John Mee – Some programmer in Sydney

Monday, August 26, 2002
There’s quite a bit of this.
There are some more photos up there under “dump3″, but I can’t tell you any more since I’m experiencing some curious internet access points, and the various restrictions they try to hide the fact that they are running on windows.

Anyway, less of the boring stuff, and more of the fun.

Today is a lay day. Woken at 6:45 by the breakfast cook, Kate, I dozed for a few more moments till the troops arrived at 7:00. We took porridge, bacon, eggs, toast, and tried to work out what was going on with the ski-fields. It snowed overnight, and there’s nothing like the sight of snow on the balcony. All fields are closed for high wind.

Yesterday was a day of blizzard conditions perched high upon the Remarkables. The road up is fun, think Pikes Peak and you’re on the right path. This was Day One for most of the crew. Steve F. and a second carload found their way into town at around 1:30am, whilst Steve C. found me just preparing to leave the unit a little after dusk on Saturday.

Saturday I awoke to the rustling of 4 irish girls preparing to meet their 9:00AM bus, out the front, at 7:00AM. It was a horrible night back in backbackerville as six people were squashed into a tiny room in a house purpose built for housing on a people per sq foot basis. I lounged around most of the day after a couple of urgent downtown items. Did the tourist round of exploring the town. Yes, McDonalds and friends are here, Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, Hard Rock Cafe, the list goes on and on. Hunted out a flight home, snow rental prices, coffee, sunnies, sheepskin everythings, I’m all shopped out. Found the hotel, checked in, transfered luggage, wondered how much I should touch. Waited…..
Seems endless

So the skiing was… er …. fun? I’m boarding, and aren’t overly impressed with the Burton step-in bindings. Perhaps after practice, but I couldn’t get into them without sitting down. Have a niggling achillies tendon keeping my attention, but not a real problem as yet. I just can’t really comment on the conditions, just wasn’t exciting. On the side of one of these treeless mountains you’re totally exposed to the elements and the wind made it impossible, combined with being in the clouds, you’ve a flat light such that you can’t tell the barren hard pack patches from the deep fluffy powder pockets, you might be getting the idea.

We wandered the town this morning, with an express interest to get our names down for heli-skiiii. I wasn’t at all hard to sell but took my casual distinterested face. Now the excitement begins. A plan is forming. This is a ski week after all. (someone say “Open that credit card up?”). Tomorrow Steve C will take us skiing if it kills him. So heli should happen on Thurs or Fri. Nice climax to the week. This could get fun.
posted by John Mee at 5:24 PM