The Travelling Fairy DancerSki Trips
July 7th 2008 08:17
In the distance, tiny figures sped around the natural obstacle course, made up of bare, thin trees. With a sharp pang of pure envy, I looked at the people above, gliding to the top of the mountain on the chair lift. The chair lift that had been so exciting, rising up towards the snow capped mountains.
Not so much the skiing down. With only one lesson under my belt and a distinct lack of fear, I'd decided to take on the intermediate slopes at Shiga Kogen Ski Resort. As Japan's largest ski area, with 21 interlinked resorts, it is still largely undiscovered by foreign tourists and, as such, an interesting insight into the country.
I may have been more interested in the cute snow monkeys in their hot tubs at nearby Shiga National Park, because my one lesson was of no help. Each time I stood and picked up speed, I fell backwards with a splat on the freezing surface, knees folding under me so that my feet ended up near my ears. Icy water seeped into my clothes and my nose was red raw and dripping relentlessly. One knee actually decided to swell up and prove itself immovable.
Cue the spunky, Japanese rescue man on a snow scooter and I was whisked back down to first aid, given warm drinks, ice packs and tissues along with many sympathetic smiles, (possibly masking sniggers).
So, for me, the chair lift, rescue, monkeys and soft falling snow viewed from floor to ceiling windows in the resort bar were the highlights of my ski trip.
Childhood holidays to Australia's Thredbo had resulted in some skill with skiing, without the sludge in my mouth on every go. Why is it that children seem to pick up new activities so much more quickly than adults? Pity I didn't retain the knowledge.
Perseverance is often the key. Thredbo has a specific area for beginners called 'Friday Flat', with an easy gradient of 12 degrees - not too steep and not too flat. I'll spend a bit more time with the instructors before I try again!
Not so much the skiing down. With only one lesson under my belt and a distinct lack of fear, I'd decided to take on the intermediate slopes at Shiga Kogen Ski Resort. As Japan's largest ski area, with 21 interlinked resorts, it is still largely undiscovered by foreign tourists and, as such, an interesting insight into the country.
I may have been more interested in the cute snow monkeys in their hot tubs at nearby Shiga National Park, because my one lesson was of no help. Each time I stood and picked up speed, I fell backwards with a splat on the freezing surface, knees folding under me so that my feet ended up near my ears. Icy water seeped into my clothes and my nose was red raw and dripping relentlessly. One knee actually decided to swell up and prove itself immovable.
Cue the spunky, Japanese rescue man on a snow scooter and I was whisked back down to first aid, given warm drinks, ice packs and tissues along with many sympathetic smiles, (possibly masking sniggers).
So, for me, the chair lift, rescue, monkeys and soft falling snow viewed from floor to ceiling windows in the resort bar were the highlights of my ski trip.
Childhood holidays to Australia's Thredbo had resulted in some skill with skiing, without the sludge in my mouth on every go. Why is it that children seem to pick up new activities so much more quickly than adults? Pity I didn't retain the knowledge.
Perseverance is often the key. Thredbo has a specific area for beginners called 'Friday Flat', with an easy gradient of 12 degrees - not too steep and not too flat. I'll spend a bit more time with the instructors before I try again!
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