Another year, another ski holiday, another ...... well actually the same resort. We're a bit set in our ways these days and so back to Whistler it was.

The holiday got off to an exciting start flying out of Heathrow in the middle of the Al Qaeda missile alert. The only effect was to delay us so we did not get into Vancouver until gone midnight. The Hertz desk was closed and so we took what National, the only desk still open, had to offer. And so we became the embarassed owners of a GMC Yukon, a vehicle closer to a bus than a car. Our ski bag which just fits front to back in our Discovery could be thrown carelessly into the back of the Yukon. The walkie talkies proved essential for the long distance conversations with the girls in the back seats

Up at Whistler Robert had our rooms at the Executive Inn ready and already had our stuff out of storage. The big advantage of our home from home is the very short walk to the gondola station - a godsend at the end of the day with clumpy ski boots and tired legs. On top of which in the evening we can sit and watch the Whistler world go by out the window after a hot tub and with a fire crackling in the grate.

This year, despite arriving on the US President's Day weekend things were quieter than usual - perhaps the impending Iraq War had put the 'mericans off travelling. It did allow us though to make full use of the good snow. While the weather in the village was generally not great, a few minutes on the gondola would break through into sunshine with the clouds below. Fresh new overnight snow and sun most days and the lack of crowds meant you could still find plenty of fresh deep snow in the bowls for fresh tracks all day.

After skiing it was the usual pastimes of shopping, eating, drinking, shopping and the obligatory Cows ice creams. Kathy and Gemma also paid a return trip to The Great Wall - a climbing wall in the basement of a hotel where they first developed a penchant for climbing.

On the last day we had intended to ski before going down to Vancouver for an overnight before the flight. As it was the skiing the penultimate day was so exceptional we decided preserve the memories and go to Vancouver the next day instead. Skiing can't get much better than that.

Read about our trip to Vancouver by clicking here

Read about our previous Whistler holiday by clicking here

Our Yukon, named after the State that will fit comfortably in the back

The Executive Inn (move mouse over picture to see where our suite is located)

The staple Raven ski diet

Kathy in fresh snow through the trees