Austria

Austria was amazing this year although unlike last year it had been warm thus there was very little snow on the lower slopes. We arrived in Kirchdorf at midday on Saturday and headed straight to the ski hire shop ahead of the crowds. Getting up early, on Sunday, came as a bit of a shock (If you want a relaxing holiday, don’t go skiing!). After getting kited up Debbie, Jane, Nick and I wadded down to the Ski School in our ski boot’s (not easy). We got there eventually and were issued with our lift passes and told that we had to ski in front of the instructors so they could divide us into groups. Nick went first Woshh - straight in the top group, which put the pressure on big time as I wanted to be with him and I was up next. Unbelievably they put me in the top group which I think may of had more to do with Nicks pleading with the instructor than with my ability. Debbie and Jane were put in different groups but thankfully ended up as the week progressed. After that they took our group to St Johan which is about 10 minutes on the bus. Skiing there was really hard going because it was quite soft and lumpy. After a few easy runs our instructor Ernie (a local from Kirchdorf) made us go to the very top which I found pretty scary. I didn’t really enjoy the morning and seemed to be spending far to much time on my backside to the amusement of the group. For a time I thought ‘what am I doing in this group’ but after lunch I was doing much better so I stuck with them. Being in Ernie’s group defiantly made me a much better skier than I would have been in an easier group. Ernie pushed us all the time and just as you thought you’d nailed something he’d take it up a gear. The next day we went to the Stighn Platter, which I’d been to last year. After a few blue and easy red runs he said ‘right where going to the top!’ and I’m thinking ‘Gulp! Not up there surly!’. By the end of the day it was ok, it’s amazing what you get used to. He even sent us down a Black run and I didn’t fall though some did including Melvin who managed to do the whole thing on his back headfirst. After a few more days at Stighn Platter we went to Fieberbrunn, which is the highest Mountain I’ve been on and stands over 2000 meters. On the Friday the ski school always organises a slalom race at Kirchdorf which I hadn’t planned on doing this year but everyone else seemed to want to do it so I got talked into it. Last year I got Silver, but when you’re a beginner you only race the people in your group (about 10). This year I was an Intermediate so you have to race against all the other Intermediates in 4 groups (about 40 people). I tucked down low and tried to carve as close to the poles as possible. I got Silver!!! (sorry Nick). We all wanted to bet a bloke in our group called Tony who seemed to be taking it all a little to seriously. He seems to win every year and seeing that his been skiing for 20years it’s hardly suppressing. But just to make sure his got his own ski’s and even gets them waxed the day (We all called him Swiss Tony by the end of the week!). At the presentation I got pretty tipsy and poll danced again. (Though thankfully they didn’t turn the shower on this year). I’ve just found out that Nick showed the video to his parents. Is that revenge for my Silver Medal?