Criag's last nite in Nelson (he went to Vancouver), the other guys are all from Basingstoke, note the gormless look on my face

Craig (scottish bloke) and Dave (chef who runs the late nite lobby in which we're standing, i live upstair)

The Ymir Party

The Ymir Party

What a nite that was. Its the first in what will probably be an annual event. It was thrown by my boss Ross White who is an absolute legend and is treated like the Mayor in Ymir (a very small, one pub town that has more dogs than people).
The picture is of the jump that Ross built off the top balcony of his hotel The Ymir Palace. There were some seriously good freeskiers pulling off some insane tricks. Then after the ski carnage there was the BCDC (the ACDC tribute band) gig which was insane but bloody brilliant, I had to mosh to the toilet, mosh to the bar, chaos.
Anyway thats about all thats printable (I got very drunk indeed).

Me, Alex and Marty (The OGS Crew) enjoying a pint of the finest after a hard day

Da Powder
So now I know why this can be one of the most fun ski hills around. A couple of Wednesdays ago we had what they call a 'Powder Day' which means that shitloads of snow came down the nite before and the whole mountain is blanketed (25 cm in 1 nite). Luckily I had the day off so myself, Nate and Craig the Scottish guy hit the hill. Now bear in mind that it was literally my 4th or 5th day on a board and that the other two have more than a few days between them. I spent the day following these 2 nutters thru the trees in powder sometimes waist deep. There really is nothing like riding this amount of snow and I now understand why all the people at the hill have been raving about the next powder day. When there's so much its so much easier on your legs and u really feel like u can't get hurt. Honest to god that day was one of the best and most fun days of my whole life and I'm looking forward to the next dump of snow.
Its been raining here for over a week which is pretty unheard of here for this time of year. Needless to say I've been pissing and moaning to people in the lift line about the fact that I've travelled 1000s of miles to enjoy London bloody weather. Ho hum the snow shall come.
Can't believe how quickly its going by and how much I'm loving it here. I'm already thinking about another season here. This is definitely not the last Nelson has seen of me.
Oh well better go and wax my board and wait in anticipation for the next day of madness.
Hope all are well

Better than a Croydon office block eh?

Big Al (my manager)

The Snow Monkey (very hungover)

Nelson + snow (X marks where I live)

Looking along Kootenay Lake from the top of Pulpit

The catalogue shot (Pulpit)

"Suck it up soldier!" (the arrival at the top of Pulpit)

Freaky Darth Vader in stilts

Now Playing: Halloween

Merry Xmas from Nelson BC! So much has happened since my lasy entry and I'm now trying to rack my brain.
I enjoyed my few weeks of taking it easy here but am very glad to be working and earning a few bucks.
Halloween was a good laugh, loads of people went to town on their costumes and I was chuffed at having just found out I got the job at the ski hill so I got absolutely wasted.
Me and Nate did the Pulpit Rock trail that same week (which was pretty much the last week in the year you could've safely hiked it as its inaccessible when the snow hits). This trail needless to say was pretty hard going for the young Hennessy and this is where the difference between a pasty boy from the big smoke and a Canadian mountain monkey (Nate has spent 4 summers planting trees in -30 conditions in some places where you have to be choppered in). Anyway the trek was well worth the 2 hours it took to get up there.
There really is too much to say thats good about Nelson, the friendly locals, the consistently good gig/DJ scene, the amazing scenery, the local oregano and the fact that everyone I talk to says its one of the best towns in Canada.
So waht can I say about my job? Well when you work in the snowy paradise that is Whitewater resort work is tolerable. As I may have said Whitewater is one of the smallest resorts in BC and has maintained its old skool, family character. The owners, Mike and Shelley Adams are both really nice, Shelley works in the kitchen and Mike helps me take out the trash when I'm sometimes busing tables in the lodge (apron and all, no pics I'm afraid). All the staff are a great bunch of people and in particular the guys on my team (Outdoor Guest Services). I'm basically a ticket checker making sure people have got passes and the right equipment before they go up on the lift. Between checking tickets, parking cars, shovelling snow and smashing 3 foot thick lumps of ice off the roof my day is basically filled with chatting to people which isn't a problem because everyone is always having such a good time that complaints are few and far between.
I look very important with my uniform and walkie talkie and am getting used to the "10-4 good buddy, what's your 10-20" lingo. This being a ski town everyone goes to the hill which means since I've started working there I constantly have people I don't recognise saying "Hi Brendan (we have name badges like in McDonalds)
All in all things are pretty sweet and although I was missing everyone at home coming up to Xmas I've been working so much that I haven't had time to dwell on it too much. While you were all opening presents and enjoying turkey and all the trimmings I was out in a car park at -15 directing cars like some Japanese policeman. The snow was falling and falling for 2 days while the 500 students were in town on break so the hill was super busy.
Anyway guys and gals, I hope this finds everyone well and that you all had a great Xmas and New Years. As I've said to a few of you if you've got some spare cash just lying around (as if) then why not grab a cheap flight and join the Brenster in Canadia for a week or two. You know it makes sense.
Misiing you all
Merry Xmas and have a very Happy New Year

B

Life in a little town
Just a brief update. Still living in little old Nelson, taking it easy until I have to start work week after next (outdoors at a ski resort brrr). I'll be readyfor a bloody arctic voyage by the time i get back.
Have been playing lots of pool and certain people will be glad to hear that I've been reprazentin and kicking ass on the big 9-ball tables which are everywhere. Went to a Halloween party the other week, went very unoriginally as a zombie (got a few snaps which I'll put up when I get a chance), it was quite amusing when this breakbeat DJ suddenly sliced in MJ's 'Thriller', all in all it was a good nite and there were some crazy costumes including a guy who turned up as a Centaur (half man/horse) and he had a proper horse body on wheels trailing behind him and everytime I saw him he had a girl riding round on it, strange sights indeed. Plus this guy on 7-ft stilts who looked Darth Vader.
All together its very cool out here and am getting the hang of imitating the funny canadian speech ('I'm from Canada and they think I'm slow eh'). I just tell most people I'm from London as to try and explain Croydon in Surrey is too much work everytime and plus it sounds cooler.
Anywayz better sign off, shall be having a few jars of local ale 2nite(the locally made beer here is v nice). And for 2moro a spot of basketball and perhaps golf.
All the best people

The town of Nelson (from Gyro Park)

Kootenay Lake

Down by Kootenay Lake (Nelson)

The beast I sat in for 7 hours going to Nelson (lumberjack on back)