I've been...

...busy.

After I landed on the Tuesday (arrived in brissie around 2pm), I managed to:

- have a solid 14hrs of rest.
- record a quick little TVC (pretty relaxed thursday night shoot)
- move straight into pre-production for the film (as in 6 hrs later)
- work a few shifts at the story bridge on sat/sun
- Start Booming on a heartbeat away.


sound team on day 1

week one slipped by as the crew found their rhythm, and by the weekend I was looking for some relaxation.

however saturday = bridge climb shifts, and sunday = Best Man at my brothers wedding.

now that we're closing in on the last day of week 2 on the film, I am REALLY looking forward to a small rest day...

so far it's all been pretty good. the set-ups are challenging and the crew fun to work with.

I visited rushes to listen to our work after the city hall day, and it does indeed sound excellent... so I'm pretty relieved, and can take a little solice in that fact when I occasionally manage to dip a boom into shot.

pretty wrecked each day, so not much to recap...

photo time


Brisbane City hall - location on day 3


ducted airconditioning so we didn't melt ('twas a very hot day)


Assistant extraordinaire ruth



camera...



...goes round the corner


another shot of the city hall - which has been closed to the public for a very publicised re-build, due to the small issue of its sinking, and fire hazards...



up the clock-tower of the city hall with sound mixer Mark to collect the bell tolling...


pretty clouds...



vid-split



arty



holding the fort on a very simple low-loader shot.


what I'm actually listening to...



Big boom...



what the sound team looks like mid-week 2

and...

...I'm home.

most of the journey from Vancouver was in darkness...

slept quite a bit on the plane... (Monday 8th February doesn't exist anymore!)

watched 'Inglorious Basterds' (better than I was expecting), and 90% of 'The Informant' (ran out of time...)

photos from the trip



- departing YVR




- getting arty with the headrest-screen-map-thingy




- Departing Sydney




- arriving Brisbane




- more detail


This week is pretty full with a potential TVC, some Bridge-climbing shifts on the weekend, Prep for the film (which starts next week), brothers wedding rehearsal dinner, a bucks-night, and just trying to re-integrate into my Brisbane life.

The Canadian cell phone will remain active, but I won't be able to check any voice messages.

Best contact is either my Australian Phone Number (0414 468 413)

or just shoot me an email - ian@thompsound.com

cheers

delays...

...Suck.

My travel within canada has been intresting to say the least.

Todays issues pretty much trump all previous inconveniences...

- Shuttle Sun Peaks to Kamloops airport 0700 – 0745 = fantastic

- check-in at airport = pretty good, just managed to beat the chinese speed skating team to the counter...

- ensure that my luggage is going to stop in Vancouver so I can store my skis with friends, and carry less back to australia.

- Coffee

- Security screening = had to drink the water out of my backpack to prove it wasn't dangerous, but other than that it's pretty much what it is

- no delay posted on the flight = yay!

- A delay is posted... plane has a mechanical issue = boo!

- flight is delayed until they can FLY in a mechanic

- others (including the chinese olympic speed-skating team) decide to purchase a ticket to vancouver with another carrier, when they find out that it will take 2 + hrs to get the mechanics here.

- Once the mechanics arrive, they announce that the problem appears to be repairable...

- ...only it will take another 6 hrs.

- take the option to be placed on stand-by for a 1230 flight.

- I get bored and decide to write this

Anyone want to pick me up at the airport?... IN KAMLOOPS!

My car rental in vancouver is currently sitting unused, I'm still hopeful that I'll make it into town with enough time to get all the things done that I need to do...

...if everything goes pear shaped, it's a 5 hr drive into the city; so if I'm not in the air by 1700 – f*ck it, I'll rent another car and DRIVE to the vancouver international airport...

progress report...

so I didn't make the stand-by 1230 flight.

Having waited for a considerable amount of time, I decided to leave the secure area and get some lunch

about halfway through my 2nd bite of a beef burito, an announcement was made for all passengers to make their way through security to prepare for boarding...

...wolf down the food, scramble out to the security area... and discover a line-up of well over 50 people.




For some reason, the security staff who were so efficient during the morning, managed to completely screw it up, and once again required a pat down on every 2nd passenger.

after waiting 20 mins, I moved un-molested to the holding area, where they were now actually ready to board.

