Jay's Snow trip & Flight Simulator
The Survivor Movie Who I am a True Survivor)
"G'day it's JAY"
G'day everyone - WHAT A BLAST it was going to the Snow. I have never been to the snow before and for those of you who are not from Australia - it is CHRISTMAS in JULY in AUSTRALIA and the snow is falling - the best season we have had in years. This trip to the snow was made possible by the wonderful people at "CAMP QUALITY" and lots of families got to experience the same. Yep it was a family camp meaning Darsly mum could come along on this one and we had so much fun. We went to Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort & Village which is a 2 hour drive from where we live, and a very easy, spectacular drive through the mountains. As you can see I am standing at the entrance wall of Mt Baw Baw with lots of snow surrounding me. I had never seen snow (I've seen it on TV and it was the best) and not cold at all. Darlsy and I left for our journey up the Mountain, half way we had to stop to pick up chains for the car (we never needed them) but you are not aloud on the mountain with out chains. As we were picking up our chains a few more families we knew arrived to pick up theirs and we all stopped for a drink then headed up the mountain. It was all winding - narrow road and scary at times when other cars were coming around the bend from the other direction. We finally made it to Baw Baw and parked the car in all the snow and walked up to the lodge where the camp quality crew were waiting for everyone. We then had to go and get our gear (Jackets - pants - boots and darsly and I selected to do SNOW BOARDING), it took while to get all the gear but after getting all that sorted we then went down to our Cabin we were staying in for the next 3 days and we unloaded our luggage (it was exhausting) but fun. Our cabin was wonderful, it was two story, it had a lounge, kitchen and open fire place it was wonderful. 
After getting all our gear into the cabin, darsly and I got all our snow gear on and we went out to all the snow and rolled around and made snow angels - this photo was taken just out side our cabin (cool hey) - the snow flakes were coming down and the entire weekend it snowed everyday. 
I was all excited to get out there and Snow board (I had never done it before) - it was great, the camp quality crew had organised for us all to have a 2 hour lesson. I picked it up really quickly (darsly was struggling because of her back). But is was easy, just like riding a bike and I became an expert in just 2 hours. It was funny watching Darlsy mum having a go - she did it eventually but she was very hesitant, she did not want to fall on her back (but good on her) she had a go and we had lots of fun. This photo was taken on a smaller hill, we decided to have a go at but then I wanted to go up the big mountain behind me. 
This photo is of me and my snowboard - snow much snow and so much fun - it is the best thing I have ever done, I love snowboarding. 
On this day the snow was really coming down - darsly and opened our mouths and the snow flakes were dropping in our mouths. We had just had a big day of snow boarding and we were going to have some lunch back at Ed Ski cabin. Camp Quality provided all the meals and of course the wonderful chefs at Mt Baw Baw who cooked our Breakfasts, Lunch and Dinner. We also had lots of games provided by camp quality when it was night time - we could play pool, watch DVD's, play lots of games, it was great. We all stayed up very late each night. 
This photo is amazing - behind us is a really steep ski run - but the day before it was clear and you could see across the mountain with the sun beaming down - it was magnificent - but it was all frosted over on this day and the snow was falling. The table we a sitting on is covered. JAY - Just about to snow board down the mountain
Darlsy mum & Jay (Ready with our snow boards) 
Darsly mum & Jay (Snow angels) 
Darlsy mum & Jay (rolling in snow) 
The SNOW GANG
Go JAY 
This is me coming down the highest mountain at Mt Baw Baw - I did not believe how easy snow boarding was. I went up on the T Bar lift to the top of the mountain (darsly stayed at the half way point) and I snow boarded down like I had done it for ever - it was so cool - I came down the mountain fast - it felt so good. I got to the bottom and I went straight back up again, and again and again. 
This was cool - they had these big TUBES called the super tubes - you sit in the tube and get pulled up the mountain and then they let you go and you go around like this snow race track, you spin around heaps of times. Darlsy had a go and she loved it, so we kept going back on it. 
BEN & JAY
Darlsy mum had a go, she was not going to let her back stop her from having a go. She did not go up as high as we did, but she had lots' of fun and she made it down the mountain without falling. She did find a good way of snow boarding - she sat on it and came screaming down the mountain, that was so funny. 
JAY & Darsly mum
JAY (Just having a breather) 
I have so many photos of our time in the snow (can't put them all up) but hope you enjoyed looking at these one's. We had a wonderful weekend at Mt Baw Baw and it was sad to have to pack up and leave. On our last morning we go up early, darsly packed all the car and go all the snow off the car and then we went back up the mountain for one last Snow board. It was another beautiful day, it was snowing and I made the most of my last time in the snow (for this year at least). After our last bit of fun we had to get all the gear back to the hire place. We said good bye to the Mountain and to everyone and we headed back down the mountain for home. We did not need the chains, we have a 4xwheel drive and that was all we needed to get back down the mountain. I was feeling a little sick on the way back down, all the winding roads were making me feel a little sick. We got back down to where we had to hand back the chains and we got something to eat and a drink and then headed on our way back home. It was sad to leave the snow, I just wanted to stay, but it was nice to get back home. I was very tired when we got back home so I went off to bed and had a sleep. Thank - you CAMP QUALITY for the fun time a the snow cant wait to do it again.
