Molson lager, clean air, moose, mounted police, bears...

As the list of somewhat stereotypical cultural icons suggests, I'm going to Canada. My girlfriend and I have just had our jobs confirmed, have booked flights, and are within a few weeks of getting our visas. It's all terrifically exciting.

We'll be in Whistler for 5 months, working in retail and skiing at the weekend. But for all the anticipation of such a great opportunity, and at the risk of sounding like a ungrateful pessimist, I can't help but note the things I'll miss while I'm away.

1. The bulk of the football season Spurs didn't exactly make a brilliant start to the current campaign, and the joy at winning 4-0 at home to Derby evaporated with this business about a certain "dizzying offer" made to Juande Ramos to take over as coach. Keeping up with the week's games with an 8 hour headstart will be bearable, but less then ideal.
   
2. Christmas at home My parents have said they're planning on visiting us over Christmas, which will be most peculiar given the well-established routine of that time of year for our family, but then again it'll be an excuse to devour something other than turkey on the 25th. However the extravagant price of seasonal flights and hotel rooms may well scupper their plans.
   
3. Warm, real beer and ale Sort of self-explanatory. I'll have to develop a taste for cold lager again.
   
4. The British winter This may seem odd, but by my logic we've already had the winter weather 6 months early, so come December it should be all sun cream, shorts and ice cream vans on the road until 9.30 in the evening. Mark my words.
   
5. People not speaking French We'll be a long way from Quebec, the francophile hub of the country, but surely there's some bilingualism everywhere out there?

If anyone else cares to remind me of anything I'll be without while I'm away, feel free.