Hello all

Thought I'd upload a few vids from recent times.

This weekend I am off to Hamner Springs Skifield for their 'Barcardi Cup' weekend.  Apparently its a bit of a party where we ski in fancy dress - but the sking is like a demolition derby (for those of you from places where that term isnt used - demo derby means smash into as many other ppl as you can and be the last standing - usually referring to cars...!). 

Given my intermediate ski level I will enter this only wearing (we have to wear some sort of costume) a white "I surrender dont hurt me!" flag on my head or somewhere equally visible....

Anyway it all sounds like loads of fun, Id actually tried to book to stay there this weekend not realising that it was their main event of the year and of course they were booked out - then talking to one of my workmates (Tessa, hereafter known as 'legend') about the upcomming week she mentioned she was staying there and I said "you lucky thing we tried but it was booked out" - then it turned out some friends of hers who she had booked for might not be going....so in the end we ended up with their beds!

Its been a lil bit busy in my place lately - Ive had John from Oz staying here then Nicky from Auckland - soon-to-be-NYC just for a night, and then Perrine who I met in Perth (she is from France and was in Perth to do an internship) said she was heading over to NZ with a mate - so I said come stay at mine, and now her and Marine - her friend - are joining me and another friend who will be having his first time skiing ever....up ath Hamner this weekend.

Its nice to see someone who is going to try skiing for the first time - rather than spend his days on his arse trying to get up on a board... no offense to boarders - but it just looks hard and wrong, but its also way more 'cool' now so everyone who hasnt skied or boarded seems to decided to punish themselves with a snowboard...  Given Hamner is a rope tow only field, Im kinda relieived my mate Brian is skiing, so I dont have to feel too guilty about boarders slogging it up rope tows (the french ladies are forewarned and decided cheap was better than chair...)

I still havent gotten around to going and sorting some skis myself.  I have been feeling a bit off this week, and today suddenly realised that the number of vague symptoms Id had - when put together with my hears going all deaf & sore today probably meant ear infection.  It also makes me feel dizzy & off balance - so off to the Dr I went this afternoon to have it confirmed my 'ears were fulla fluid, my eyesight was wonky as a result and my glands and temperature were up like a..(I dunno...'up thing')

So Im popping augmenton like lollies in the hope of having my inner ear affected balance restored to 100% by sat.... never tried to ski while drunk  or off balance- the way my ears feel at the moment - its probably pretty close to what skiing drunk would be like.  And despite what some of you might think (that I like my wine - lies!!!) I dont drink and ski - heck I dont even have half a light beer and ski (actually thats more about not wanting to waste a run in the loo than anything else ;l)

Anyway, Im hoping to take my 'proper' camera - as we are staying on the field so I can leave it either in my car or the lodge - and it might be fun to get some pix of sat nights fancy dress party (assuming Im not in the local a & e if I fo in this demo derby thingywhatsit earlier that day....)

We were going to be joined by Jo, another mate of mine but unfortunately she decided a couple of weeks ago to lift a 120kg+ chap singlehandedly (shes a physio - and should know better - speshly given shes such a slender wee thing its hard to imagine her lifting 120kg!) Anyway, her Dr says at least one more week before she can hit the slopes in '2 greased planks'.  So me being the caring friend that I am, booked us in for the following weekend at hamner...

oh the suffering..oh... the woe...2 wknds skiing....

 in a row... I am a martyr I am....yes... ...

(thats tonights attempt at rhyme).

Anyway - while my mind is full of the frozen unique (did you read that as a kid - no two snowflakes are alike?? (prove It I say!) stuff....here is a video of my mate John..... this is his 2nd day on a snowboard - and I think from what Ive seen of other ppl trying it, hes doing pretty dam well!  Im  no expert on snowboarding (frankly dont know anything about it - I ski - cos thats sensible...) but the ppl Ive seen try it seem to spend a good few days on their arse and about 2-3m in one go on the board - so Johns - 50 m or so seems a pretty dam good effort for day 2 (thats kinda half day too we got up to the field at lunchtime both days).

Unfortunately John aggravated an old tailbone injury and couldnt board any more after day 2, on this trip, but given the 'I love boarding and miss it already' noises he was making,   I suspect that we will see him again either in nz or at threadbo etc....

Oh if you dont know him, Johns the dude in the orange top and black pants

This next clip is some pics and vid of Doubtful sound...