Mini Adventure: Latest Creation...

Mini Rachel can now hang out with Mini Frenchie! HAHA.

Schoolgirl Error

So today I set off on the first step of my 3 month '(kinda) round the world' adventure... (well if Im being picky it was actually yesterday... I already endured 1 painful day at Heathrow terminal 1, and 11 hours on a Boeing 777). Im writing this sitting on the floor at Hong Kong Airport, I need to sit on the floor for power. Thoughts so far...

1, Hong Kong use English 3 pin plugs. Convenient for the English, that is If you didn't purchase all of your goods in the US and then spend hundreds on converters for the EU.
2, Apologies in advance for any offence I might cause... but everyone here is VERY loud, and one man just spat next to me. Into the bin to be fair, but really!
3, Economy does not compare with business on ANY level.
4, I really should have been a little smarter with planning, and spent some time in Hong Kong, It looks amazing outside. That'll be a result of my Asia phobia. The sooner I get over that the better.

Watch this space.
I'll be with the Kiwis soon...

Ok so here's the deal. I had great intentions to complete an up to date, step by step summary of the past months, but time is simply not something I have on my side apparently! So here's the plan. Im simply going to summarise what happened in a few bullets and then we can all get on with the next step of the journey. Deal? :)

Last update was the account of the snowboarding accident on a mountain in Oregon. So we shall resume from there...

Wrist broken in 2 spots, some rib bruising! Guess What? No Insurance.. Yes you heard me... $2000 anyone? Doctor mentions the word 'SURGERY' I throw up. $10,000 anyone? Cancel 8 week trip in week 2 and deliver myself to the British National Health Service...$0 Diagnosed with Shingles. Yes, I do have all the luck. Shingles + Surgery = Infection/Bad news..... No surgery! Bed Bound at mom & pops for the following 4 weeks.. Can anyone spell INSANE? Getting there, Arm a bit wonky... I need to get outta here... Amsterdam is calling.

Are you with me so far...

Fly to Amsterdam! YEAH BABY!! Trip to Antwerp with my BF :) (Moules/Frites/Beers) Connect with some great friends. Develop some domestic skills... yes you heard me, I can actually cook a meal these days! Enjoy the changing seasons in the Dam. Its A M A Z I N G! PHYSIO PHYSIO PHYSIO (yeah thats not going so well!)

So whats next? well with alot of time on my hands, with the disappointment of the first cancellation.... there is only one thing to do. Plan another trip... and thats where we are now!

Snowboarding: One Last Photo...

" In 1985 Meadow opened its slope sided Medical Center providing the same medical care and treatment as one could receive in a Portland emergency room. The medical center is staffed by professional doctors, nurses and EMT's, and boasts state of the art technology, including an x-ray machine to help doctors in their examination and diagnosis of injuries"

And that medical centre is where I spent the afternoon of our first day on Mount Hood! 

After my rock star morning, and a diet lunch I was ready to take on the mountain once again. Lora and I headed for the ski lift, this time without instructor. After some struggling at the bottom of the lift, we travelled up the mountain separately and then promptly fell on our asses as we dismounted. We struggled to the top of the slope, and continued to fall over every 5 metres until we reached the bottom of the slope. Jeeeeez... it was cold and tiring!

2nd attempt. This time I really fell off the ski lift hard and BOUNCED my head (in new helmet) on the ice! ouch! This time the descent was a little better, I mananged a few metres before my first crash. Then I got right back up and it started... I was boarding, I was riding the mountain... I felt in control, I was moving at speed down the slope... Woo Hoo! 

Then I was moving at more speed. Then more. I soon realised that I was not confident enough to turn right and left at these speeds so I guess I would continue on my STRAIGHT LINE down the mountain, collecting speed as I went. By the time I was 3/4 of the way down the slope I was beginning to panic a little about stopping... hmm.

Easy right? Turn your right knee outwards, dig in your heels and stop. Easy.

At the bottom of the slope that is exactly what I did, and the board did stop successfully. I however did not.

WIPEOUT!

I think I first landed on my right ribs (all air I have ever breathed was removed from my body on impact). I continued to flip and this time landed on my left arm, before one more turn to bring me to a stop in a heap on the snow, knees twisted in a way that is just not natural!

My first thought was that my lungs were punctured, due to the fact that there was no air left in my body (winded)... then the pain in my arm began to pulse! I could feel it was damaged in 2 places. Problem is now, I can't shout because I can't breathe. And I can't move to tell anyone either... and there is a ridiculous blizzard so I'm not convinced they can see me either. Maybe I would just get covered over and have to stay there.

An off duty ski patrol found me on the floor and administered first aid. This basically meant that he had to let snow inside my jacket and poke me in the spine. I was FREEZING! In a state of Shock, Hypothermia and Hyperventilation they moved me (on a sledge) to the medical centre on the mountain. 

