After a week in Vancouver I packed myself off to do some skiing at Mt Whistler and Blackcomb. I'd been warned about the tacky village and the "sky-high" prices, but thought that it was reasonably restrained and worked in well with the landscape. Canada seems completely driven by credit cards. They wouldn't take cash for ski hire, only my credit card, and it was the same story for much of my travels. Although the ski ticket and ski rental cost me around $140 Canadian dollars, I was able to cut costs by staying at a youth hostel out by a frozen lake close by. I really recommend the experience to anyone.