I hope to also take Jen on the quad on the trails behind our house...maybe have a campfire. Then we will make the long drive back and HOPEFULLY ski...pending on my stupid knees!
After that, 2012 will arrive, and most likely I will be doing little to nothing to celebrate its arrival.
For me, 2011 was an up and down year. I sold my first place (a condo). It was a place I worked really hard on, renovating everything from the kitchen, the floors, and paint. It was a crazy learning curve. Made a lot of mistakes along the way, but in the end, how could I be disappointed in the profit I got.
It was also my first home bought with my first (and last) fiance. This was scary and intriguing at the same time. We bought a foreclosure because we saw value that would have never been in reach for us at the time. Again, it took sweat equity to get the place to where we wanted it, but currently, it looks as though our neighbourhood is booming, so our built in equity was accomplished:) We also lucked out with our neighbours who are currently celebrating Hanukkah, very nice family. Our dog loves the off leash park 2 blocks away, and both our commutes are under 15 minutes with rush hour never a concern. If it wasn't for the fact we share 1 wall (infill) and have a small backyard, this could be a long term home.
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| Our kitchen |
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| My second truck that was stolen |
Jen passed ALL her tests needed and is now a full fledged GI doc. This was a long process for the both of us (longer for her I know...14 years for her, 4 years for me). She worked crazy hours all year with extra call, but it "paid" off in the end. The skies are the limit now and she is now actively talking with several groups to cement down a long lasting career.
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| Getting primed for the Vegas strip |
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| The mariners game...8th row |
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| Hornby Island |
This xmas I will be leaving in 2 hours from work to Edmonton. As we speak, Jen is packing my truck so we can get away as soon as I arrive. We will be spending 3 nights with Jen's dad and Jen's step mom's family. After that, we will be driving to Prince Albert to spend a few days with my family...have my birthday at a bowling alley which is slowly turning into a tradition. I hope to also take Jen on the quad on the trails behind our house...maybe have a campfire. Then we will make the long drive back and HOPEFULLY ski...pending on my stupid knees!
After that, 2012 will arrive, and most likely I will be doing little to nothing to celebrate its arrival.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
My Second trip to Phoenix
I have just returned from Phoenix with Jen a week ago and had a great time shooting 4 rounds of golf and seeing Jens family again. A week of +23 degree weather, pristine conditioned golf courses, and excellent hospitality, what more could a guy ask for.
Phoenix is location in the Mojave desert, no beaches, no lush tropical rain forest, no real tourist attractions other then the golf courses. So what does this baron land offer that has so many Canadian expats coming down for the winter other then the obvious...year round heat. It took a few days to really see this, but after immersing ourselves in the community, it became more and more apparent...impressive service that paid attention to all the details.
Canadians are found everywhere here...especially the golf courses after October. Jen and I accompanied Roland (her dad) for a round at his country club "Las Sendas" the first morning. These types of courses are the ones that are build within a community where the majority of players currently inhabit, and so Roland bought into this one...mainly for the ease of accessibility, and long term savings. Beautifully mass produced homes line this course, hugging every fairway...adding a hint of intimidation to every shot. Conditions were IDEAL. For a members discount, Jen and I were able to play for $60 each...normally $100+ in Alberta for quality this high. Every hole, every green, were painstakingly maintained and landscaped...the sand raked (basically anything not on the fairway), the cacti maintained, greens as fast as a carpet. It was awesome...and tough lol. I only hit one house;) The course was 6850 yards long (not the tips), making it quite tough. When arriving at the clubhouse, we saw why people came to Phoenix. Complimentary valet, they load your clubs into your car and cart, free driving range offered, free tees, GPS on every cart. Service that apparently is the norm here...which we slowly became to realise throughout the week. At the end of the day, we all shot below average, but enjoyed the +21 weather and all the 5 star service anyone could ask for for only $60:)
That night we were exhausted! We decided to stay in with Nakita and watch a movie.
Next morning we awoke to find Roland had booked us a round at the beautiful WeKaPa Resort. With a coupon card, we were gratefully able to golf for $69, discounted from the $120 sticker price...score! This course was situated on a nearby native reserve 20 minutes north of Mesa (Phoenix). Jen and I really looked forward to this round because we had golfed desert courses before, but never outside of the city with no houses along the fairways. Ferne (Rolands wife) was unable to join us again due to a nasty cough, so it was just the 3 of us again. Immediately the level of quality jumped out. We had our car unloaded and parked for us again, our carts were loaded onto the carts and parked for us in front of the complimentary driving range. The range looked over a beautiful desert valley. Here we hacked away, trying to sync our swings...too no avail. This course was amazing! Completely different then what you would see in Mesa. Every tee box seemed to have a view of the massive mountain valley. We saw a red cardinal on the first hole...pretty cool. Every hole was littered with cottontail rabbits, hummingbirds, or quails. We all were having a shitty game again, but after 9 holes, I treated everyone to a hot dog or hamburger (because Roland had paid for our round) and everything was back on track. For $14, we were able to get 2 massive hot dogs, 1 thick burger, all with their buns grilled, and 3 complimentary bags of chips...awesome. After the round, we were completely exhausted. Cartpath only rules had caught up to us. We seemed to always be hitting our balls on the opposite side of the path, and seeing how hilly the course was, resulted in A LOT of walking lol. A day off in golfing was in order.
