lastminute lovely Shauna makes us green with envy of her recent snowboarding trip to Perisher Blue and gives us the lowdown on how to make the most of your skiing or snowboarding adventure.
Now I wouldn’t call myself an avid snowboarder (my last trip to the snow was six years ago on a school camp) but when the opportunity arose to check out the Snowy Mountains, I was hardly going to turn it down. Plus, I’d heard the snow had been amazing this year, so what better chance to make my girlfriends jealous!?
We leave at the crack of dawn on the Sunday morning and although early (yawn!), it’s great because we have the road to ourselves and by early afternoon we have our skis/snowboards strapped on and are warming up our stiff legs on the slopes. The weather is absolutely beautiful – pristine powdery white slopes and crisp clear blue sky. What more could you ask for?
We check into the Sundeck Hotel, Australia’s highest hotel and also the country’s largest ski resort. Staying at the Sundeck is a bit of a tradition for Mr. LML’s family so it’s nice to see what the fuss is all about!
It’s like a home away from home, and exactly what you want to return to after a day of hard work on the mountain. Our hosts, Cliff and Sayaka spoil us rotten with breakfast, lunch and a restaurant quality three-course dinner daily. The Sundeck also boasts a welcoming sauna to soothe guests’ aching limbs at the end of the day. Perfect!
Each night a different activity is organised for guests (if you can keep your eyes open past 7pm – believe me, it’s hard!). Lucky for me, Mr. LML’s fam happen to be trivia connoisseurs and we walk out with the title. Hooray!
Australia’s highest hotel
By day we hit the slopes and check out the incredible view from the top of the chair lifts. Getting back into the swing of things is surprisingly easy, especially on my shaky legs. But make sure if you haven’t been skiing/boarding for a while that you invest in a lesson to get your confidence back. There’s nothing worse than having an out-of-control snowboarder crash into the back of you, so make sure you aren’t that person!
When we aren’t out on the slopes, we’re busy having snowball fights and making snowmen. There’s some pretty serious competition around though – check out this guy’s beard and top hat! That’s dedication!
That’s one dapper snowman!
I do have to admit though, that whilst my week at the snow was loads of fun, I did have a milestone of my own; my first break! It happened on the last day, thankfully. I got a bit too confident and I fractured my humerus. I know what you’re thinking, and no, it wasn’t funny at all!
Blissfully ignorant me before my VIP stretcher ride
By Friday we’re all tuckered out and ready to go home (via the hospital). As we drive out of the car park with the heater on high, I can’t help but watch as the cars flock in and think back on the fun week I’ve just had. The feeling in your stomach when you wake up in the morning is one that cannot be rivalled – a mix of nervousness, curiosity and excitement. I can’t recommend a trip to Perisher enough… But do me a favour and don’t break anything!