Lesson Learned

A few days after returning to LA from the Christmas holidays, I picked up a friend (and fellow Canadian) from LAX. Her flight got in ~ 10pm. I’ve done the drive to and from the airport MANY times. I have a quick route I usually take, but with all of the excitement of her and her dog (Thumps), I missed a turn and we took the freeway. Not a big deal, it’d be quick at that hour. We were catching up, I was driving – navigating our way home – when all of a sudden my worst fear in LA (aside from being deported!) came true. There were red flashing lights behind me…

There are few things I fear more in life than the police in countries outside of Canada. In Canada, men in dark blue make me feel safe & protected. Anywhere else, they do just the opposite. This might be less surprising in developing nations like African countries – but the US is also high on this list. Blame Rodney King, Crash & Changeling, but I am petrified of the LAPD. They have a lot of power, & I just don’t like it.

In disbelief, I said “Are we getting pulled over?” My friend laughed and said, “What? No!” Well, yes we were. My surprise lead to a delayed reaction time, so the officer actually got on the loud speaker, “Take the next exit and pull over. Pull over at Culver City.” So I did, but I guess I didn’t stop soon enough because then I heard, “Stop the car, pull over and stop the car NOW.” Uh, ok. I’d never been pulled over in my life, let alone on a 6-lane Los Angeles freeway. Awesome. I stopped the car.

The officer was nice enough, he said I’d made an unsafe lane change and cut someone off. I didn’t notice, but I wasn’t one to object. He did a test asking me to follow his finger with my eyes (I had to stop myself from saying anything, clearly I hadn’t had a drop of any alcohol, but he wasn’t asking). Then he went back to his patrol car, for what felt like forever, and came back with a ticket telling me I had to go to the Santa Monica Courthouse February 22, at 8:30am. So I did this past Monday. I waited in line for two hours (in a full suit, not required to say the least) and decided not to contest the ticket. That would have involved coming back another day, going in front of a judge, and proving that I didn’t make an unsafe lane change. I wasn’t sure how to go about doing that, so instead I paid the $215 fine and opted to take online traffic school for another $60. I have until mid-April to complete an 8-hour online course, after which this incident will be completely removed from my driving record. No points, no insurance penalties, no record... Yes please. I had never even heard of traffic school, the man at the kiosk kept asking me if I’d been to traffic school in the past 18-months. I had to ask what traffic school was, his reply was “I think you’re good.”

I've since learned that it’s very common to get pulled over in smaller LA areas like Culver City. Large enough to have it’s own police force, but relatively small geographically, there’s no shortage of police looking to pull people over. I guess the key is not to give them a reason.

So yeah, drive safe and check those blind spots.

k

Olympic Pride

There’s nothing better than seeing Canada in the spotlight. And as expected, Vancouver’s proving to be a fantastic host for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. From KD Lang's show-stopping performance of "Hallelujah" in last Friday's Opening Ceremonies - to the electric energy of the Canadian fans cheering on our hometown favorites - I'm completely addicted to anything, everything, & ALL things Olympic.

Some personal highlights so far are the following – of course the celebs & fashions are front & center in my book:

• Wayne Gretzky (The Great One), Steve Nash (NBA allstar), Catriona Le May Doan (speed skating icon) & Nancy Greene (skiing legend) lighting the Olympic Cauldron.

• “You Gotta Be here” - commercial airing throughout the Olympic coverage encouraging traveling to BC in 2010 – proud Canadian British Columbians Michael J Fox (amidst some of Canada’s biggest & best trees), Sarah McLachlan (donning black Hunter Wellies & admist orca whales), Ryan Reynolds (“laid back”… mmm - always delicious), Erick McCormack, Steve Nash, & Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall. “We call it home, my home, our home." Click for the TV & Unedited versions. So worth a watch.

• “We Are The World 25 for Haiti” (click to watch) - 25 years ago Michael Jackson cowrote this song with Lionel Richie to raise money for Africa. Today, several A-list stars gathered for a remake with proceeds going to Haiti earthquake relief – available on iTunes (you can also download “Hope for Haiti” songs from George Clooney’s telethon).

• Canada’s first gold on home soil – Alexandre Bilodeau (above) – Men’s Moguls Freestyle Skiing - AMAZING.

• Canada’s first women’s snowboarding gold (& the first Canadian Women to earn a gold on home soil!!) - Maellle Ricker (local West Vancouver girl) – Ladies Snowboard Cross. I physically leapt out of my seat for that one.

• Other gold, silver and bronze Canadian medals have been earned in Speed Skating, Men’s Snowboard Cross & Moguls Freestyle Skiing. The medal count continues... loving metallics.

• US figure skater Evan Lysacek (Los Angelean) debuting his feathered costume in his short program, designed by Vera Wang, fashion icon & former figure skater herself. His second Vera outfit can be seen in tonight’s long program. You go boy.

• Evan’s US teammate Johnny Weir marching proudly into the figure skating arena with a black studded Balenciaga bag – ok, it was a full on purse. Ever the fashionista, his costume had pink accents as well. Go big - go gold - or go pink.

