As a further consolation for having to curtail my ‘Big Central American’ adventure this year, I booked onto an intensive ski course in Switzerland.
Considering the amount of times I have been skiing in the past, I should be a contender for the British Ski Team, but, sadly, I am still absolutely terrible. Whilst skiing in March, Husband got infuriated with me whimpering at the top of a blue run, so I decided to ‘Go for it’ as instructed. This resulted in me sustaining two broken ribs. I continued skiing (badly) for the rest of the week, but was unable to cough or laugh for a further six weeks.
I see this ski course as my last attempt to improve, before I hang up my ski poles and just concentrate on drinking cappuccinos in Alpine cafes, whilst everyone else hurls themselves off mountains.
My journey here yesterday was pretty challenging. My flight out of Gatwick was delayed, due to the weather conditions, and when I arrived in Geneva I had to catch 2 trains across Switzerland to a totally unknown town called Le Chable.
From there I had to catch a gondola up to Verbier. Catching gondolas in ski gear is ok, but lugging a 23kg suitcase up two flights of icy steps to get to the station was exhausting, to say the least. When I saw the size of the mini gondola I had to squeeze into, I was seriously worried that me, plus rucksack and luggage were not going to fit in. Fortunately, a very handsome young attendant managed to hurl my suitcase in behind me, before the little glass bubble took off up the mountain at an alarming speed.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I got to the top and realised what a beautiful town Verbier is. Sadly my joy was short lived as I realised I had to wheel my ton of luggage for nearly 1km to my hotel. Wheeling the case up the hilly, icy road was exhausting, but trying to stop it careering like a toboggan on the downhill stretch was terrifying. At one stage I had to cut my speed by veering off to the right and I nearly ended up in a very attractive patisserie.
I was elated to finally arrive at my hotel, then I realised things were going to get a whole lot worse… I met the rest of my classmates who all had at least 3 pairs of skis with them, and were discussing the last time they skied from a helicopter. What the hell have I done??
