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12 February 2009 - Switzerland
Awaits
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I'm off tomorrow on a working holiday and this is going to get a little
bit personal.
What do you pack when you go skiing?
Thirty tears ago I'd start preparing about a month before take off and
regularly spend a few hundred pounds each year on a new pair of skis, the
latest in high tech leather boots with real clips, go fast racing
pants made of some revolting shiny material, and of course a new tight
fitting jacket with a stripe down one side. Then there would be the socks,
the glasses, the new hat - the list went on.
I've just come back from Boots and my total spend for tomorrow's trip is
about £14 (excluding £22 having my skis tuned): 12 Ibuprofen, 38 Co-codamol,
100 low dose aspirin (in case of heart attack - not just me but my mates
are getting on a bit too), and an elasticated knee bandage. This last item
was bought because I've been hearing and feeling a funny clicking on the
inside of my right knee. As far as my left hip goes, I'll have to risk it.
The doctor told me on Monday that I need a new one, metal to metal is best,
but nothing could be done about it this week.
| I have to take skis and boots - as a ski instructor it's bad for the street
cred to be hiring skis along with your pupils, but apart from those
heaviest of items, very little else goes into the old bag on wheels. I've
been trying to pare the contents down for years, and this time I'm
determined to have used everything by the time I get back in eight days'
time. Some things like socks and shreddies get trampled in the shower each
night so I only take three pairs of each. Oh, and this time I'm taking my
long johns as it's getting colder and colder this week. I bought them
in 1973. |
not a stain on them |
Ordinary clothes for getting to the mountains and back are obligatory and
double up for evening. I kid you not; many a time I've seen people queuing
up at the check in wearing the full kit - ski boots, goggles, the lot.
A small day sack goes in the old bag too and this already has survival
stuff in it like a Swiss army knife, a bar of Kendal mint caked (now broken
into small pieces after being there a year or three, a whistle, a small
supply of Co-codamol, camera, binoculars (these are for locating small
children I lose occasionally), a thirst aid kit, I mean first aid kit,
and a tube of super glue. It also carries lots of sun cream, a spare hat,
spare gloves and some glasses as there is always one child who has
forgotten something.
Mind you, they are usually well prepared, the children. The fourteen year
old who ran into me last winter and knocked me down, was carrying a litre
bottle of English spring water in his rucksack. When I quizzed him about it
he said that he'd brought twelve litres out on the bus. We were in the Alps
in Switzerland...
Well, see you next week - if you are off on a half term jolly as well,
enjoy... |
