Highlight of the North Island so far...skiing! We are currently staying in Ohakune, close to Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand’s largest ski area, with some of the country’s best slopes and Australasia’s biggest vertical drop – Mike’s perfect resort! We arrived yesterday to the news that skiing forecasts for today were amazing due to snow storms yesterday. Skiing today was indeed brilliant, and was relatively quiet with only a few New Zealanders sharing the slopes.
We got up at the crack of dawn; the done thing in New Zealand! And caught the shuttle bus for a hairy drive up the mountain side through the clouds. Considering it is reportedly New Zealand’s best ski field it is surprisingly cheap - £75 for an all day lift pass, ski, boot and pole hire, and a two hour lesson. We both decided to have a lesson, with Ryan never having skied before, and it being over three years since Carrie has. Ryan went for a beginner lesson, and the ski school told Carrie she should be in the intermediate/advanced group, much to her horror! Being a beginner Ryan was prepared for the occasion fall, crossed skis or complete bail, but managed to stay on two skis throughout the lesson. Things changed a bit when Carrie took him further up the mountain to try a few blue runs; the slopes were steeper and the control had vanished! But after a couple of falls he was able to plod down them quite well for a novice! All in all a pretty brilliant day!
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