Beach Party!

Shortly after finishing work (forever!!) and getting changed, I went back to the office to pick up Shannon and Dayna (pictured below) to hop on the gondola and head down to the parking lot, where the end of season staff party (beach theme...) was taking place.

We, and the other 800+ employees of Sunshine queued in Skier Services until 6:00, when we were granted entrance to the back room to be checked off a list and given a wrist band, drink tokens and souvenir 'May Madness' T-shirts. While queuing, we were kept entertained by those in the front of the queue with Mexican Waves, Crowdsurfing and a large beach ball that we were trying to hit the fans with...

After picking up a couple of drinks, we went to grab some food and sat down for our 'Last Supper' with our friends. There was a huge hog roast, along with various party foods in unlimited amount, and some giant cake which was soon demolished.

With Steve, Danny, Sam, Jan and Georgie for the last time...

Where there's a hog roast, there's a head to be played with...

After the food, there was lots more cheap drink, a dance floor and a DJ, and later on a fire pit. From 9:00 onwards buses started leaving for Banff and back up the hill, so virtually the entire night everyone was saying goodbye forever to one friend or another.

Eventually, it was time to catch my bus back to the hill, and soon the old schoolbus was rattling (and speeding!) its way up the very bumpy, twisty and muddy access road that used to be the ski-out. I'm sure that the bus driver was drifting it round the hairpin bends...