Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Our First Ski Adventure
Winter is almost over but we made it our most memorable one when we hit the road leading to Barrie's Ski Snow Valley. It was a thrilling (and mostly painful) experience. We looked forward to this March Break ski trip and we were not disappointed especially the kids who enjoyed the most. We left Etobicoke a little past 7:00 and arrived there around 8:17 am. We immediately proceeded to the ticket booths as more cars started to arrived. The first lessons started at 9:30 am but since we are first-timers we needed to have time to familiarize ourselves with the gears that we are going to use. Before paying for the tickets, we filled up forms for the rental of the equipment - ski, boots, helmet and poles. The crew assisted and taught us how to wear the boots and helmet. The boots are really heavy, it felt like walking with a bowling ball on your feet and walking on the moon. Only Lito, Miggy and I were given the gears because Kyle and Lex sizes were only available at the Kid's Village. Holding our 3 kids and the gears, we reluctantly proceeded to the waiting area. You can just imagine how we looked like as first timers gliding in the snow on the way to Kids Village. After paying for the Kids Ski and Play package for my preschoolers, I left them in the care of their instructors who will be with them one on one.
It took us 30 minutes (and 2 falls) to reach the waiting area. The instructor said we already missed the 9:30 class and advised us to wait for the 11:00 class. In between those, we had some picture-taking and tested our ski in the beginners area. The lessons had not even started but our bodies are already aching from the falls hahaha. We met our companions Randy, Gina and their kids already set up for the class. Lito then decided to just stay and wait for the kids who were about to finish at 12:00. If he took that class, no one would fetch the kids. It's a good thing too because he had a chance to witness how they did in their first skiing lessons.
Miggy and I together with Randy, Gina and Hannah took the Discover Skiing 1 with mostly kids in our class. We learned the right position, how to attach and remove the ski, how to slow down, break and do the turns and how to stand up when you fall down - the last one I mastered very well from the hard falls I experienced. I joined that class not only to experience how it is to ski but most importantly, to be on the look out for Miggy. But it seems that he doesn't need his slow-learner mom to learn and enjoy this sport. In fact, he learned faster and I think he only fell once when we were trying on the ski before the class started. He is very good for a first timer. The instructor who noticed that I always fall focused on me and was like a personal trainer to me until I went down the lowest hill without falling. She told me that my son is going to the medium hill (a steeper one) with other 3 kids who were able to do the skills from the beginner lessons. If I want to be with him, I should be able to do the skills myself. But by the time I was able to do all of them, I was already too tired and scared to try the next hill. Gina and I just finished the 75 minutes in the smallest hill. After seeing Gina's kids from the snowboarding class, we were relieved that this is over. From the ticket that we got, we should be practicing what we learned in the different hills but just looking at the lift going up, I could not even move my feet so we decided to call it quits and headed to the Picnic area to have our lunch. There we met Lito and the 2 kids from their class. From the looks on their faces, they must have enjoyed the lessons and I was right. Here are some of the videos and photos from this first (and hopefully not the last) ski trip our family had.
Kyle is in blue jacket.
Thank God that we enjoyed this day. I will share the tips on skiing and part 2 of our adventure later.
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