Ski Lessons - the first time!Beautiful virgin snow covers the landscape and an uncomfortable, nervous, virgin skier stands there surveying the scene, protected by brand new sunglasses and wrapped up in a brand new ski jacket ... a familiar but thankfully distant memory to all skiers - from year two and above!! it's amazing what a difference just one trip makes. If you are in the year one zone then take heart, it comes together quickly. Here is what you will be thinking ... my boots hurt!! and yes they do hurt but you get used to it, i'm told that after 20 trips the pain goes away entirely! So get used to the boots, you'll forget them soon, as the task of staying upright will be all embracing, requiring total concentration. If you are on a package holiday then ski school doubtless is organised for you, if not the ski school will tag you onto one of the package classes - usually for less money too, so there is some kind of moral there, not sure what though. You'll be in a group of ten or more equally hopeless cases, the first day is a great leveller, ideal for spiritual growth as your ego, if inflated, will spend plenty of time rolling in the snow, likewise if not inflated anyway. You will be run through the basics, which truly are pretty basic, there is not much too it, except for practice. You will stand around a lot, there will be someone in your group who cannot get themselves up if they fall, so the instructor will be constantly distracted. You will finish each day completely tired out, only those with boundless energy will partake in anything but the most lightweight of apres ski activities! After a few days you will think you are the bees knees, that you have really cracked this ski business! ... then you will be taken from the nursery slopes to a gentle incline higher up the mountain - you will shudder and think, oh my gosh, because it will appear as a vertical drop one mile downwards. Then the week will have gone by, you'll wonder how it went so quick. Quite possibly you'll be addicted to this ski lark and will go every year from now on for the rest of your life .... it only gets better, except for the boots of course!! |