I have to say, so far, my stay in Edmonton has been great. Only one small thing...when we got off the plane, I had NO INTERNET at the airport. And I wasn't alone. I heard other people talking about getting on the airport wifi, so I did the same. Since I didn't have internet, we decided to jump in a taxi...I haven't been in a cab in years...🙄. After some guy yelled at our cab driver, while taking his picture, hitting a curb on our trip, and trying to explain that I needed air in the back, the driver informed me how much our trip would be while we were driving. And then guess what? LTE showed up on my phone! 🙄🫩 Oh well, we will Lyft back to the airport.
UPDATE: No rideshares can be hailed at the airport, and all taxis have to charge the same flat rate of $62 CAD at the time of this writing. Our Lyft back to the airport will be $40 CAD...😒. You can meet your rideshare at Paid Arrivals outside Door 10.
Other than that, customs was a breeze. Be sure to get the ArriveCan app on your phone. It makes the border process super smooth and quick. I was glad, as I was worried about that...
I had to book an Airbnb for one night since the competition schedule was changed. We found a really nice 2-bedroom apartment that I will definitely come back to if we return to Edmonton! There are a lot of high-rise apartment buildings in Edmonton. I'm not sure I would live in an apartment on the 11th floor, but it was comfortable. This is a big city for sure, with lots of noise...reminds me of big cities back home. And for me, that is New York State, yes, including the Big Apple. We are at the Westin for the remainder of our stay, as that is right across from the climbing venue. Can't wait!
Oh, Brendan always laughs at me that I have plastic covers for our suitcases, but it is POURING in Edmonton today. They will come in handy, keeping our luggage dry! I hate bringing an umbrella, but in this case, maybe I should have...
We moved over to our hotel, the Westin. Good hotel with amenities. The room had a fridge but not a microwave. That is a bummer to me, but it is close to the venue and shopping options, including restaurants.
Edmonton has some amazing and unique restaurants, but I will say that walking around town can be an interesting experience. I can't say I felt 100% safe with the characters on the streets, but I'm glad I didn't have a car. We took a lot of Lyft rides and stayed in well-lit areas with people around.
Well, we found the venue. Holy cow! Right on the Saskatchewan River, and you have to climb down a lot of stairs to get there. (Smart tip: take the escalators in the Edmonton Convention Center!!! Big leg saver.) What a view and outside venue...see below.
The comp was held at ClimbYEG, and boy, do these people know how to please. They thought of everything, right down to VIP seating. I jumped at this and had a comfy, covered seat all three days, with snacks and 2 free drinks! I even came for the free showing of Reel Rock 19 in the pouring rain, and they set up my own tent! (Which I shared with other people who showed up...)
We also had a brush with fame as Kai Lightner was there at the event competing! Boy, was it cool to see him climb in person. The last time we saw him was at the 2017 Youth Nationals. He is amazing to watch! What he can do is truly inspiring, and so is his story. Had to get the obligatory picture...
Youth Nationals next! Stay tuned!
CLIMB ON!
Photo Credit: @Westlake.Photo
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