California Here We Come

It must have been nearly a month since my last post. I surprised how far I’ve come and how different I feel from just two posts ago – although admittedly that was three months ago. Cheesus Christ… three months. So, as far as my perception of wanting to be in a relationship goes, I can honestly say I have no interest in being in a relationship any time soon. For sure time will tell, and I’m not ruling it out, I’m just saying I don’t need someone else to think about in my life right now. That kind of responsibility is just too overwhelming to consider. It was an epiphany type of moment. I happened to glance across at a couple driving the opposite direction to me in town. She was looking at him in a way that just seemed to scream, ‘I’LL DO WHATEVER YOU DECIDE’. Or something along those lines. Long story short – I miss what I had in terms of a relationship but I’m feeling much freer to do whatever I want.

What is it I want to do? Well… I am trying desperately to apply for a working holiday visa for Canada to come back next season. If I am not successful I will just go to Europe and work a season there. Not sure what I’ll do in between but let’s just take it easy and see what happens.

Let’s concentrate on right now. Since my last post not a great deal has occurred. I was ill for a good week or so and endeavoured to spend as much time in bed as possible. I’m pretty much OK now.

We went exploring one Sunday afternoon, a few weeks back, and drove 7km along a logging trail before chilling out, taking some photos and sharing a beer together. That was a fun afternoon. It was a hairy drive up the rutted mud trail in Jeele’s shitheap of a van, but we made it just fine.

I have managed to spend 31 days total snowboarding on the mountain. One complete month of snowboarding. Wow. My last day I spent with Steve shredding the Stoke laps. We took some beers and my speaker up with us, spending a good couple of hours just chilling on some hammocks hidden in the trees. He got some GoPro footage of me and has promised me a birthday video edit. I am very excited to see it.

We had a party on Sunday night and it was an appropriate send off. Good music, good friends and a fire (with fireworks) in the garden. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I woke up on the sofa at 8am and crawled to bed. We drank; we were merry. There was a girl being followed around the party by her horny co-worker. From the outset this guy was determined to mount her. She was drunk and kept flirting with me; following me whenever I got near enough and - at one point - getting me into my car with her (god knows how that happened). It is an amazing feeling to know someone wants you and for you to be able to shrug them off. Even if she was completely wasted (and the state I was in makes it a minor miracle). Plus Steve had already called dibs. The bastard.

I will miss my friends from Revelstoke and cherish the memories I have made together with them. Particularly Steve who has beyond question been my greatest friend in a long time. (Although I have discovered in my absence that Sam is indeed my very best friend). Even Luke and Kara who bailed on my last night in town; I feel only sadness that I did not get to say goodbye. I believe I learnt a lot about life and friendship during my time there.

Oh yeah. I bought a car. Owning it for a grand total of a week.

Determined to road trip to L.A, I tried desperately to convince Steve and Adam to join me. They couldn’t swing it – but I maintained that determination to reach California by car. I saw a post on the Stokelist by a couple looking for a ride to Vancouver. We continued talking and eventually we ended up trading the car and agreeing to drive together south to California. They’re heading to San Diego and will drop me in L.A before continuing. So far they seem cool. They’re Swedish.

We’ve stopped in Tacoma and will spend the night in a motel before continuing south – hoping to hit halfway to San Francisco tomorrow. I’m now trying to find a couchsurfing host for my final week in North America, at least for this journey. I’m hoping for two things: warm sun on my face and outlet shopping for a few more T-shirts to replace my babygap shrunken disasters.

It feels good to be travelling again. Proper travel.