We awoke on Tuesday to a very overcast sky. Breakfast was at 8.15 and we were out and ob the way to the Ski Shop by 9.30. It wasn't long before we were at the top of the Rhodos lift and off skiing down to the Altiport ski-lift. A couple of times around and we were warmed up and ready for a quick coffee before our lessons at 11:30. It was just such a different experience from last year for me and Mags - we had found our feet and the freedom of travelling so fast overground under your own steam is exhilarating.
Katy and Lisa, Uploaded by M+MD.
The lesson took us up the Saulire bubble again. We learned to do parallel turns and also how to to longer slower step like traverses which meant less steep turns and more control. As we passed by the Rhodos lift Adrian (our ski instructor) sneaked us onto the end of a Red (next level up from a Blue) and we really didn't notice as he made is do extra long traverses. We then sped down to a new chair lift which brought is up under Dents de Burgen and the start of the Geai Blue run.
Time flew by. I discovered that I was having a problem with my left hand turns. Adrian said I was using a snow plough(basic) turn when I should be turning parallel as he had thought us. I had no problem with the right hand turns. I struggled with this for the next day or so. I had't knee bandages and a thigh strap, which I found very helpful last year after I had strained my knee. This year it was working well to keep the strain off the knees. Apart from that the lesson went well and confidence and speed was increasing. We finished up the lesson and met with the kids and headed back up the Rhodos to the Rhododendron restaurant. It was a much better experience on the previous day.
Senan's hat, Uploaded by M+MD.
After lunch we went once more around the Rhodos run and then headed for the Dents de Burgen lift. The kids hadn't done it yet so I thought it was a great opportunity to impress them! As we went up in the lift the mist was getting thicker and when we reached the top we could hardly see more than 10 feet in front of us. It was a complete white-out. We made our way past the Red run and onto what we thought was the top of the Blue But when we looked down we could see nothing but white. We decided to wait until another group arrived off of the ski lift. But there were not too many people travelling up in the mist! A group arrived - but they headed down the Red slope. After a while another group arrived and they set off smartly down the Blue. We had to move quickly to keep up but soon they were moving out of sight. But by then we were committed and we carried on in wide traverses. It was pretty strange skiing with white snow below you, white sky above you and white mist in front and behind you. Distance and speed get difficult to judge. We needed to stop regularly to stay together and to re-focus on our direction and destination.
But as we descended we could see further and soon we were down in more familiar territory. It was an interesting experience - not exactly frightening but more disorientating than anything else. But it used a lot of adrenalin and we skied a little longer but by 3.30we were ready for home.
The girls and Sen decided to try to meet up with Conor who was going to ski home (as he does every evening.) It was loose arrangement they had to be at the top of the Plan de Homme lift by 4 pm. They were up there at about 10 past four and thought they could see Conor in the distance. But he was too far ahead and he is a fast skier. They skied down the Blue but icy "Gelinotte" run and missed the tiny exit off to the left that is the narrow piste home. They survived the "Gelinotte" run - though it was a little tricky in places.
There was tea and homemade biscuits waiting for us when we got in and the ski de-tox routine of shower, hot tub, sauna and bath worked a treat. Rest, wine, dinner and chat made up the rest of the evening before we retired for bed sometime after 10.
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