This past weekend I went on a ski trip with Adventure Korea. On Friday night I took the KTX toe Seoul for 3 hours and stayed at Hendrik's House. Hendrik is a South African friend that I met on the previous Adventure Korea trip. I recently found out that my dad taught at Bellville High School with his parents. What a small world?
Seoul was freezing!! But, I never knew what Phoenix park would hold...
Very early Saturday morning, Hendrik and I took the subway for an hour to Hongik University to catch our but to Phoenix Park. We nearly missed it, but luckilly Cyril (other SA school friend) stalled the bus for us. Thanks! The bus ride was about 2 and a half hours. Not sure if we went North, South, East or West.
We arrived at the Rental Shop in Phoenix Park to pick up our ski boots, ski suits and goggles. How awesome!! It was a little bit of a mission getting into the ski suit and deciding what to wear underneath. You know am I wearing too much or too little. Anyways the resort was about 5 minutes from the rental shop. We got our ski's at the resort and one of the girls on tour with us was nice enough to show us the ropes before we hit the slopes. I wasn't sure whether or not to ski or snowboard, but decided to try out the ski's first. I regret it a little, cause I really want to Snowboard, but there's always next time, right?
So we got to the BABY slope, which is practically a level icy road. This was good to get the hang of the ice and the slippery vibe. Kaily showed us how to strap onto the ski's and how to position them when you strap them on. This was a very important point, cause you don't want to go down hill with only one ski attached to your foot. We practiced a little and then we took it to the slopes.
The first scary thing was the ski lift. First of all you have to stand in a line with a lot of other people, already wearing your ski's and slowly making your way towards the lift. The lift takes 4 people at a go. The lift was freezing but I successfully pulled it off, without a hitch that is. The lift is exciting! I just kept thinking about that scene in Dumb and dumber where Lloyd presses his tongue against the pole of the ski lift and getting stuck :)
When you reach the top of the slope with the lift you have to wait until your ski's touch the snow and then you have to give yourself a little push and ski out of the way. Successful - without falling. YES! So far so good.
Now, when you are at the top there is no way of getting down other than actually skiing down. I'm proud to announce that my first trip down was awesome!! I didn't fall once. At one stage I was going so fast and straight down the slope. I just thought to myself, if you move now you're probably going to die. So I just kept going. Needless to say I ski'd right to the front of the coffee shop, cause I couldn't stop. I nearly passed out when I got to the bottom. I wanted to pass out, throw up and hell knows what else. Think I got a bit of an adrenaline overdose. Hendrik quickly came to my rescue and bought me a hot chocolate and a coke. After that I was good to go again. I met up with Cyril for round two. At first I was bragging that I didn't fall first time round. HAHA Famous last words. I fell twice on the second trip down. It was fun though. I thought it would hurt, but it doesn't. The scariest part apart from the fact that your going down hill is the icy parts. You just hear grrrrr under your ski's and then you know you can't do anything. Cause once your on the ice and not the powder snow, you basically have no control. I'm sure a professional ski'er does, but I didn't.
After our first pass was finished, we had to return to our bus to get our bags and check into the youth hostel next to the slopes where we had to sleep the night. We were six people who shared a room. 5 South Africans and 1 American. We actually were 7 Safa's on the trip. Can you believe it?
I took a half and hour nap and then suited up for the night skiing mission. At this stage it was minus 12 degrees, one degree colder than the day. Luckily Christie (the american girl)lend me her gloves, cause mine was useless and I might not make it out alive. This really saved me. The coldest part of skiing is the ski lift. It is freezing. The wind was also blowing that night so you can just imagine. Suid Siberiese Sneeu haas!!! I was wearing tights, my jeans, 4 pairs of socks, leg warmers, two vests, a jersey, 2 hoodies, a scarf and my ski suit. O and a 'mussie'.
Night skiing is amazing! We had so much fun! The slopes were a lot quieter than during the afternoon. The first time I went down I fell on my face. I literally went flying. It was fun though. At first I thought I broke my thumb but it was fine :) The hardest part when falling is the getting up part. The girl who gave us lessons never told us how to get up. Firstly it's such a mission to get your ski's off your feet to get up and strap them on again. I was frozen solid after the night session and crept home for a good nights sleep in our warm and toasty room on the 4th floor.
Sunday morning we returned to the slopes for breakfast and fun in the snow. Unfortunately we didn't have a morning ski pass. It was very cold outside so we didn't play much just took a few pictures and had a lovely breakfast consisting of rice, seaweed and sweet bulgogi. Jummi. Our bus trip back to the city was long and cold. Luckily we slept most of the way. I got an earlier train back to Busan and was home by about 9.
Skiing was the most exciting and scariest thing I have done this far. I can't wait to go again!! Now I'm definitely saving for a ski holiday!! x