"JAY" - in front of Flight Simulator
I want to say THANK YOU to - STUART for organising it. JOHN for allowing me to fly your Flight Simulator and to CAIN for all the great directions whilst flying. My Thoughts on having Cancer: "EVERY SECOND COUNTS" - I live today - because I can & so can you. People & my friends who have never experienced CANCER in their lives, don't really understand when I say 'Cancer' has made my life better. This is because my friends have never been close to death & when death looks you in the face, it makes you look at life and the world in a different way (I believe that is a HUGE adavantage). **I can't imagine not being able to fly a plane - flying & being a pilot is the reason I am hear today - I live to Fly, and I live to do all things in life. **What makes me proud of surviving cancer is that I can get up in the morning & look at myself, and my darsly mum can look at me too - that's life - that's all that matters (I'm here). **If you ever get a second chance at life, you go for it - you live it to the full - you go all the way BECAUSE YOU CAN. **People look and say - WOW Jay, you get to do so many great things, you are so lucky. I say, NO I'm not lucky - I get to do some great things because I have had to battle cancer and as a cancer kid I may never get the chance, so I take on every opportunity thrown at me and by getting out and living life to the full is something I thought I would never get to do because I was told I would die, and as a cancer kid - all cancer kids deserve all that they are giving because some kids just never get the chance to do anything because their lives have been cut short - and that is why I always say to everyone, to every parent, to always stay positive and strong and the diagnosis of cancer is not always doom and gloom, you keep a smile on the dile (face) and you still live life to the full - you get out there and you do what ever you want in life, your life is not over, you are still living, so LIVE IT TO THE FULL and treasure every moment - that is what I do and what I will continue to do not matter what. My Health: Doing ok, the headaches continue to plague me, they are annoying but I try not to let them get me down. My tests are all coming up on the 7th August which is not that far away (I am a little nervous) but I will be ok. Have to have MRI Scan - MIBG - Lung Fuction Test -Urine Test - Blood Tests and lots more which as soon as I have the results will let you all know. Remember my darsly mum as well - she has another Spinal Scan on 9th August she is in a lot of pain with her back and we do know that she will have to have another spinal operation, but we will not know when that will be until she has the appointment. My darsly mum is just like me, not matter what pain we may have we still get out there and we have fun and we live life - I was proud of darsly mum snowboarding with me in the snow even though she was in lots of pain with her back, she still got out there and had a go. Must go now - I hope you enjoyed my photo's and to all my friends, I will be around to visit you all soon, I have not forgotten you, I have just been busy at school with lots of homework to do and getting time to get on the computer has been difficult - but I willl get around to you all sometime this week. Take care everyone - Keep smiling, stay strong and positive always. "JAY" 
I got to go inside this one I am standing in front of (this is the big one) this is the Qantas Boeing 737-800 I could not fly this one because it was booked for flying by training pilots - but I got to sit in the pilot seat.
WOW - how cool is this. This is me sitting in the pilot seat of the one I explained above, this is the real deal, it is just like being in the actual plane. There are so many buttons, so many destinations you can chose to fly to. This was set already for the training pilots to fly to Hong Kong, you can't see in this photo - but out the windows was Hong Kong Airport and sourrounding me were lots of huge planes, it all looked so real. There was a Singapore Airlines plane on the left of me and a Cathay Pacific Airline on the right side of me, we were sitting at the Hong Kong Terminal waiting for passengers to board. Whilst sitting in this one, Cain, another pilot he programed it for other Airports around the world and scanned around them for me and then set it back to Hong Kong Airport (So cool).
Above is me JAY with Cain (Pilot - middle) & John (Pilot for 32 years on right) in front of the Qantas 737 which is the Simulator I got to fly. 
Above is me and John we are about to fly out of Melbourne Airport, it is night time, the city lights are glowing bright, the weather is fine - I am about to do my first flight in a 737, and my first take off from a big International Airport (Melbourne). WOW this is so real, the simulator feels just like the real thing, the terbulance, the sound, everything. Cain was in the back ground telling me what the diles had to go on, and John was my co - pilot and was letting me know if I needed to lift the nose of the plane, and how to keep it level (It was really easy and John was suprised at how I could fly the plane so well). 
TOP photo - Flying out of Melbourne - and I did a perfect take off - and perfect landing. John then challenged me to land on my own without Auto Pilot - I had never done a landing on my own before. We approached Melbourne Airport, the run way I had lined up perfectly, the plane was steady, I was gradully taking down the spead and decending - then Touch Down - reverse thrust and to a stop (perfect landing). John kept on challengeing me - he then challenged me to fly under the West Gate Bridge (A big bridge in Melbourne) - funny though, John went first and he hit the bridge, I then had my go and guess what - I flew under the bridge frist shot. Then John said, do you want to do another landing, of course I just wanted to keep flying , I did not want this to end. I did three more landings and John was very impressed, I did not crash, I flew the plane like a real pilot and landed the plane with ease. WOW I can't wait to be a pilot - I just hope that I can get some sort of scholarship to help towards me becoming one because being a pilot is not cheap and darsly can't afford it and it worries her that she might not be able to give me the career I would like. Planes make me happy, I love planes, I love to fly and I will no matter what become a great pilot one day.
After my wonderful flight, John then showed me & darsly mum around the Flight Simulator building, where they do all the training for all staff on flights - this including the air stuards. The top photo is of the Rescue Slide which incase of an emergency (plane crash) you slide down and get all the passengers out. The other photo - that looks like a real plane doesn't it? well it's not, it is a training simulator for the flight crew, this is where they learn escape hatches, how to open the doors and do all the other training inside here. So that was my great surprise - might not be very exciting to you all out there - but very exciting to me - I did not want it to end.
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posted by *JAY* @ 10:00 am
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