Air Canada had sent out another plane to pick up our cancelled flight.




There were supposed to be 28 of us, but only 12 made it onto our plane (the others caught another flight – or died of boredom in the waiting area.)

since we had so few passengers, the captain asked the attendant to shift a few of us towards the back of the plane, so we'd improve its balance and actually be able to cheat gravity and take off.

Take off – 1415

arrival Vancouver – 1500

my rental car booking had obviously been released (they only keep it for 2 hrs past pick-up time), but they still had me in their system – and boy did they ever have a car for me.

I guess because I was only renting it for 6 hrs, they decided to give me a luxury model for the regular cost, because I was now travelling in style...

Chrome wheels, door mirrors, and decals.

Jet black bodywork.

Leather interior

bluetooth-phone connection.

Of course the engine sucked, it chewed through the fuel (even in a few hours of easy driving) and it couldn't turn or stop to save it's life...

...but it was comfortable

After dropping my skis with the lovely Northgraves (who run a homestay that I used whilst in Vancouver), I headed around town again, just getting used to the experience of driving on the wrong side.

I also managed to take a few more shots

here's a taste.


some kind of open-cut mine in BC



crane on the north shore of vancouver



me looking out the window



the city from the north shore


ok, they're calling for boarding

better go

see ya canada.

Sun...

...shine


today was close to a perfect day,

10 cms of fresh snow (flurries) over the past 24 hrs is a fantastic way to start your last day in town.

since the WEST BOWL T-Bar (off the back side of mt Tod) is only open on weekends; it had a nice collection of powder accumulate over the week.

The top of Tod mountain was also above the fog today :) so it was skiing fresh tracks in the sun (even better)...

logged a lot of vertical today, only pausing to collect my camera for some photos in the afternoon, once the fog in the valley cleared up.

My knee held up pretty well – and I sucessfully managed to not injure myself any further.

when I stopped in to collect my camera; I discovered a little gift sitting just inside my front door.

It turns out that one of the managers of tourism sun peaks had read my recent blog entry re: adventurous travel from vancouver (big hello to Christina). Along with the card was a bottle of wine and a nifty bottle opener.

Wow; was definitely not expecting that. I've gotta say that as far as pleasant surprises go – this is a very good one...

I should probably clarify a few things;

The drivers from the shuttle company were always professional, courteous, and genuinely felt bad about the mistake. I wasn't really inconvenienced in any way - as i'd always planned to settle in during my afternoon arrival, and I still managed to pick up my lift ticket for the next day.

Lastly, Sun Peaks has been a fantastic holiday destination. The entire mountain has been amazingly firendly and welcoming. Absolutely everyone - the lift company staff, shopkeepers, and especially the locals; have been nothing short of fantastic.

It's something that I always look forward to when travelling to a ski-town. Everyone you meet – loves the snow-sports culture, and is genuinely pumped to be there.

Photo-time.

- top of the world – highest lifted point at sun peaks – top of the burfield chair



- Facespace photo from the top.



- Ski patrol “warming-hut” at the top.



- Closer shot of the burfield chair.



- Caution (steep descent to the crystal bowl area)



- The crystal chair



- unloading station of the crystal



- entry to the bowl (which had been shrouded in fog all week)



- my skis...



- arty stuff – chairlift shadow



- more arty stuff – chairlift sillhouette



- nicely cut-up run at the end of the day – unsure of the run, could be “lunch time”...



- sunset through the trees (filtered through my ski goggles)

ok, I guess that's it from sunpeaks, sadly the time has come to return to the heat down under.

Tonight is - Pack-then-Party.

Tomorrow morning is - shuttle to airport, fly to Vancouver, store skis, meet some people for lunch/etc, and finally – board another 15+ hr flight...

see ya

Bonus photo


- detail of the silhouette chairlift...

mild strain...

...of the ACL on my right knee yesterday. (self diagnosed - no way I'm going to call in my insurance to just have it confirmed)

Nothing serious, infact - was out skiing today (keeping it VERY easy) and it seems to have loosened up a little. it's the same little bugger that got a "mild strain" back in 2003 when teaching at hotham. last time it was an embarassing edge catch while skiing backward and looking at my kids, this time an embarassing twisting fall into powder...