Jen began to plan out her black Friday shopping the next morning. We went to Santan Shopping Centre to scope out any future deals. At nights we worked on the "Girl with the dragon Tattoo" trilogy. One night, Roland and Ferne treated us to happy hour at a popular pub. Margaritas and appys hit the spot. Wish we would of stayed longer, but drinking and driving was not condoned, so we headed back after all of us had 2 rounds...except Roland who only had 1.
Thursday was a relaxing day after a quick round of golf at Camelback Resort with Ferne. The course is a well known and is well established in Scottsdale. The condition was ok, but overall, was our least favourite (even though it cost $70 each after 35% off). I shot a decent round finally, and right when we finished, it tried to rain. Luckily we were under shelter enjoying lunch overlooking holes 9 and 18.
After arriving back at the house, little did I know, Jen was orchestrating an attack on the shopping malls for black Friday...starting at midnight at Macy's. I reluctantly gave in thinking there was a slight chance I too could find a deal to make it all worth while. Jen sifted out all the relevant flyer's. Around 9pm, we "attempted" a nap before our departure at 11:30pm to the Santan shopping complex.
Friday arrived, and we drove the 20 minute commute to the desired shopping centre. We were a bit early for Macy's, so decided to peek into Walmart to see the activity...WELL...we could not believe our eyes. It was basically hundreds of lower income families lined down the aisles with shopping carts piled with toys. The more annoying point I found was the deals were not impressive at all. Some had walkie-talkies. This worried me as I started to think we were wasting our time. We got the hell out of there and headed to Macy's. Macy's was a bit less frantic, but picture 90% of the consumer base being women, wide eyed as they all rushed towards the purses and shoes. Jen was right in there... for the shoes lol. I found nothing and within 5 minutes, found myself waiting with all the other guy suckers peering from afar. Jen got her "no heel" boots and one pair of heels...and soon after we got the hell out of there. I was a bit more grumpy and tired, but new a bed was waiting for me.
Next morning around 7am, Ferne woke us to remind Jen it was time to head to the big mall..."The Fashion Mall". This mall is located in Scottsdale, and is the more well known one in all of Phoenix. We were expecting huge lines, so we left around 7:15 am and arrived around 7:45am...apparently early enough to find a good parking spot. When we walked into the mall, it was clear our hallowed parking spot was mearly average as there were no lines anywhere. No hustle and bustle, no panicked women, nothing. The only real deal found was at Ambercrombie & Fintch...50% off everything, but in typical fashion (in my case), nothing fit me. I then went to G-Star to find the prices higher then Canada. Then I went to Dillard's to find no shoes in my size. I was getting quite pissed off at this point and just wanted to end this gong show. I ended up buying 6 pairs of Hugo underwear for $40 at Macy's...at least it was something lol. After several hrs, we left and went to another nearby mall that ended up being a complete waste of time, so home we went.
I napped on the pool deck while Jen went back out with her dad in his Porsche to look for a TV stand at Best Buy. I couldn't imagine what many thought; seeing a young girl with an older man in a new 911 Porsche turbo...mid life crisis?...but in reality obviously it wasn't.
That night was a very special night. In celebration of Ferns B-day and Jen passing her test, we fine-dined it at a place called "City Hall"...and in typical fashion, were blown away with the service provided. As per usual, someone parked our car. Every head waiter had 2 following them. Our plates were dished out in front of us. Drinks were prepared in front of us. Sparking water was assumed. Every little detail you could think of was provided, and impressed ALL of us. We had lobster mashed potato's, steak, mushrooms, and peas, and all were perfect in execution. we left feeling the price paid was well worth the experience...with leftovers to boot;)
Next morning before our flight back to the great white north, Roland booked us a round at Golden Valley Resort...one of the top ranked courses in Arizona. It was basically a course that went up one mountain valley, around, and back down. The condition was impeccable, and lived up to its hype. Because of the supper paid for by Roland the night before, Jen and I insisted paying $100 each for the round (not sure if this even covered the cost of the round). I again actually shot an OK round. My knees at this point though were starting to really hurt with all the torquing on them with my crazy swing. 4 rounds in 6 days was apparently my limit. Awesome way to end the week! We drove home, packed and sore, and off we were back to -10 weather in Calgary.
So why do people holiday in an ocean-less city of 3 million people? Well, in short, its for the 340 days of sun, being able to buy a beautiful 4 bedroom home for 1/4 the price of Calgary, and receive A++ service everywhere you go....something that is lacking in today's standards. I feel we are expected to tip more and more while receiving less service. It was refreshing to see the opposite in Phoenix!
