Perhaps you have spent months thinking about your ski holiday. You have spent weeks trawling the internet for ski deals. You have spent days preparing your wardrobe. You have spent hours getting used to the feel of skis on your feet, while your Austrian ski instructor has been yelling “bend zee knees!” over and over again. None of that matters now. It all comes down to this single moment.
You are standing at the top of your chosen resort’s nursery slope, which will be no more than ten metres of gentle gradient. You see little children in the distance, moving downhill with an agility and confidence of which you can only dream. You are focusing on your stance. Your ankles, knees and pelvis are all slightly flexed and at the ready. You are an athlete. A finely tuned machine.
You push off with your poles, remembering to keep your eyes in the direction you are travelling. Then, swoosh. You are now at the bottom of the hill and have come to a stop as you have met up with the gentle uphill gradient, placed there to bring you to a standstill. You’ve done it!
Next you will learn how to control your speed and direction and to stop at a place of your choosing. Once you master that, you will be ready to hit the beginner trails by yourself, and so your skiing life begins. You will soon learn why people return year after year, and will find yourself looking for more cheap ski deals as soon as you return to office. Welcome to the world of skiing!