• US downhill skier, Lindsey Vonn, overcoming a devastating shin injury, to take gold. Teammate Julia Mancusco, wearing a tiara over her helmet as a good luck charm, takes silver. No joke. Look closely...

• Shaun White taking a victory lap (after winning gold in his first run) & introducing his double McTwist 1260. This Big Bear California native is called “the flying tomato”. He proudly defended his gold from Torino, & was incredible to watch.

Thankfully we still have more than another week of the games to enjoy – I just can’t get enough.

GO CANADA!!!!

k

It's going to be a white Christmas...

Antarctica will mark my 7^th and final continent, a goal I have to complete by my 30^th birthday. Funnily enough this endeavor wasn’t as well researched on my part as my previous expeditions to Africa, South America & Everest (or at all really). I know a few brave souls who have ventured to the Arctic, and we’ve discussed it in passing, but I failed to start properly researching this expedition until last month. I had it in my head that I’d head to the South Pole this spring – figuring once the site was launched I could get my act in order and take a 10-day hiatus…

Hmmm. Well for one – I learned the continent freezes in March every year – not thawing until the following December. This posed my first problem for my finite August deadline. So likely not surprisingly to most of you, I started looking into the trips that were still available this season in an effort to meet my cut-off. My travel agent even asked if I could leave for 3 weeks in 4 days from our first conversation? Aggressive. Given the site's delay, and my insane thirst for continent chasing, I probably could have swung it... but the trips left were not my ideal. I want an active trip, on a comfortable ship, with other travelers close to my age - far from what was left. I was now seeing why most people plan this trip of a lifetime about a year in advance. It’s a sizable

investment to undertake without getting the trip you really want (I’m set on sea kayaking with penguins - circa March of the Penguins 2.0 - and I’m really not willing to compromise on this...). I also thought I could do a 7-day trip, adding a day or two for travel on each end. But considering you’re going to the tip of the world – they don’t run trips less than 10 days in length. You also need to give yourself 2-3 days on each end to properly accommodate the required travel (after missing my flight from LA to Singapore & starting Everest two days late, I can appreciate why this is the case) - I'm not sure a ship with 100 passengers would be waiting...

So in the end I’ve booked my perfect trip (this is my actual ship below) & I've allowed myself a few months grace on my August deadline. I’ll be leaving LA December 15^th, flying to Ushuaia

(the Southern most city in the world) via Buenos Aries – leaving December 18^th on a 12-day expedition – and returning home to LA via Santiago (happily ringing in 2011). My trip is called the “Antarctica Cruise – The Peninsula (Active Adventure) 2010” – it’s on a Russian Ship called the “Marina Svetaeva” and aside from sea kayaking with penguins; it offers glacier camping, healthy meals, a gym, and hot stone massage. There are day hikes and zodiac rides. It’s described as “a casual & active environment”. Perfection.

If I don’t include countries where I haven’t actually left the airport (Japan & South Korea), I’m at 25 for my related goal of 30 countries also before 30. I’ll count Argentina and Chile as 26 & 27 – leaving 3 more to hit in the next few months. Cabo anyone?

Seven!

k

Team Canada

As much as I LOVE living in California and consider it my forever home (Muskoka will ALWAYS have dibs on my summers) – I could not be more excited for the Olympics to start in my native country. And of course, to ferociously cheer on Team Canada. Always. I can’t wait to experience the balance of watching the US media coverage – with Canada being the host. Vancouver is one of our best cities, and will surely have Canadians beaming with pride, as the rest of the world (the few that don’t already love and respect our country), falls head over heels with everything British Columbia has to

offer. Isn’t it about time Americans learn what a toque is? Not to mention an “Inukshuk” – I can’t wait to watch the world try to figure out that one... And if the city of Vancouver isn’t spectacular enough – there’s Whistler. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Whistler in the summer - enjoying their running & biking trails, and in the winter – enjoying fresh tracks & the best boarding of my life. It’s incredible. Such a small town it feels like high school - there’s a homey feel to it that welcomes you right away. Admittedly it’s not somewhere I’d want to spend more than a few days at a time, but whatever your reason to visit – it promises to offer you an incredible few days at that.

So as the torch continues to cross the country en route to Whistler (the 106 day relay has passed through every province & territory, with torchbearers including teenagers, senior citizens, athletes & politicians), tomorrow marks one week till the Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver. Athletes from across the globe are gearing up for their competitions of a lifetime. It promises to be an exciting 17 days, hopefully resulting in many Canadians taking gold on their homeland.

The last year of my life (& admittedly the 28 before) comes back to one question – what are they wearing? This applies to athletics – so to answer anyone else’s beaming curiosity, the US team will be donned in Ralph Lauren attire for the Opening Ceremonies. Sadly Team Canada’s HBC gear’s not looking as chic – gaining points for function over fashion it's cozy & comfy - which might help in the medal department.

It’s too bad lulu wasn’t honored with the task – being one of Canada’s largest retail success stories – starting nowhere other than… Vancouver. At least we’ve got their “cheer gear”. LOVE.

It’s on.

k