Trip to Whistler!

I am here! Great trip!!
What I did:
- Left Ottawa at 5:30 PM on Monday Feb 8 - arrived Vancouver at 8 PM - great flight!
- Vancouver airport had lots of athletes and other important people milling around - lots of VANOC (Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee)volunteers asking if you need help
- Andrew (Ritchie), Emily and Adam Chowne picked me up in their new deluxe mini van
- Spent the night chez Chowne in Vancouver
- Drove with Ritchie downtown on Tuesday morning to pick up tickets for the Opening Ceremonies Dress Rehearsal - all volunteers are able to get one ticket and buy another for $50 - was in and out with my tickets and a complimentary bottle of VANOC Jackson Triggs Merlot in 5 minutes - I gave the tickets to the Chowne's for their great hospitality
- Emily and Adam met me downtown and we toured around looking at all the sights in preparation for the games
- It is very warm - flowers are in bloom and people walking around in shorts and flip-flops!! Vancouver is full of people with different "national" jackets on, TONS of Olympic volunteers (blue jackets) and tourists taking pictures - very exciting. Every other car on the street is a VANOC vehicle. Not much traffic - easy to get around.
- Met a bus in downtown Vancouver bound for Whistler - free service for volunteers - party atmosphere on the bus - everyone talking to one another - where are you from? what are you doing during the games? Really fun!! People from across the country doing all kinds of jobs!
- While in Whistler I am staying with my old friend Margot Murdoch (Lebrun) - she and her husband Brent and their 3 kids have lived in Whistler for 15 years - I am staying as part of the "Home Stay" program where residents have opened their homes to accept volunteers. In return the Murdochs have received tickets for events. They have a beautiful home close to the village (White Gold) and I have my own room. It is awesome!
- Margot met me where the bus let me off - I went to her house to settle in then walked back to get my accreditation and uniform. Really easy process! All volunteers get a jacket, pants, vest, hat, 2 shirts, water bottle and other swag.
- Tomorrow I have training on the hill from 9 to 12 AM. This is a general orientation to where you go, the lay of the land and how you get around. I spoke with my crew chief, Mike Sheppard, this evening and he wants me to start working tomorrow afternoon (Wed) - they needs lots of help to get the track ready for Thursday and the first training runs for the Ladies Super Combined race.
- Really looking forward to tomorrow - will be on my skis and on the hill - that is when the fun will begin!!