Pray For Powder

Don't know about praying for powder, but I was certainly praying I would still be able to walk again once all this was over as we headed up the mountain pathway of Mount Hutt for our first day's skiing. 

For those of us who are novices at all types of extreme sports I'm sure you'll understand what I was fearing. Yes I have been skiing before - but over two years ago and it wasn't a pleasant experience. It was cold, wet, I had plastic carrier bags for socks and wore jeans and a jumper. Also those of you who know me will know that I have the knees of a baby chicken and whats the first injury associated with skiing? BAD KNEES!

Besides all that I had the equal pressure of feeling like I had to keep up with Naomi the Widworthy Slalom Champion who I had no doubt would whiz past me in a flurry of snow that would surely blind me and send me over a diff edge....

Once kitted out we started on the beginners slope. I say slope, its more of a ramp that you couldn't even roll a potato down its that shallow. We spent an hour or so with Nay telling me how to turn and stop, with me heading straight into the sides trying to explain that "its no good. It doesn't work" - trying to blame everything else but my own crappy ability at this point.Soon enough, as tends to happen all too often when I'm trying to learn something, I got frustrated and demanded that we go on a ski lift up the mountain where I could chuck myself head first down a real slope. I figured it would be a kind of sink or swim moment in my life where I could swim and slalom my way nicely to the bottom as my body was forced to pick it up immediately....or I could sink and despite my best efforts likely end up eating snow all the way down on my face. I like a challenge. 

Nay went first, slowly to lead the way. I followed.....and stayed up....AND TURNED.....AND SKIED!! I couldn't believe it. We stopped a few times on the way down, whilst I flapped like a fish out of water, but eventually got down the run! Evey muscle was aching and every joint felt like it was on fire - mostly because I was constantly tensed and poised for an enevitable impact with a small child who was unknowingly about to meet their maker. But I didnt crash. Well....not on the first go anyway :-)

Nay took to it like a duck to water, as she does with pretty much everything. She made it look so graceful and elegant. Everyone must have been thinking she worked for a charity coaching "special" people how to ski as I wobbled behind grunting and drooling....

Over the two days the snow was awesome. I had a great time and Nay headed off for a couple of runs on her own to challenge herself and let rip. We found some pretty amazing hot chocolates....which upon consumption made some equally amazing milk mustaches...

the scenery was incredible. The horizon seemed to stretch for miles and made for a stunning backdrop as you looked up and felt yourself gliding from side to side in the snow. Really amazing stuff.

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We've been staying in a town called Methven, which was a 6.5 hour drive from Nelson. For the past 3 nights we've been in a homely little hostel where tonight we are the only guests. The season is nearly over here and everyone we've met seems to spend their time split between here and Europe - in their words "just chasing the snow man" (I don't know if that means they are following the actual white stuff or weather they are all part of some big ski-poled army that are hunting down a giant snowman....) 

Onto Christchurch tomorrow to basically take a look at what remains following that tragic Earthquake last year. Tomorrows accommodation? Well we are spending a night banged up in a hostel which used to be a prison! (http://www.jail.co.nz/) We have a cell all to ourselves, so we'll fight it out for the top bunk when we arrive and make sure not to drop the soap! :-)