Hatrack River Forum: Back from my first trip to the snow!

This is topic Back from my first trip to the snow! in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=037385

Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :

Gotta say:

1) Skiing is way fun
2) It's a lot easier than everyone makes out
3) Ski Hire companies are perhaps the worst-organised entities I've ever come across
4) Snow is nowhere near as hard concrete (rollerblading experience here)
5) Can't wait to get back out

Unfortunately I couldn't do anything *really* adventurous because both days I could go out it was blowing 80kph while raining up top. Pity, I was really keen to try something a little more challenging.

The hire company people are idiots. They say on their information packs that category 1 (n00b) skiers should have looser bindings so it's easier to get out of. I've got "category 1" on my form, my 60 year old Dad (also skiing for the first time) and I both chatted merrily to the guy setting up the bindings about how it was our first time. We got out there and could not physically remove our skis. I can't tell you how tight the release on these bindings was. My only injury from the weekend is a strained hip from trying to get up after a fall, not the fall itself.

The second time out was much better and the bindings were much better suited to my skill level.

Didn't get to see it snow tho.

But nevertheless... I'm a convert!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Glad you had fun, and managed to come back in the same number of pieces as you left in. [Wink]

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

[Smile]

:misses skiing:

Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :

[ROFL]

<--rolling around in the snow, tightly bound graemlin

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

1) Skiing is way fun

Yes.

2) It's a lot easier than everyone makes out

No. (See figure A, broken wrist)

3) Ski Hire companies are perhaps the worst-organised entities I've ever come across

Yes. And if you're in France, they also employ the most arrogant stereotypical anti-English frenchmen you can imagine.

4) Snow is nowhere near as hard concrete (rollerblading experience here)

No. See above, broken wrist.

5) Can't wait to get back out

Maybe. Check travel insurance first.

[Smile]

Glad you had fun - I enjoyed your city for the weekend. Breakfast on Acland St, lots of trams, dinner at Circa, champagne at the Supper Club - not to mention Hairy Canary, the Belgian Chocolate Lounge and the Westin Hotel. All good fun. [Big Grin]

Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :

Dinner at Circa? You must have been feeling flush!

Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :

I've never skiied before, but it sounds like so much fun. I have kind of weak ankles, so it may not be a good idea, but maybe one day I'll end up doing it anyway.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Mum's 50th. [Big Grin]

Her treat. (But we did buy her a bottle of Bollinger to say thanks! And then drank it with her.... Yeah, so we got spoiled. [Smile]

)

Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :

Raia - it's not ankles you have to worry about, the boots take care of that!

Imogen - ah! I was in Jindy for my Mum's 65th. Circa is possibly one of the finest places to spoil yourself in Melbourne. I recently tried a $100 bottle of Mitolo Shiraz there which was absolute perfection.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Oooh, we almost ordered that (I think [Smile]

) - but in the end went with a lighter style of red because of the mains we had ordered.

It was still divine. *blissed out*

Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :

Snow is some of the greatest stuff out there.

Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :

The Canary isn't bad either. A friend of mine is a chef there. Let me know if you're going to Sydney at some point as I've got some good recommendations for there as well...

But yeah - snow. Way cool.

When we left at 4.30am this morning to drive to the airport it snowed for the first time all weekend. It was freaky-cool....

Posted by ReikoDemosthenes (Member # 6218) on :

I've never been skiing, but I enjoy snowboarding. I mean, I'm dead horrible at it and my face is very familiar with meeting the powder, but it's fun.

Posted by Troubadour (Member # 83) on :

My sister is a comptetion snowboarder and had never skiied either. She wound up just standing on one leg when she wanted to turn and edging that way... [Smile]

Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :

Imogen,
I do hope that your wrist heals up quickly and completely. Sorry you got a nasty boo boo.
[Kiss]

<-- a kiss to make "all better".
[Wave]

<-- poor imogen with only one arm working properly
[Taunt]

<-- "all better" imogen with both arms working as they should