British Columbia was the perfect Covid bolthole for the outdoors life. Photo / Supplied
British Columbia was the perfect Covid bolthole for the outdoors life. Photo / Supplied
Many people dream of Whistler's powdery mountains and delightful little towns. Kiwi-expat Devon Jenkins confirms that life in the Canadian holiday hotspot is just as charming as you'd expect.
When did you move to Whistler?
My partner Dylan and I moved here at the start of Covid. We had spent the winter on Vancouver Island where my sister lives and were due to head to Central America for the summer. When the world shut down in March, we thought we'd "wait it out" but by July we were still in Victoria and wanted a change of scenery. We have always loved Whistler, it was still close to my sister and best of all, it is an epic ski resort - our favourite hobby.
What do you love most about living there?
Whistler is very picturesque and being a year-round resort there is always something to do. We have a Siberian Husky, Maddox, so we love taking him on all the great hiking and biking trails. The lakes are also perfect for a paddleboarding session or swim.
Their husky Maddox enjoying the outdoors. Photo / Supplied
Where should all visitors go while in Whistler? In Winter, obviously riding the gladed runs on Blackcomb on a powder day! Followed by apres at the base of the mountain. In Summer, biking the 45km Valley Trail that connects all of Whistler is an awesome way to explore the area. Then, hit up a couple of restaurant patios that overlook some stunning lakes.
What is something about Whistler that may surprise Kiwis? British Columbia is actually very similar to New Zealand's South Island. There are lots of mountains, forests and lakes which are very beautiful and a bit wild.
What was Whistler's Covid-19 response like? British Columbia went through an initial lockdown around April/May 2020. By the time we moved to Whistler it was over, but protocols stayed in place that pretty much still remain today: Masks indoors, 6-feet social distancing (1.8m), 6 people to a table at restaurants and no large gatherings.
Intermittently, during the last 2 years, fitness studios and sport activities have also been affected and travel outside your health district has been restricted. Whistler Blackcomb mountain closed for 3 months earlier last year too, because of to an increase in cases, which everyone was really disappointed about.
During the last 2 years, did you ever consider coming back to New Zealand?
No, we have always wanted to immigrate to Canada and being here during the pandemic actually gave us a clearer pathway to do that. So that was definitely a silver lining in this pandemic mess.
Devon and her partner Dylan moved to Whister at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Photo / Supplied
Have you travelled anywhere since March 2020? We came back from Seattle about a week before the US/CA border closed for 20 months. That was our last trip away, other than a sneaky ski trip to Revelstoke, BC in March 2021. Fortunately, since Whistler is a tourist destination, we always feel like we're on holiday anyway.
Are there any destinations you're dreaming of visiting now? So many, but we are hoping to do a road trip down the Pacific Coast and into Mexico this northern hemisphere spring.
Do you miss anything about New Zealand? I really miss my friend network. Building friendships in the middle of a pandemic has been hard.
We are lucky to have family here but it was a long 20 months not seeing Mum and Dad, which meant it was such a treat to have them here last July for two months. All the paperwork and quarantining back in New Zealand was a bit of a struggle for them, but worth it to spend the summer together.
Do you know a Kiwi living overseas who would like to share their experiences of life after lockdown? Email travel@nzherald.co.nz with Life After Lockdown in the subject line.
