Jackson Hole Holiday

Hello all!

I'm off for 2 days so now I have all the time in the world to blog.. =)So this time I'll be updating on my Jackson Hole "holiday" before I officially started work.. Just some background on Jackson Hole before I start..

It is located in the state of Wyoming in the United States of America.. There are many small towns in Jackson Hole itself but the main town where I'm staying at is called Jackson (don't ever call the town Jackson Hole as the locals can get a little sensitive because Jackson Hole is a valley where the town of Jackson is located in and not the town' name at all) while I work in another town located on the outskirts called Teton Village which is about a 20 mins bus ride away from Jackson.. Winter usually last from September to March every year and Summers are usually just two months only so the place depends mainly on ski tourism to gain revenue as well..

The population is around 8000 people so you can really see how small the place is right? The main source of income is tourism and therefore there are many hotels, motels and resorts located all over Jackson Hole.. And by the way, the Four Seasons Resort is the most expensive accommodation in Jackson Hole.. The most expensive room can cost about US$3000 per night.. =)

Day 1

The place where I'm staying at right now is called The Point Inns & Suites.. It provides breakfast in the morning which is a really good thing..

And first thing we have to do as "tourists" is to take pictures of sceneries that differ from home.. Haha.. And the first photo will be that of my snow covered accommodation..

And I have moutains surrounding where I stay.. Cool.. It blocks out the winds which is a really good thing as well..

Jackson provides a bus service called START which provides transportation around the town area for free.. However if you need to travel out of town into Teton Village or other towns, it'll be chargeable between US$3- US$5 for one way which is considered really expensive.. But as I'm working there so I have complimentary bus rides everywhere.. =)Anyway, on our first day out and about, we decide to vist Teton Village and locate my resort so it'll be easier for me to find it on my first day of work..

We have arrived at Teton Village! Welcome to Jackson Hole!

The beautiful mountains that surrounds this picture perfect place..

Sun! But it's not warm at all.. Haha..

And after about a supposedly 3-mins-turned-15-mins walk from the bus stop (we were taking so many pictures along the way), we have arrived at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole!

The front entrance of the resort..

And this is the lobby of the resort.. The fireplace is real.. The bellman comes in every half and hour or so to replenish the firewood..

Ok.. Just wanna clarify, the white dots that are falling is not snow.. It is actually just the fog in the air condensing into bits of ice..

This was the level of snow about 1 week ago.. Now it has risen to about 10 inches higher due to the snow falls we've been having these past few days..

And the many many ski-ers.. I personally haven't tried ski-ing yet because it is expensive to learn it and the lift pass costs a bomb too.. Maybe next Winter when I've more or less settled down and set aside a pile of moolah for it..

No pure Starbucks or Coffeebean in the entire Teton Village or Jackson.. =( There are only cafes that brew Starbucks coffee.. No frapps or smoothies.. =(

Took a bus back to Jackson after that and decided to explore the main town area.. What you see here is the landmark of Jackson Hole.. This arch here is made of pure elk antler.. The antlers drop off naturally from the elk every spring/summer for them to grow new ones as they age and therefore, the town has collected a huge number of it and made this arch..

After much walking around, we decided to dine at one of the 3 Chinese restaurants in Jackson, Ocean City China Bistro..

We each ordered a lunch set which came with soup, spring rolls, fried rice, fried noodles and one dish.. I've sampled the food from all of the 3 Chinese restaurants in Jackson and they all only offered 3 main types of soups which are presented here- Hot & Sour soup, Egg Drop soup and Wanton soup (no meat inside!)..

And our lunch.. It was far too much for one person to finish.. And we even ordered an extra plate of veggies too..

The signboard says it all..

And this is how the town looks like and you can see for yourself how quiet it is.. The whole place is very cowboy-ish like those old Western towns because Jackson Hole used to be a cowboy town that grew from a trading centre to a small town as it is right now..

Some church I think.. And these are the two very handy tools that you will need whenever you come to Jackson.. The very excellent-ly drawn town map and the bus schedule.. Yes, that's right, buses here run on schedule which makes things so much easier for me cos I have a bus stop right outside where I stay and I can just see what time the buses come and just head on right out 2 minutes before it arrives =)..

We saw snow falling from the trees and decided to pose excitedly but I think my mama looks very natural.. Haha..

For dinner we actually had it in the "Chinatown" of Jackson at a Chinese buffet restaurant.. The lady boss was from Shandong and she was so excited to see people who can speak Chinese.. Haha.. I'll be damn glad if I found any too.. Well, I've found two but I'll update on that later..

And while waiting for the shuttle home, we took pictures with the cute figurines at a hotel near the bus stop.. Haha..

