Skiing (or not)
December 24, 2012

We were up this morning at about 8am to get ready for skiing. It was a beautiful clear day and again relatively warm at about 5 degrees C.  After breakfast we left for the ski school which is at a place called Bodmi which is about 10 minutes away from chalet by car. Most of the roads are now clear of snow as it has just melted away as it is quite warm but there is still plenty of snow to ski on at Bodmi.

Helen skiingWe started skiing at 9:30am. Helen and I had one instructor and Stephen & Michael another. We knew we would be at different levels. The boys had a young Swiss guy (19 years old) and Helen and I had a Japanese lady (Sally). By the time we managed to get a ski on and start practicing on one ski the boys already had both on and were practicing on a gentle slope. After about an hour of sweating and basically achieving nothing and mainly in pain (from my ski boots pressing on my ankles) and from a sharp pain down my left leg from trying to do ski stops, I came to the conclusion that (a) there is no point in incurring pain for the next 3 days and (b) that I was not enjoying it and woStephen skiinguld unlikely enjoy it given my current state (and age). I had planned to ski for 3 days and Helen had said she wouldn’t at all. About a day before we left Helen decided to give it another go. And besides a brief moment today when she was a little nervous about the icy snow, she hasn’t looked back and has carried on skiing. Not what I expected and a 180 degree turnaround for the two of us – Helen skiing, me not!

Michael skiingI watched and took photos the rest of the morning. I enjoyed that a lot more even though I could not get rid of my ski boots until my Dad came back at 11:30am to fetch us.  The boys progressed quickly to the magic carpet (a small ski lift that you stand on that drags you up the mountain) and then onto the main slope at Bodmi which requires you to use a pommel lift to get back to the top. They had gone up and down that slope 10 times by 12pm when we stopped skiing for the day (though I stopped at 10:30 in case you missed that). Helen had progressed to the magic carpet by that stage and even did it once without the ski instructor. She has now decided to continue skiing tomorrow again (yes even though it’s Xmas they are going skiing). The boys will do another day at Bodmi with the instructor and then he reckons they will be ready for the main slopes.

After lunch today we went shopping for more food and some boots for Stephen (B&S – tell Lara – I am sure she will be relieved). We did all that at one store called Landi. Landi has everything from food through to car parts. Hard to explain what kind of store they are. It is about the size of a convenience store yet has something of everything. The biggest section is probably the alcohol section. We even found this bottle beerof local beer. Notice the type ‘Speziel Hell’. We reckon either made especially for people drinking on Xmas day or it is so strong that when you drink it you feel like you’re in your own special hell.  I am sure you can come up with some other ideas in that regard …

landi viewOn the way back we stopped to take a quick photo (the one on the left here). That is the typical sort of view that is around here at the moment. Loads of snow and the typical Swiss chalet in the distance. Unfortunately while we stopped my older and disrespectful son took it to get some snow and then misled my only darling daughter to put the snow down my back. That sort of disrespect will have to be repaid in the next day or so. It certainly won’t be forgotten.

The activity of the morning and shopping exhausted us and so we snuck in a quick sleep before our traditional Xmas eve supper of Schnitzel and chips (gave that especially for you Josie). It is now 10pm and it is 4 degrees outside. Michael was testing the temperature by sitting on the balcony of the chalet. He lasted for about 5 minutes. Stephen and my Dad are having another technical discussion about coxial cables, white balance, iPads and various other technological items of common interest to them. Hopefully they both get it out of their systems soon!

Merry Xmas eve!

2 thoughts on “Skiing (or not)

  1. Well just catching up on post Christmas TT. Well done, Helen, on stickingj with the skiiing. I’m with Peter on this one, though. Only skied once in my life, in Poland, just as the Berlin Wall was coming down and I lasted an hour. Everyone had to keep picking me up – so I called it a day and headed for the bar with my book. Much better use of time. Thank you for letting me know what supper was, Peter. I am looking forward to the next couple of entries and hoping you can maintain this newly informative section in the blog!

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