Roller coasters

I am in need of some moral support. On the list of things to do on my upcoming rode trip is TWO, yes TWO amusmant parks including Canada's Wonderland and Six Flags. Some of you may be thinking, "Wow, that sounds like fun, " but it's not.

My first roller coaster was at the Mall of America at Camp Snoopy. The name of the park tells you what kind of coaster it was. Very small and relaxing and fun.

Number two was at Les Galleries de la Capitale in la Ville de Quebec. Same thing; a quaint little ride.

So after the first two I thought to myself, what's the big deal? Roller coasters aren't bad at all.

Then there was that scary night in fall 2002 I believe. A few of us first years decided it would be fun to go for a ride at West Ed. I, with all my confidence, hop into the car with a friend. She sort of had a tension about her that I didn't understand. Once we got to the top I completely understood. The death like drop almost killed me right then and there. Then it went even faster and did crazy loops and turns and I couldn't even breath. My friend's knuckles were white when we finished from my squeezing it so hard.

I vowed that day to never again mount that terrible train. To this day the sound still digs up the horrible memories.

So now you understand my reluctance to get excited about the insanity to come. I have only a week left in which to prepare myself. I might have to pull out the candles.

From Edmonton to Yellowknife

My fourth ship this month! I am now aboard HMCS Yellowknife and I actually did some real live NAVY sailing. I love it. I was on board for 4 days and now my siblings can't make fun of me anymore; Yellowknife actually goes somewhere, not like Nonsuch back in Edmonton.

The worst part of sailing I think is the amount of times I hit my head on deck heads (ceilings) or pipes or anything really. My favorite part is doing rounds at night and making sure the freezer isn't broken ie. sampling the icecream.

I have begun my lessons driving a standard. I just graduated to second gear and I am so proud of myself. I'll get some practice because I'm flying to Quebec city with a friend and driving her car back and you guessed it, it's a standard. I really hope I get up to at least third or it could be a long drive. Wish me luck.

The life of a pirate

My adventure on the Oriole is over but not befor I:
-experienced a real live sail boat
-went two weeks without a real shower or ketchup
-didn't see land for 5 days
-seen the power of a storm on a sailboat
-went to the bathroom when it was on a 45 degree slope (that was an adventure)
-saw whales, sharks, and a rain forest
-participated in talk like a pirate day (actually it dragged out to over 2 days)
-learned to drive a Zodiac (6 man, fast little boat)
-get pulled off the deck with a haliard (Sort of like when Captain Sparrow gets pulled out of the ocean at the end of the movie but not as cool)
-saw real live pirate ships (one of which was in Pirates of the Carribean)
-stear the ship

There's so much that I did and saw. I met up with them in Port Alberni for a tall ships festival and so I got to see all the ships. There was huge ones there from Russia and Mexico. Oriole was the oldest and she's one of the fastest.

Then we raced down Oregon. Don't be deceived, I didn't even see the coast of Oregon. Then we came up through a storm with was absolutely insane and I'm really glad that I don't get sea sick.

We sailed up to Hot Springs cove and anchored there for the week end. It's a natural spring about a 20 minute walk through the forest on a boardwalk and it's over 50 degrees celcius.

I called my bunk the bat cave because it was dark and wet and I had to crawl to get in. I was one of four people that slept in the wardroom which also served as the only common room on ship. All my kit was stowed on my bunk. Depending on the tack (which side the wind is one) I either slept on the bulkhead (wall) or the cloth that was tied up to keep me and my gear on my bunk.

It was always a process to use the heads (the bathroom) especially at night. There was three but the two closest to me were in people's cabins so you can't use them when people are sleeping. So I would get up, no need to change because when you're working 4 hours on 4 off it's way to much effort to change into PJs. So I crawl out of the bat cave. Pull on wet skins (rain gear that keeps you warm), wet socks and shoes because my boots were 5 sizes too small, and a harness/life preserver. Stumble up the crooked stairs, grab on to anything so you don't fall off into the ocean, and down another hatch. Now in the bathroom, try not to fall and smack into anything while taking all that gear off. Pee uphill, which is reall quite challenging with the boat rocking side to side too. And then back track all the way back to my bunk.

There was really relaxing times, especially going to Oregon. The wind was with so most of our watches was spent sleeping, reading, and trying to get a tan through our wet suits.

I really learned the power of the wind. I was actually scarred the first night of the storm. The boat was on a really big list and water was coming over the high and low sides. The front of the boat actually got air when it came off swells. When we had jiving stations (changing tacks) we we all get down on the sheets (sitting on the deck holding the rope that switches the direction of the sail) The lazy sheet ( the one you're pulling on) is always on the low side so we were sitting less than a foot from the roaring ocean. When the skipper orders Heave it in, we all heaved in the rope. The wind would whip the sail so much that the rope cut our hands and we had to lean in board so the sail didn't knock us out. There were a few times that I would have gone into the ocean if I didn't have my harness or someone grabbing on to me pulling me up.

The Oriole was an awesome experience. I would not hesitate for a second to do it again.

Most of all I was given a pirate name. I didn't come up with it myself and I don't know how I got it but it's Klein the Killer.