Yacht + Helicopter = Skiing

by Iva Skoch on

Still mad that Europeans are greeting the New Year without snow, I think I’ve found an answer.

You can charter a boat called the Absinthe, to take you and 11 of your friends skiing in British Columbia. Billed as the world’s only yacht-based ski-lodge, this $36,000 per day (not including meals and fuel), 201-foot yacht will cruise you along the BC coast until you near an appropriate mountain. Then you’re fully equipped with skis and board their helicopter, which takes off from a heli-pad on the yacht, carries you up to the slopes with a ski-guide, and picks you up later.

And, if not all of your friends are skiers, they can take advantage of local hot springs, sea fishing, fly fishing, visits to Indian villages, kayaking, or a host of other activities offered from the yacht. Absinthe-drinking comes to mind.

Photo of the Day (1/2/2006)

by Erik Olsen on

Here we are in the dead of winter and it is fine time to post a nice Photo of the Day featuring snow. This shot comes from BluePeak and shows a killer snow fall near Vancouver and Whstler, British, Clumbia, arguably the best ski area in North America. Many of us who live in places where Mother Nature has not been so snow-kind, meanwhle, await a snow fall as lovely as this.

Photo of the Day (12/21/06)

by Neil Woodburn on

This photo, simply titled Pacific Fog, captures a couple of hikers making their way along the West Coast Trail at Bonilla Point in British Columbia, Canada.

The fog rolling in, the powerful smash of surf, and the pretty blue sky in the background make for some beautiful eye candy as captured by photographer Bluepeak.

World Sound: More Desi Boy Bands

by Adrienne Wilson on

If you were to give me a pop quiz right now on Desi pop culture I’d flunk horribly. I’d like to think my crooning Asha Bhosle’s version of Ina, Mina, Dika would score me some points in the Desi community, but the song is centuries old and the world is need of a fresh new sound from young Desi boy heart-throbs. According to my favorite and really the only Desi culture blog I read, Sepia Mutiny, the planet could use a few more boy bands. Desi boy bands. My initial thoughts were quite opposite and not so much the Desi part, but the boy band part. However, I decided to read further and listen.

JoSH is a Montreal based Desi duo. The one they say resembles Lenny Kravitz (Q) is kind of cute to me and the other (Rup) rocks the turban while delivering the vocals that make the hearts of women melt. Okay, not so much melt, but you know the ladies are feeling it and shaking their tail-feathers, swinging their hair all wild and what have you and so it seems that the world needs more of this Desi boy band business, right? If you’re not familiar with JoSH (long O like Joe, not Joshua) you’ll want to see the videos they’ve included in the blog. The first one sold me, but the second one almost lost me. I’m a sucker for world music though so I’d probably pick it up or download a few tracks.

Seriously, if you’re into tuning your global ear to new things give JoSH a try. They’ll be opening for Nelly Furtado in Bombay on New Year’s Eve if you happen to be around India end of year.

New Passport Site

by Erik Olsen on

So with the threat of terrorism and changes t passports themselves (I.e. RFID tags), there are lots of open questions about changes in passport requirements when you travel. Why, just a while ago, I traveled to Newfoundland and discovered much to my surprise that I needed a passport to travel by air to Canada. I lived in Seattle for many years and NEVER needed a passport to get into Canuck country. Mexico the same. I just got back the day before yesterday, but thankfully ,I brought my passport.

Well, if you are heading out soon, it might make some sense to take a look at a new site put up by the travel industry to help you navigate and understand passport rules. Called GetAPassportNow.com, the site is meant to inform travelers about new passport requirements and to help them get passports. It explains the issues and requirements for those carrying passports to and from the US, Canada and Mexico.