Day 2

Signed up for a Snowmobil tour to Yellowstone National Park the night before.. Super expensive but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.. Anyway, to drive a snowmobil on your own, you have to have a valid driving license and children under the age of 6 are not allowed on at all.. So just take note in case you decide to go on a snowmobil tour ok? ;)

Lucky enough the three of us all hold driving licenses so it was no problem for us.. It would be a real problem if all my family members came because there would not be enough drivers to go around.. LOL

Got picked up at the ungodly time of 630am to head to the snowmobil centre for to get fitted into proper clothing and to pay for insurance etc. The pants-suit thing that was super effective.. I didn't feel the wind blowing my legs at all.. I look like a damn farmer though.. Haha..

And my ever ready mama.. This is how we look in full gear on the snowmobils which was super troublesome when we had to go to the toilet..

And after that, the guide brought us for a catered breakfast..

On the long 1 hour drive to Yellowstone National Park.. Along the way, the guide, Kevin was telling us that the number one threat in the world is not terrorists or nuclear bombs but Yellowstone National Park.. Because there are still active volcanoes in it that will erupt in another 10,000 years causing so much ash to remain in the air which will block out the sun and plunge the entire Earth into another ice age.. So people, 10000 years..

All the snowmobils prepared and ready to go!

Initally, I was driving on my own while my father drove my mother on another.. But he had alot of trouble controlling it so my mum came to sit with me in the end..

Super fantastic scenery that we saw on the way through Yellowstone.. Wait, hold that note.. It was not super fantastic, it is up till this moment in my life, the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen.. My mum tried to take photos of it but it was on the wrong function and she didn't know how to switch it back..

After almost 2 hours of driving 44 miles, we reached the Old Faithful Geyser where many other snowmobils were also on tour and parked to wait for it to erupt..

Old Faithful Geyser! They even had a prediction when it will erupt.. Cool.. And yes, I know I look very muscular.. *shy*

The geyser before it erupted..

And the huge amount of water and vapour in the air after it had.. I expected a really loud hissing sound but it sounded more like wind blowing instead.. Haha..

Kevin told us that once the geyser has erupted to quickly make our way to this restaurant because that's where everybody goes to after the geyser has erupted and if we didn't grab seats in time, we'll have to sit outside in the cold.. No no no..

What a cool tour bus.. I wonder why we don't have these back home.. Haha..

And after lunch it was a different route to take us back.. Along the way, Kevin promised multiple stops for photos and scenery viewing.. First stop was this lookout waterfall whose name has completely slipped my mind..

I love how the trees and snowy mountains blend together so well..

Some of our snowmobils parked together.. We were travelling with a family of four from Brazil as well..

And our second stop was Shoshone Lake.. Can you spot it far far away in the background?

So comfortable to sleep like this.. Haha.. It's so tiring to drive a snowmobil.. You don't use any leg power but you have to use alot of finger power to control the gas and brake.. I was so afraid the carbo-filled lunch would kick in and I would fall asleep and fall off my snowmobil.. Haha..

After another hour or so of driving, we arrived at this very fun spot.. Dunno what it's called though.. The snow has frozen so rapidly into ice so we were able to pick it off the ground and play with it..

Yay! I managed to throw it up in time.. Haha.. I kept picking the largest ones and throwing them into the stream below.. Haha.. So fun..

The temperature suddenly rose so rapidly that I was sweating for the first time since I came here under all that thick and heavy gear..

You have no idea how the snow feels after the whole day of driving on a snowmobil.. Simply heavenly.. I could just sleep there I swear..

Some stream.. And nap time for like 20 secs before we were called to move on cos the sky was getting darker..

Welcome to our last stop whose name I really dunno.. Haha..

There was this slide thing that we could use to head down to the bottom of a waterfall or else you can take a walking slope down.. I chose the slide of cos.. Haha..

Pretty waterfall..

Ahhh.. This is the life.. Haha..

Welcome to Yellowstone National Park! (We took this on exit actually.. =p)

=(

I wanted to enjoy of the scenery so I requested for my Mama to drive me instead.. Haha..

And before we head back, we had to pump petrol for the snowmobil.. So cute hor? Haha..

And I dunno how Yellowstone got its name but I'm guessing because the sun happen to shine on the snowy mountains when the founder gave it its name.. Haha..

Our transportation home..

Conclusion: I love snowmobiling! But it can be very tiring on the fingers at times..
However, the scenery that we have seen through Yellowstone National Park was simply awesome..

Day 3

Had to report to work for uniform fitting and paperwork at 9am.. So nervous..

My mama insisted on me taking a picture on my first day of work.. Haha.. I love the boots but they're not good for ice and snow at all.. Not enough protection against the cold.. Shall save it for spring then.. Under that thick sweater, I actually have a business suit on.. Wanted to wear court shoes but I think I'll just fall to my death before reporting to work.. Haha..

Finally met my schoolmate, Mohit who I've been contacting for the past few months for details.. Went down to HR and filled out a dozen kinds of paperwork.. Went to the uniform department to get a set of Front Desk Agent uniform.. It's quite simple actually, just pink blouse and black pants.. Haha.. Then got my locker which is a full length one instead of the one up and one down ones we got a Meritus.. I'm already loving Four Seasons.. Ok.. I'll blog about my job in another entry since it'll take quite long..