Phoenix is location in the Mojave desert, no beaches, no lush tropical rain forest, no real tourist attractions other then the golf courses. So what does this baron land offer that has so many Canadian expats coming down for the winter other then the obvious...year round heat. It took a few days to really see this, but after immersing ourselves in the community, it became more and more apparent...impressive service that paid attention to all the details.
Canadians are found everywhere here...especially the golf courses after October. Jen and I accompanied Roland (her dad) for a round at his country club "Las Sendas" the first morning. These types of courses are the ones that are build within a community where the majority of players currently inhabit, and so Roland bought into this one...mainly for the ease of accessibility, and long term savings. Beautifully mass produced homes line this course, hugging every fairway...adding a hint of intimidation to every shot. Conditions were IDEAL. For a members discount, Jen and I were able to play for $60 each...normally $100+ in Alberta for quality this high. Every hole, every green, were painstakingly maintained and landscaped...the sand raked (basically anything not on the fairway), the cacti maintained, greens as fast as a carpet. It was awesome...and tough lol. I only hit one house;) The course was 6850 yards long (not the tips), making it quite tough. When arriving at the clubhouse, we saw why people came to Phoenix. Complimentary valet, they load your clubs into your car and cart, free driving range offered, free tees, GPS on every cart. Service that apparently is the norm here...which we slowly became to realise throughout the week. At the end of the day, we all shot below average, but enjoyed the +21 weather and all the 5 star service anyone could ask for for only $60:)
That night we were exhausted! We decided to stay in with Nakita and watch a movie.
 |
| WeKaPa |
 |
| Las Sendas clubhouse |
 |
| Las Sendas hole 18 |
 |
| Las Sendas |
Thursday was a relaxing day after a quick round of golf at Camelback Resort with Ferne. The course is a well known and is well established in Scottsdale. The condition was ok, but overall, was our least favourite (even though it cost $70 each after 35% off). I shot a decent round finally, and right when we finished, it tried to rain. Luckily we were under shelter enjoying lunch overlooking holes 9 and 18.
After arriving back at the house, little did I know, Jen was orchestrating an attack on the shopping malls for black Friday...starting at midnight at Macy's. I reluctantly gave in thinking there was a slight chance I too could find a deal to make it all worth while. Jen sifted out all the relevant flyer's. Around 9pm, we "attempted" a nap before our departure at 11:30pm to the Santan shopping complex.
 |
| WeKaPa |
 |
| WeKaPa with Red Mountain in background |
 |
| par 5 |
Next morning around 7am, Ferne woke us to remind Jen it was time to head to the big mall..."The Fashion Mall". This mall is located in Scottsdale, and is the more well known one in all of Phoenix. We were expecting huge lines, so we left around 7:15 am and arrived around 7:45am...apparently early enough to find a good parking spot. When we walked into the mall, it was clear our hallowed parking spot was mearly average as there were no lines anywhere. No hustle and bustle, no panicked women, nothing. The only real deal found was at Ambercrombie & Fintch...50% off everything, but in typical fashion (in my case), nothing fit me. I then went to G-Star to find the prices higher then Canada. Then I went to Dillard's to find no shoes in my size. I was getting quite pissed off at this point and just wanted to end this gong show. I ended up buying 6 pairs of Hugo underwear for $40 at Macy's...at least it was something lol. After several hrs, we left and went to another nearby mall that ended up being a complete waste of time, so home we went.
I napped on the pool deck while Jen went back out with her dad in his Porsche to look for a TV stand at Best Buy. I couldn't imagine what many thought; seeing a young girl with an older man in a new 911 Porsche turbo...mid life crisis?...but in reality obviously it wasn't.
That night was a very special night. In celebration of Ferns B-day and Jen passing her test, we fine-dined it at a place called "City Hall"...and in typical fashion, were blown away with the service provided. As per usual, someone parked our car. Every head waiter had 2 following them. Our plates were dished out in front of us. Drinks were prepared in front of us. Sparking water was assumed. Every little detail you could think of was provided, and impressed ALL of us. We had lobster mashed potato's, steak, mushrooms, and peas, and all were perfect in execution. we left feeling the price paid was well worth the experience...with leftovers to boot;)
Next morning before our flight back to the great white north, Roland booked us a round at Golden Valley Resort...one of the top ranked courses in Arizona. It was basically a course that went up one mountain valley, around, and back down. The condition was impeccable, and lived up to its hype. Because of the supper paid for by Roland the night before, Jen and I insisted paying $100 each for the round (not sure if this even covered the cost of the round). I again actually shot an OK round. My knees at this point though were starting to really hurt with all the torquing on them with my crazy swing. 4 rounds in 6 days was apparently my limit. Awesome way to end the week! We drove home, packed and sore, and off we were back to -10 weather in Calgary.
 |
| Golden Valley |
So why do people holiday in an ocean-less city of 3 million people? Well, in short, its for the 340 days of sun, being able to buy a beautiful 4 bedroom home for 1/4 the price of Calgary, and receive A++ service everywhere you go....something that is lacking in today's standards. I feel we are expected to tip more and more while receiving less service. It was refreshing to see the opposite in Phoenix!
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