I was slightly concerned by our proposed activities for christmas day.
I have spent christmas day in a snowy country before - Austria, circa 2005. The purpose of that trip was to ski which, i found out very quickly, is really not my forte. I spent a great majority of the trip bounding from crying in frustration and pain to throwing temper tantrums that a two year old would be proud of - throwing my skis to the ground and flouncing down the mountain as indignantly as is possible when you keep falling on your arse in snow drifts...
Needless to say the thought of trying a new winter sport, tobogganing, on Christmas day with a group of new friends to witness my complete non-prowess when it comes to sports, summer OR winter, filled me with dread.
However I had come prepared with all the fashion required for a day spent wizzing down the slopes, sallopets and jacket borrowed from snow crazed PE teacher friends in the UK, my beautiful new snow shoes...I certainly looked the part....and, less importantly, I would be warm and dry at least.
Grabbing my sled I went last - watching everyone else for technique and vowing I would take it nice and slow. It turns out I had nothing to worry about - I'm a pro!
Wizzing down the 30 minute-long slope 3 times I soon got the hang of controling the sled and decided that faster would be better...I wizzed past my new friends with a WOOP and an arm in the air....I lifted the breaks (my feet) and let the snow hit my face and the wind fly in my hair. I listened to the silence of the forest and glanced at the passing chalets as they wizzed past...i leaned into the corners to take them as fast as possible and was proud to avoid running into a snow drift...tobogganing, it seems, is my new favourite sport.
shame I live in one of the least snowiest parts of the least snowiest country in the world....my new favourite sport might have to be a once-every-5-years kind of activity...
With rosy cheeks from the cold and the exercise we joyfully headed back to our host's flat to revive our spirits with some christmas spirits....drinking our fill of duty-free french champagne and gorging ourselves on a delicious garlic prawn risotto and christmas roast we laughed around the table and enjoyed the company of new friends...A very merry Swiss Christmas day....
Till next time...
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