Happy Christmas and New Year 2005/6

Merry Christmas from Canada!

The Gang on Christmas Day. Hope everyone back home had a good one!

Christmas was a blast! Deb's took up the Herculean task of cooking Christmas dinner for us all. Things were not made easier by the oven deciding to pack up! Debs used all her reserves of female reserve to MAKE CHRISTMAS HAPPEN! I love that can do attitude. She then (with permission) broke into next doors house and used their oven to cook a fabulous Christmas lunch/dinner. Fun times were had by all! thank you Debs. PS can I have my plates back???

Our landlady then poped around to wish us a Merry Christmas and unburden us of our months rent!!! Easy come easy go! Just think what kind of capers I could get up too with all that lovely cash!

However, to the rescue comes Dad! Mr Bull snr came over on December 23rd, looking for thrills and excitement. Pleading with him that I'm his only son, he agreed to give me some of my inheritance early and took me with him on his adventures. Horrah!!!


In true James Bond style which has become a trait of the more recent Bull clan, we decided not to get the boring old ferry to Victoria. We took the SEA PLANE! It was very cool I have to say. Door to door virtually in 40 min.

The Emperess Hotel where afternoon is a must. However as I offerd to buy Dad lunch, we skipped the $30 sandwich whith the crusts cut off, and went to a little cafe which did us soup and a sandwich (with crusts) for 1/3 of the price.


Dad wanted some authentic Canadian culture on this trip, so we decided to go to the HOCKEY. The Canucks were on a bit of a loosing streak, but after being 2-0 down I decided to go and have a quick chat with the players. Having some knowledge Canadian Hockey Sports Psychology, I just tolod then to go out there and disfigure Nashville. Also if there was time, knock the puck into the opposition net. It worked and they won 4-3.

Next day, we are up and at 'em again. This time at the Capilano rope bridge. This is probably the worst photo I took of it, so why I put it here I don't know. The rope bridge is spectacular and the views are terrific. There is also a nature tree walk which was fun and quite informative.

Welcome to English Bay, January 1st 2006. The stage is set for the POLAR BEAR SWIM! For those of you who don't know what the Polar bear swim is, it is a race in which other people in strange costumes and equally few brain cells dive into the sea on New Years Day and go for a swim.

It was all Ian's crazy idea (why do I follow him so blindly), but I have to say he kept up the pretence of looking confident right until......

About NOW... This is were we got our starters orders to get undresed and get to the start line. Paul Banks, Ian and myself were freezing. Not only that we were running into the sea (which is even colder believe it or not). All three of us got to the beach and saw a gap. Upon Ian's cry we all charged into the sea to be hit with a cold that gave us an instant headache. I decided that if I was going in, i'd do it in style. so I dived straight in. I then submerged (a requirement in order to get your badge) surfaced to see that I had dived in a bit to far and that Paul and Ian were already running back towards the beach. I scrambled out as fast as I could.

Once out of the weter we actually felt quite warm as the sea had been so cold. You have to be wet to claim your badge so we stolled over and even had time toahve some photo's taken before we got dry.

I was the first one back proudly holding my membership to the Polar Bear Swim Club
Hero's each and every one! I should also mention that Mr Chris Ralph also took part but he was a bit late getting there and so we only caught up with him later. So Chris we salute you too.

Next Day Whisler. I haven't been skiing in while, so I thought I'd try and look radical with some funky shades (courtesy of the Daniel Zuber collection) and some 4 day old face fuzz (don't worry Hannah, once puberty strikes, it will really kick in!)

Technology has moved on a bit in the skiing world. The snow was fantastic but my ski's were superb (Salamom Scrambelers FYI). I glided throught the powder even on a couple of black runs (I have never really managed this feat before). My skis gave me confidence beyond my tallent, it was just perfect!!

Laura's Brother Daniel joined me on the slopes on a board. It was great to have someone to go with. He's also pretty nifty on that tray as well, so good times were had by all.

I am now looking for work to finance all this. My previous post came to an end just before Christmas (can't say I was displeased) but I could really do with some work on the Horizon so I can go out and do this again!

Sorry about the spelling Mum, but time is money.

Bye for now, Andy xxx