3 weeks ago me and Sindy went to Chill Factore in Manchester to have our first ever ski lesson. We did the guarantee to ski lesson which consists of 2 x 1 hour 50 minute lessons where you learn the basic skills and to be signed off be able to do controlled snow plough turns from the top of the beginner slope. If you don't get it within the session you get extra free tuition on top of the course until you get signed off.
We were both absolute beginners never tried ski boots or anything. I didn't even have any clothes just my coat, I had to borrow ski pants off Sindy. She bought some ski stuff last year as she was planning on going for her 30th birthday last year but covid it never happened.
3 weeks ago on Friday 23rd April 2021 happened to be the hottest day of 2021 and reading the information on the website it said dress for cold. So I wore a long sleeve top and had a jumper on, scarf and my coat which is super warm, leggings then ski pants, normal socks with thick woolly socks on top and I was melting! Inside was so hot even on the snow and when you're concentrating hard to learn you're more likely to sweat oh and the face mask and helmet didn't help either. We got a break after the first 1 hour 50 minutes so I had to get changed. Luckily I brought an extra tee shirt and sweater to wear and that was so much better for the second half.
It was so weird having the skis on your feet, like having giant flippers. It's so much harder than it looks as the boots are dead tight and stiff so you don't bream your ankles. I got the basics of being able to stop just wasn't that good at controlling myself and kept going down the slope when I wasn't actually ready to go yet. We started off not that far up the slope then eventually we got to on the belt to be took up to the top of the beginner slope which was fun. We had to learn to smoothly turn down and I just couldn't do it. Everything the instructor was telling me just wasn't sticking and I couldn't get my head around it and was also better at turning towards the right than I was to the left. I did think the guarantee to ski was a bit ambitious that you would be able to ski in under 4 hours.
Sindy was so much better at it and could do it just wasn't that smooth so at the end of the session he said we hadn't got it yet and that we can go back and get extra tuition until we get signed off. So we ended up booking it in for yesterday morning (I learnt from last time and didn't wear as many layers or wrap up but was still sweating thanks to the mask!). The first session was long as we did it on a Friday night after work - had to get there for 3:30pm then didn't finish till after 9pm. Yesterday's session was at 12pm so we got there for 11:30am and had a different instructor who taught us to put our hands up and look towards where we're heading then move our hands to the direction we wanted to go and it worked better my turns were definitely better. We got signed off after 50 minutes but I think I could have done with another 50 minutes and wasn't ready to be signed off!
It was fun to learn to ski not sure when I'm going to actually go skiing and put this into practice and will probably forget by the time I do! I've always wanted to go on a ski holiday and it's on the bucket list so at least now I can say I have got the basic skills for when I get to eventually go. I can definitely come flying down a slope but if there's obstacles in the way... I think they should move out of my way... I can do it and turn when I need to just not as smoothly or cool as everyone else.
The guarantee to ski sessions finish after today but they still offer ski and snowboard lessons but just not the guarantee that you will know the skills in under 4 hours. The lesson wasn't cheap it was £189 off peak for the 2 of us and the normal ski lessons are a bit cheaper.
We're allowed on the big slope now!
Happily go back when I don't have to wear a sweaty soggy mask.
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