New Zealand - Coronet Peak

Day 3 dawned with snow still falling lightly and a layer of snow on the cars indicating that it had gone on all night. The snow reports were positive and Coronet Peak was the chosen mountain to continue our lessons. This choice was greeted with loads of enthusiasm by me as I'm not sure I was just get ready for a second go up the Remarkables road. Bett & BB decided that they would have a day being tourists and stayed home to explore Queenstown and the local surrounds. Also to cook a wonderful dinner for the Ski Team when they arrived back. So with the car all loaded with ski's,poles, boots - urgh and cameras we were off again for lesson #3.

It was a wonderful day on the mountain. A light snowfall without wind added to the magic of it all. Even the snow machines were going flat out as the conditions were ideal for snow making. On arrival we found a possie and all set about putting our gear on. Beanies gloves, and yes, 'those damn boots' We all arrived at our respective lessons - all in different groups now according to our level of confidence, and away we went to achieve all sorts of things over the next hour & a half. I discovered that I still had an urge to go right only this time there was no tow rope, just the edge of the mountain (it was fenced - I think it may have stopped me if I had hit it.) Still we all had a ball and at least I was a dab hand at the Magic Carpet. Bill & Peter M had gone up one level and they were playing on the chairlift and the Big Easy - An easy Beginners Run so they say. Marg was quiet a few classes up and had an excellent morning so was ready to cover that mountain with Pete O after lunch.

We met up for lunch and decided that whilst the food was pretty good we really didn't need to spend all that money on 2 weeks lunches so we would buy flasks and make sandwiches. So begun our traditional picnic lunch of soup & sandwiches each day. Vegemite sandwiches have never tasted so good after a morning of ski lessons & achievements.

After lunch we all headed back to the slopes to practice what we had learnt that morning. Pete took me out for a few runs before heading up the chairlift with Marg and thanks to his patience I found I could actually go straight. - Yippee! Mid afternoon we decided to call it a day and head on back down the mountain for a well earned shower & a rest before reconvening at the Collins/Barrett residence for dinner & the days rushes. Wow was it worth the wait. And the Hokey Pokey icecream for pudding was just what the Dr ordered. The rushes whetted the appitite of our 2 tourists (or was it the footage of the road - not nearly as scary) and they decided to rejoin the Ski party in the morning for a return to Coronet Peak.

The following morning greeted us with no more snow falling and an increase in temp - 0 deg - so we headed off, complete with picnic lunch, to Coronet Peak again. Lesson #4 was great BB joined me and both him & I learnt to go straight down & to weave back & forth accross the hill. All without the poles, I might add. Another meeting for lunch and a catch up on how we were all doing and then it was back to the snow for a further practice. After lunch Bill joined Pete & Marg on some of the easier runs and BB & I stayed on our learners slope to perfect our downs & weaves. Also to marvel at a day without a fall for both of us - I don't think I had any room left on my body for any more bruises. I learnt a great way to stop and become close to a number of snowboarders at the same time. Snowboarders make wonderful speed humps (our teacher from lesson #3 told us). I dicovered there was more than a bit of truth in this. (No snowboarders were harmed in the name of my ski lessons)!

Bett decided she would do her lessons the next day so spent the day in the sun on the deck meeting and chatting to the most interesting array of people. Beryl springs to mind, she came from Vic to ski and got out of the car in the carpark and fell and broke her fingers. She spent the day watching everyone else and keeping us amused as we came and went. Peter M had a few days rest with a bad back but still appeared on the slopes at regular intervals with camera in hand for some candid shots. Hmmm.

Again we called it a day mid afternoon, shed 'those damn boots' and headed home for another night of mayhem this time at Fatz Katz Italian Restaurant. One highlight of the night (apart from the many Cats) was the Men's toilets in the Sofitel Complex - who hasn't seen the email with the gorgeous girls with glasses, tape measures, binoculars etc. Well I have seen it in real life right there in Queenstown NZ escorted by my partners in crime Peter O & Peter M. The gentleman who came in while we were there got a bit of a shock but then he fessed up to having checked out the Ladies the night before to see what was in there. The things we do on holidays eh!

By now we had really caught the Ski bug and couldn't wait to get back up the mountain the next day but just like you we had to wait until the next morning.

So until next time................