Monday, May 3, 2004

Hello, everyone.

I had written a nice email describing all of what I'd been doing over the winter, but unfortunately webmail died and it got completely destroyed. So I have to start again. ARGH. Good thing internet is free, here at my cousin's place in Paris. This one unfortunately won't be as well written as the other one since I just want to write it and get it over with.

The last time I wrote was, I think, about what I did during October and November in Paris, just before I left for the Alps. I had an awesome time here before I left, met loads of new people, and generally had a lot of fun every day. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. December first was the day of my new job in the French Alps. I got on the train, not really knowing what to expect. Upon arrival in Bourg St.Maurice, first surprise: the bus I'm supposed to take up to the resort isn't a bus, but a small minivan, with barely an indication that it belonged to the company I was working for. Confusing, because not far away were a bunch of real buses going to various ski resorts. Next surprise: I didn't nearly have enough stuff to enjoy myself for the next five months. Neighbours of mine brought stereos, TVs, microwaves, and whatever else you need to live. I had only one suitcase and a back pack. I was pretty bored for the first two weeks, so I read the Bible as it was the only book that I had. Luckily my new boss had a TV to give me, so my misery came to an end.

Life settled into a nice rhythm. During the week, we had two and a half days off, plus two and a half hours off the other days, in which we could go skiing or go to sleep. On the weekends we had nine hour days, because all the tourists return their equipment from the week before, and all the new tourists rent them, all at the same time. It was tough, but after a couple of weeks we got used to it. And all the skiing during the week made up for it.

When you have access to really good skiing all week for five months in a row, it is inevitable that you will get better, in all sorts of conditions. There was everything, ice, powder, slush, heavy snow, moguls, jumps...it was pretty amazing. And with great scenery as well. Every time I went out I saw a different view of the Mont Blanc, depending on the weather and air quality.

Aside from the mountains, the people in the resort were pretty cool as well. I made some pretty good friends among my coworkers, and a few that were working for English Tour Operators. Of course, there are always a few jerks that end up spoiling some of the time there, but you just try not to talk to them too much.

Eventually, the weather got warmer, and the snow started to melt, showing the mud and rocks beneath. In the village down below, daffodils popped out, grass turned green, and trees started to sprout buds. It was then that I realised that I was tired of living at 2000 metres on a big rock. Luckily, the season was over and I could go home!

And that brings me back to Paris and the next leg of my trip: The Tour de Spain. I've got my train ticket for the French border on the west coast (Biarritz), and some friends living nearby. The plan after is to follow the coast for a bit, through San Sebastien, and then down along the portuguese border, eventually to Seville, then Malaga, Granada, and back up the other side to Barcelona. But the plans for that are going to made on the fly, and hopefully you'll hear about it as I go along.

One more thing before I go, a small clarification on a supposed French accent in English that I've acquired. It's probably more of a mixture of French, Australian, English, Scottish, and Irish. And I hope it doesn't go away! :-)

And lastly, I'd just like to inform you that beyond all expectations I got accepted for a master at UTIAS! Woohoo!

Keep the rubber on the road,

Marc

PS: If you've written to me before and I didn't answer, I apoligise; internet was hard to come by and very expensive up in the mountains. I will try to be more prompt with answering in the future.