Anyway, went back home.. Found the super small indoor jacuzzi.. My parents were up at Snow King Resort for a visit so used the computer fora little while before heading into town to meet them for lunch..

Had lunch at this authentic steakhouse called Teton Steakhouse..

The food was so good and cheap.. And we could just add US$2.99 to get free flow salad and soup bar helpings..

Headed to the bank after that to open up a bank account for my paycheck.. The bank was simply amazing in terms of decor and ambience.. Antique wood, stones, old age pictures.. It looked like a modern castle.. The offices and desks were so huge and they even had a fireplace.. Gotta take a picture next time.. The decor and ambience of any Singapore bank can never match up to this.. I swear you'll agree with me when you've seen it.. Oh, and my bus pass that gives me complimentary rides..

Headed back to the hotel after that for a short nap.. Then for dinner, it was back to Chinatown to try out the last Chinese restaurant.. The waiter who served us was a Peranakan from Malaysia.. Cool!

And we ordered like so much food.. Too much in fact.. Haha.. But it was really good.. Yum..

And my parents took the leftovers home for lunch the next day.. It's like the movies where Chinese food is placed in containers such as these.. So cute right?

Day 4

Worked the morning shift the next day.. Met and shook hands with like 101 people.. Haha.. I even met the GM and shook hands with him that day.. I didn't even talk to my GM in my 5 months at MM.. -.-'

We headed back to Ocean Bistro for dinner.. The waitress who served us there looked kinda familiar to me and upon further probing, I realised she was the hostess I saw at one of the restaurants in Four Seasons that afternoon on my tour around! Haha.. What a coincidence! She was as happy as I was to have met another Asian and she's from Malaysia which is like so close to home.. Haha.. She was a student just like me who was on the same kind of VISA and she mentioned that her classmate was in Four Seasons as well but in Laundry while she is in F&B.. And just in case you are wondering why she can work two jobs, Four Seasons allow its staff to moonlight.. =)

Day 5

I was OFF that day.. So weird right? Monday- Report for uniform fitting. Tuesday- Report for first day. Wednesday- OFF. LOL. But too perfect as well cos my parents were leaving the next day.. =(

Therefore, we decided to on a sleigh ride at the National Elk Refuge..

The ever famous yellow American school bus.. Haha..

Poor things standing out in the cold like that..

On board the sleigh preparing to move off.. Our two horses were called Jack and Jill.. They had matching names for all their horses like Trixie and Dixie, Sarah & Sam, Jess & Bud etc.

And our horse drawn sleigh got real up close to a group of elk..

This picture was not zoom-ed.. We were really that close to the elk.. The male and female elk usually seperate during the winter season because it is not really the mating season for them yet..

And a very sick elk died and now the cayotes and ravens were feeding on it..

A bald eagle was standing on a post waiting for something..

And a very gruesome picture of the carcass.. Eeww.. I took this picture and immediately turned back into the sleigh as I felt myself about to be sick..

And the huge herd of elk.. So many of them all coming down from the moutains to salvage food on lower ground..

Dunno how many thousands of them were there..

A quaint little bridge that could support 5 tonnes!

And a picture with Jack & Jill and our guide, Brittany..

I was taking some pictures, missed a step and slipped on ice and fell down and hurt my right knee.. =( The two staff members had to support me all the way back to the bus.. My parents were walking in front and didn't see me fall and when my father saw me coming over, all he did first was to take a picture.. -.-' The knee is now just blue black but on the second day, it was aching so badly and I still had to stand on my high heels for 8 hours.. Haha..

Some samples of the antlers from different animals.. The moose's ones were so heavy.. I wonder how they keep it on their heads..

Exploring the dining guide to decide where to eat..

Big big Christmas Tree!

Day 6

My parents left today so now I'm alone here.. Anyway, it was also a new experience day for me because it snow-ed for the first time since I came here!

You can't really see in this picture becos everything's white.. But it was really snowing and it even got so bad yesterday that they had to cancel all the flights originating from Jackson Hole Airport going to Salt Lake City and Denver and vice versa.. Lucky my parents got out one day earlier if not I think they'll be stranded here..

And lemme introduce you to my hotel room.. This is my kitchen with the ever useful microwave and fridge..

And all my food supplies.. Even more exaggerating than when I was in Aussie.. Haha.. I'm surviving on microwave food, can soup (it was on discount! 10 cans for US$10! so I bought 10 cans!) and instant noodles.. I should really get an apartment soon so I can start doing some proper cooking.. I'll lose all my hair at the end of attachment if this goes on.. Haha..

And Beilin, they sell HSM cornflakes in USA.. Haha.. And no, I didn't buy it.. Place your order with me before I go home ok? Haha..

And the two double beds in my room.. I probably should get a room move into a King Bed room.. Two beds in one room for one person feels weird..

And my TV! Haha.. They provide free cable TV!

Alright folks! This will be my latest Jackson Hole update! Please check back again for more.. =)

Happy Chinese New Year!