(Dec 08)
Well finally I’m back to Fieberbrunn, it’s Christmas and a weeks worth of snowboarding and associated shenanigans. The only dampener of this mood is my ongoing illness.
We drove from Munich to Fieberbrunn (Austria) and I was felling pretty average. It totally sucked because I had been looking forward to Christmas for approximately forever. So despite my body’s objections I bought myself a 5 day lift pass and signed up for a 4 hour lesson on my first day. I hadn’t been snowboarding for nearly 18 months so I was feeling a touch nervous at my abilities with these crazy Austrians zooming about me. The group I was put in thankfully had 2 instructors that spoke excellent English (I don’t know that my German would have stretched to snowboarding technique- they didn’t cover that in school strangely!). I think the oldest person in the group- the average age was about 13 I think- so not only did I have to have everything repeated to me after everyone else, I was also about 10 years older than most of them! Happily this was remedied by my complete inability to use a pommel lift. On ski’s it’s no problem but on a snowboard it’s a whole different kettle of fish. After about my third stack off the lift and I was left with one of the instructors (the good looking one) he turned to me and said- “so you and me then?” So my 4 hour group lesson with hyperactive teenagers turned into a 4 hour private lesson with a hot Austrian. Good times- Kai was a bloody good (and very patient) teacher.
The snow wasn’t as good as it had been 3 years previously when I had been there, but Fieberbrunn was just as fantastic as I had remembered it. And after a full day boarding with a nice young man having not eaten anything needless to say I was absolutely knackered. This could have also been due to the fact that I had gotten about 2 hours sleep the night before and not much more the one before that. To put it nicely- my roommate was a very, very loud sleeper. I did my best to have an afternoon nap but I was never a very successful napper.
So the next day still feeling a lot woozy I had another lesson with my favourite good looking Austrian. We had the whole morning together again and despite the fact that I was living on tea, half a bowl of coco pops and very, very minimal sleep I was definitely improving. Unfortunately Kai had another lesson in the afternoon and I had to join the hyperactive teenagers. It was really irritating, all the confidence I had gotten in the previous day and a half I completely lost. I managed to do the worlds most spectacular face plant (I am very glad I had my helmet on). That evening I was sporting a lovely bruise covering half of my face- a fantastic look! Happily I managed to keep down another cup of tea and half a salad…..today salad, tomorrow the world!
The following day, feeling mildly sorry for myself (and looking mildly stylish sporting my big bruise) was Christmas Eve. I decided to have a lazier morning…..of more boarding. Conditions were pretty bad but that was actually kinda nice because the slopes were a lot less crowded. Christmas Eve in Austria is treated more or less like Aussies treat Christmas day back home (with snow). That evening we went for a swim at the local pool complex. It’s an absolutely fantastic place, with indoor and outdoor sections that are connected, and a waterslide. It is an absolutely amazing experience swimming outdoors in a warm pool surrounded by snow. The fact that it was Christmas Eve made it that little bit nicer.
That evening we had a big dinner at the hotel (I managed a small dinner but hey….it’s better than nothing). It was a big party with Christmas carols (in German- I could actually sing along which was nice). I decided to have an early one after that in an attempt to get some sleep before my ever loud roommate came in. Ironically I was the one to wake her up when mum and dad rang me at midnight to say merry Christmas. It was really nice to hear from them because it was hard being away from home at Christmas. As I was talking to them they were unwrapping their presents in Australia. I even had a chat with Sammy (the dog) - dad got a little upset when she started licking his phone. It was brilliant hearing from home, but it actually made me kinda depressed- I miss home. At this stage I had been away nearly 11 months- it had passed so quickly, but it felt like a lifetime since I had seen them.
The next morning I got one of the nicest Christmas presents I could- a video from mum and dad taken earlier in the year when they had visited Geoff and Eileen. Needless to say I burst straight into tears, which made Eileen burst into tears and Geoff just groan! I really liked all the other presents I received but nothing compared to seeing mum and dad. It really cheered me up (despite the tears).
To celebrate Christmas I had booked myself another private boarding lesson- this one was unfortunately not with Kai, it was with another guy (not quite as good looking but still VERY acceptable). I had a fantastic morning. He took me to parts of the mountain I hadn’t seen before and after a slow start I was going really, really well.
I got back in time to have a traditional Christmas lunch- schnitzel followed by ice cream! I managed to eat the whole kids sized schnitzel! I had a relaxing afternoon, a nap, a walk…..the only other thing I needed was a game of cricket!
So it’s now my final day on the slopes- it was a lot busier but I still had a great time. I celebrated my newfound confidence with yet another spectacular stack. This one was an absolute doozy! My legs came straight out from underneath me and I landed straight onto my arse- on my coccyx to exact. It was pain beyond pain. I had to lie on my stomach for a while just to get my breath back. Needless to say I had quite a slow run down to the bottom as the thought of landing on my arse again was beyond belief. That afternoon I was supposed to be going on a horse drawn carriage ride with the others, but I honestly realised that I would not be able to sit down for that long- man my arse hurts!!!!!!
Tomorrow we leave Austria. It was a brilliant, yet painful,ill, malnourished and sleep deprived Christmas!