It's been snowing (well flurry-ing) for bits of each day since monday, hence the lack of photos... been skiing.

I also managed to forget to pack a Battery for my waterproof/ski camera, so if I do take out the LX3 I'll have to wait for a good day (don't want to fall and kill it).

Sun Peaks is a really nice destination - good terrain, simple village lay-out; and DRY SNOW.

ok, getting cold again.

catch you all soon

Ian

Sometimes you realise early on...

...that your day is not going to go to plan

yesterday was one of those days.

It started off well enough: Car rental return was smooth. Check-in and gear-drop were usual.

Security check seemed a little over the top.

Every 2nd passenger was setting off the metal detector, and required a pat-down... ok, no real problem with that – I'm early....

...shoes off, pat down, etc, etc, shoes back on...

...coffee and a bagel – so, they missed the cream/milk, easily fixed...


...plane is delayed – meh, it's only 15 mins...

...make that a ½ hr.



...ok, so now the plane has a maintenance issue (something to do with de-icing) and we're on standby as they try to shuffle the flight to another aircraft...


...depart 1 hr behind schedule on the new plane... all good, the shuttle wasn't going to meet you at the airport until 1215 anyway.


...short weather-related delay in the air...


...touchdown, collect baggage and move to the shuttle...

...there may not be enough room for your gear... hmmmm

The reason for this is pretty clear upon departure; the shuttle has been overbooked...

...as the only passenger not in a group, you're pretty much guaranteed to be the one to get booted off...

...at least your bags are easy to remove...

...and it gives you time to read while waiting for the next shuttle.


...Coffee (yay)...

...next shuttle is on time... until we stop to swap drivers, (15 min wait at the edge of town)...

...swap driver. Original driver departs with new bus...

...new driver does a safety check on the original bus...

...tyres are too flat to make it up the mountain safely...

...another 15 minute wait as the original driver returns with the new bus...

...swap luggage...

...get stuck behind a slow moving tow-truck...

...arrive in the village, collect keys...

…last person to be dropped off...

Expected arrival time in sun peaks = 1300

Actual arrival time in sun peaks = 1630

4 hr travel emds up being 7+1/2

With all the travel out of the way, I collected my lift-ticket, had another coffee (yay), and set about finding dinner / settling in.

early night = early morning.


It's cold and cloudy, but I start from an awesome position. Accommodation is ski-out to base lift, and ski-in from a green-run. :)

eschewing the first coffee of the day in favour of a quick run, it's off to the lift.

I always assume that between trips I've forgotten how to ski; and am amazed when, about 5 turns in, I link together a few decent ones.

Get to the base, and realise that it's time to caffeinate (yay)...


Sun peaks is a central village in the valley between three separate peaks.

The lift system is well thought out, and although the trip up is fairly long (distance and time) it's very easy to pick a new peak; within 2 hours, I'd been up on all 3.

We're away from the coast, and the difference in snow quality is quite noticeable.

Whistler gets icy or slushy if there hasn't been much recent snowfall; out here, it's cold enough during the day to maintain a very nice and skiable base.

The resort has a good variety of runs. Nicely pitched wide blues that are always groomed over night, and more challenging narrow blacks that have some mid-season bumps...

MY fitness was the initial let-down of the day (knees/fatigue), so I made the shocking decision to take a noon-time break for a couple of hours, before powering out for some non-stop skiing til the end of the day.

I'm exteremely happy with my recent jacket purchase; the skis and boots still work, and my goggle-repair held up for most of the day (there was a little moisture caught between the lens layers during some fog at the end of the day).

Internet is a little tricky to lock-down at my accommodation, but I have discovered an unsecured wireless connection about 5 mins away. The downside is that it's outside... and with late afternoon temps hovering at -5deg C - I can't really spend too much time online.

For the last few years, I've had a little internet chat with a mate (big hello to Leon) as the oscar nominations are announced; this year I'm hoping to brave the bitter cold, and continue the tradition at 0545 tomorrow morning.

In short – it's cold, skiing is still fun, and coffee rocks (yay).

See ya