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| Typical street in Wanaka |
Today we awoke to a perfect day. The sky was blue, the wind was low and the birds were singing. Today was the day we moved up to Cardrona Ski Fields accommodation, so it needed to perfect. We checked out of the top ten van park, and headed into Wanaka to purchase some food and some late minute additional clothing items. After loading our purchases, we headed to the Mountain.
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| Road up the Cardrona Mt |
The mountain road is narrow gravel road which needed either a 4 wheel drive or a chain equipped 2 wheel drive vehicle. Breath-taking views can be seen as you ascend up the mountain (assuming you take your eyes off the road to look!) Guard rails, what guard rails, not looking forward to the descent in three days time, as the road is slippery and narrow and finally the want-to-be rally drivers just don’t get it that mere mortals use the road too.
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| View from the Cardrona road |
At the top, cars park on the edge of oblivion, but plenty of parking controllers assist new folks into a park. Sadly there is just not enough room to maneuver; we nearly reversed into a vehicle parked in the drop off zone. This was painful, especially when people park where they are not supposed to.
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| Cardrona Base Camp |
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| The girls' snowman |
The accommodation is great, very comfortable, and right on the spot to the ski fields. After dropping off our luggage, we raced down to booking office to buy ski passes and lessons. Quite an experience getting kitted out to ski. We have our own gloves and goggles, but the rest had to be hired which is not cheap, though much cheaper than Australia apparently. It took an hour to finally make the fields, 10 minutes late to our lesson, where we were greeted by the sister of the security woman we met 19 months ago in Frankfort airport.
(see 2008 Basel blog) She was neither helpful nor friendly; it wasn’t a great first impression. It seemed to be that there could not be any learners as we had to repeat at least 3 times that we were coming into beginner A & B. Luckily another lady instructor stepped in, and arranged a male instructor to take us. He was great, and certainly a great teacher, thank you Kit! Even though Cos was a complete beginner and I had skied many years ago as we were running late we ended up in the same lesson but this was fine as I was a little unsure. We had a very nervous return skier and three second lesson attendees. Towards the end of the lesson Kit said I might like to ride up the pommel and ski down and he would watch. So that was great. Tomorrow I will join a higher group.
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| Our Accommodation |
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| Jacqs and hide and seek |
The area the girls started in was on the way to the adult section so the girls were place very quickly and efficiently with May. The girls had a great session and learnt heaps. They were riding the basic Pommel about half way through their lesson.
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| Fun getting off ski boots |
So it seems that we have some very enthusiastic skiers so let’s hope the weather is as good tomorrow as it was today. It is quite windy and snowy out there currently and quite disconcerting being on a mountain in a snow storm. A family was here during the recent bad weather and although the lifts were not operating they were able to walk and ski around the learners’ area and there is plenty of snow close by for the mandatory snowman. The girls have already made a little one on the seat outside out room on the blown in snow. The accommodation is warm and very comfortable
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