Sunrise in the Engadin is supposedly at 7:51 but the sun doesn’t actually hit the valley floor until around 9am. So early mornings are rather dark around these parts. Luckily we don’t have to get out of bed until, well, until we feel like it really. (Sorry Curt…) But going up early to the slopes is always a good idea since the snow is better and there are less people around. Unless you’re going skiing in Zuoz on a weekday. Then it really doesn’t matter when you go because the mountain will likely be empty. Excellent!
The conditions were perfect for re-acquainting ourselves with our snowboards and getting our bodies used to some more strenuous exercise than walking to my sister’s house for lunch once a day.
I won’t lie: I fell on the first curve I tried to take coming out of the lift. I will however hold my bindings and stance responsible since after a lightening-speed fix up from my darling husband I managed to make it down the slope without falling too many times. Evil stance!
It wasn’t all falling down and embarrassement though – Conor rode a T-lift for the first time and managed to get all the way to the top! If you’ve never been on a T-life, it’s not easy on a snowboard. (He tried once before on a very steep T-lift and after falling off several times the guy at the lift told him he wasn’t allowed to try anymore. Instead he hitched one of those medical sled-beds to one of the Ts and had him sit on top of it to ride up. How I wish I had a picture of THAT…)
Back home, slightly worse for the wear and with a massive Muskelkater announcing itself for tomorrow, we’re consoling ourselves with the gorgeous views and hope that tomorrow will be another gorgeous day.
Oh and just in case you were getting any funny ideas about taking a sled down into town, fuhgeddaboudit.
Ah Switzerland, am now trapped with happy memories of the thermal baths and COOP…
PS Nora! My mail to you bounces 🙁 Have you a new email?
Stay for a year, please!
@Curt – Haha, don’t tempt us! C could totally do a German course here, right?! Guats Bündnerdütsch lähre…
Conor was lucky, he hitched a ride with the paramedic dude, all snug and with a sleeping bag on him. How do I know? Because I was on the same fucking T-lift and they wouldn’t give me a ride! I had to scale the fucking mountain, using the snowboard as a piolet. It was probably like 3 miles to the top and when I got there I was so exhausted I simply plonked down in the middle of the track and almost passed out.
This being Switzerland, a couple of people had to actually stop and let me know that this wasn’t a place to pass out or rest. After I explained my ordeal they were very sympathetic, but insisted I couldn’t stay there because this wasn’t a spot for resting or passing out. Gotta love the Swiss adherence to protocol. Bastards didn’t even offer me a flask of mulled wine with a St. Bernard attached to it. All this time, Mr. Snuggles was on his 4th run down while I suffered the Swiss.