Oops.

1, Snowboarding

Time to hit the Slopes! 

Its a long drive down from Seattle to Mt Hood, so we are up, the car is loaded (to its maximum capacity) and we are off. Seriously, Snowboards, boots, shopping, DVD's (even maybe a VHS or 2), we have everything anyone could ever need for a week on the mountain! 

John Denver is the Gambler on the 90's car stereo (or car MONO might be more appropriate) as we cruise across the state border! We hit Portland, grab some diet lunch, and begin our ascent up the mountain... 

For those of you that have not been to Oregon, and seen Mount Hood, let me try and explain. Mount Hood stands completely alone. If you check the skyline, you will see Portland city, a whole load of green (pine? redwoods?) and then suddenly a MASSIVE snowcapped mountain towering above everything. If you turn 180 you will also see Mt St Helens, that also stands alone on the skyline... Its cool. 

Side Fact: Wikipedia claims that Mount Hood is the Oregon Volcano most likely to erupt. (thats where we'll be living) but surely there its the only one big enough to cause a threat? (St Helens has had her day!)

We arrive at Collins Lake Resort a few hours later. Let me tell you, the last 30 minutes climbing through a blizzard, with 6ft of snow at each side of the road, was a little hairy. Can I please remind you of our ride...

Yes, 1990.

We are all 'geared up' and ready to roll. Tomorrow we start our lessons. Both myself and Lora are complete beginners, Lora ski's... I once went to spain on a ski trip 10 years ago...We are beginners on a board.

The lessons start early, we spend a good hour at home modeling our new helmets. We even wear them in the car, If you were in Scatje, in those conditions... you'd wear a helmet too. Trust me. 

Karl is our instructor. Me, Lora and some other chick who does not have a cool helmet. It is fast established that we all know nothing! We spend the next hour just dragging our boards up the baby slope, to slide back down mostly on our backsides. It is Tiring!! and we're in a snow blizzard. 7" fell during our first day on the slope. 

I pick it up quite well after the first hour, Im turning right, and left... then face planting into the powder. Perfect. Its not long before both of my feet are strapped in, and I'm snowboarding! Lora and other chick are not so fast to pick it up... I feel like a rock star... there lies the issue!

Lesson 1 over. Time for lunch... mmm diet sandwich and a yogurt! 

My ass hurt.

Just one Rock & Roll weekend...

Scott and Tim drove up from Portland to hang out for the weekend... We had some drinks, had some laughs and jumped into Scatje for a trip to the EMP... the Experience Music Project just behind the spaceship on a stick thing, downtown. 

EMP is basically a shrine to music, focussed on the Pacific North West. Who knew Nirvana were a product of Seattle? Who thought Seattle was so rock and roll?! Some cool Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix bits and pieces and ALOT of guitars! 

The highlight of the whole place for me however was the recording booths. Basically, a whole load of rooms full of instruments, where you can pretend to be a rock star for 5 minutes at a time. Hilarious. We were angst ridden teenagers for the afternoon, I think the term is EMO!

Also a cool print exhibition tracking the history of the gig poster, a particular print style that finds its origins in the North West. Hatch Show Print. Nice.

@ Home in Seattle!

First week in Seattle! Whoop Whoop!! 

Me, Lora, Scatje and a damn sick cat. The neighbourhood was perfect, the apartment AMAZING, and the company even better! This was going to be the best 8 weeks. 

Priorities:

1, Cruise the neighbourhood:

2, Relax with my homie

3, Not kill the cat

Seriously, we have rented an amazing apartment, with one flaw... Leo the cat. The day before the owner left for a trip to Nepal, Leo took sick.. like seriously, almost dead, and now... he is our responsibility. No really. The deal is this, we are supposed to take care of a sick cat for the next 8 weeks. And how do we need to take care of him.. by chasing him around the house, pinning him to the work top to stick a syringe of vile tasting medicine down his sick throat. Oh, and once thats done, feed him "cat soup" to stop him from starving... with a syringe!!! Seriously, if you've met me and Lora, and more importantly seen us operate as a team, you know that this is going to be a true nightmare. Between my dry heaving, and Lora snorting, there is not a pair of safe hands between us. Just to add, Lora hates cats. 

Following 2 days of chaos, cat food on the ceiling, and some vomiting, Leo was sent to the vets to receive real care from responsible people! I hope he survived. I will never be able to own a cat again...

All was looking up, beautiful city, great friends, and a list of new things to work on.

Number 1: Snowboarding!

Scatje* & Homie (Lora)

* I should explain... our ride for the next 8 weeks was Scatje, a 1990 Toyota Corolla (above) with the most complicated seat belts I've ever seen BUT... with a really cool sticker on the rear window! 

Seattle park.

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