Lifts are closing down, big patches of earth are appearing on the steeper runs, bars and people are packing up their things. Time to go. Last week we all hit up the bartommnings; as the bars close down for the season they try to sell all the alcohol they have and drop the prices drastically; you can imagine a pretty messy result. A good way to wrap up the season really. 
Right in the middle of my course we had our ski instructor's banquet- a formal occasion with three course meals, wine, suits and the like. You know it's a special occasion when even your boss looks a little off stumbling around clutching a fresh bottle of wine.I wanted to make sure I was well clear of the snow before I put it into words but I can now safely say that I survived my first of three seasons without serious injury. Sure there was a pretty painful and annoying incident early on involving a small bone in my hand having a rather violent encounter with Joakim's elbow and sure I had to take a bit of time off work due to a nasty pulled muscle in my back but other than that? I am injury free. Maybe I am growing up a little and seeing some sort of sign that I might actually survive a few more years of this wandering in the white stuff.
Last week was ridiculous. In one week we had as many blue bird days as we have had all season. Perfect timing for my ski instructor course. The skiing was a fair bit more difficult than I expected on a level one course but it was good for me. I now actually have a good foundation for my skiing instead of just self-taught stuff I make up as I go along. Sweet. If I wasn't on the course I would never have made it up to the very top; we paid a little extra to get towed up the peak of the mountain and ride down the back side. All three instructor groups gathered together before setting down some seriously slushy powder which was pretty cool. I now regret never going up there on my snowboard. I pictured it being a rocky death trap but it was actually big wide open spaces - a little concerning to see big cracks developing from water flow underneath the snow just waiting to be set off on a massive avalanche... But it was all worth it and I survived the day, and the course injury free. Quite unexpected given my history.
Packing up my things I came across a hefty selection of mobile SIM cards and a bunch of different currencies. Australia, Sweden, Norway, Canada, England... Why I still have a Canadian SIM card two years later beats me but when you find stuff like this littered throughout your belongings? You know you're a wanderer.
