Down the slopes
Trip Start
Apr 17, 2011
1
29
87
Trip End
May 10, 2012
Where I stayed
Jindabyne Snow Valley Resort
Thredbo Village, New South Wales, Australia
Monday, June 13, 2011
I went with a company called ozsnowadventures which catered more specifically towards backpackers to provide a 'party' on the way to the snows and at the hostel.
I left Sydney on the Friday night and the first stop was to the bottle shop which the big Irish gang in the back were very happy with as they got very drunk by the time we reached Jindabyne. The next stop was in the middle of nowhere to stop off for McDonald's (which after looking on facebook places it was in somewhere called Moss Vale). From out of nowhere the guy leading the bus allowed a stray dog to join us on our trip!
God knows where the dog came from, we tried figuring out if it was a joke but it weren't no joke. He found the dog, liked it and as far as I'm concerned its now his dog.
Another stop was in Canberra which was my first time to drive through there...but again stopped at a Macca's which I wasn't happy about as thats where I first went when I got to Sydney!
We continued on our journey, drinking and then watching Hangover 1. We arrived to Jindabyne at 1:30 am and then had to get our kit ready for the skiing so got measured for ski's, boots and outerwear. Finally got to go to bed at 2 am however I was amazed that in the room I'd finally seen a RADIATOR! Here in Oz a Radiator! I'd been complaining as its been winter in Sydney that the lack of central heating is Oz's problem...but when it's only been this cold the one time then I may be being a bit harsh but its sad and I got excited by a radiator. The hostel exceeded my expectations as well as the said heating facilities, the room was really nice and clean and the hostel included a swimming pool and a sauna which I was looking forward to after a hard day at the slopes.
So at 6...we all wake up and have breakfast which was quite decent to fill us up before lunch and then it was a 25 min drive to Thredbo. In the Thredbo resort there are few hotels for those wanting to live next to the slopes, restaurants and several chairlifts. The highest one that was open is the Gunbarrel Express chairlift which goes up to 1791m and I have to say the chairlift was quite fast even for my liking and this was the way to get to a section where it was meant to be easier slopes however to get to the 'easy' slope there was only about 8ft of snow between the edge of the mountain and the snow itself...not still not having mastered the baby slope there was no way that I was crossing the path to the 'Merritts' slope so I made my way back down to the 'Easy Does It' and that slope sufficed more than enough for the two days.
At the end of the first day, a few of us relaxed and had a few drinks at the party that was arranged in the bar which was a nice way to apres ski and then it was a case to do it all again at 6 the next day.
I would like to say I can ski...stopping however is still an issue which is why I didn't go on the big girl slopes. I figured out how to turn and do as they do on Nagano/Olympic Winter sports games and it is amazing when you are going fast down the slope but again my issue to elegantly come to a stop does not end well unless I am on quite a flat surface.
Verdict of snow in Oz and in Europe...Oz has nothing on us Euro's. Having seen the Alps and been on mountains in France and Switzerland I look forward to when I can get on 100% snow rather than 50% man made and 50% real snow....in Europe it is so much more scenic too but as a beginner for me it was a great experience to say the first time I went skiing was here.
The video is of my 'skill's' on the first day and was prob the worst fall I actually had!
