(These double-decker Airbuses don’t look that big from afar)

Everytime I arrive in LAX from Japan, it feels like I’m entering a 3rd world country.  Its dirty, smells, the air is stale, everything in sight looks like its in need of repair, airport employees look inattentive and rude.  Its a bad first impression.

We flew out of LAX for our first ski trip of the season.  Whistler Blackcomb is our destination – my favorite mountains. The roundtrip airfare direct to Vancouver (2.5 hr flight) was $175.  A direct flight from San Diego would have been $750, or with one-stop $380 (7 hr travel time).  Driving up to LAX is not my favorite thing but given the cost difference, it seemed worth it.

Coming from moldy, dirty, and rude LAX, the Vancouver Airport was like heaven.  From Vancouver its a 2.5 to 3 hour bus ride to Whistler, an hour of which is getting through Vancouver city center.  There are no freeways through the center of Vancouver, which gives the city a very cosmopolitan feel. Unfortunately we weren’t able to spend time in Vancouver this time – it such a lovely city.

(A long wait – a stand for his laptop)

After you leave Vancouver, you drive through a very scenic fjord up to Whistler.  Once you reach Whistler, its a walking village and no need for a car.

With 2 weeks till the Olympics, it looks like there is still a lot of work to do. For the first time, the medal ceremony will be held in 2 places, one in Vancouver, another in Whistler. The Whistler Olympic flame cauldron.