Mike Waller had been going on about how great skiing holidays were - I also remember Rita in the ICL Demo room at Putney saying if she had to choose between a summer or skiing holiday - she'd always choose skiing!!

So, Wal and I had been to Geneva on business a few times already - had met up with Guy de Gonzenbach and his wife Christian and put a plan together....

To my house on a Friday evening after work, packing, then to his parent's house - more packing, then in his magnificent lime-green Marcos.... off we went - to Dover. Cannot exactly remember our route but do remember feeling tired at some point and Wal just driving off the road into some trees, pointing the front of the car up a small incline, and with those racing-type seats we were sort of suspended in a hammock-type configuration - slept well!!

We got to Austria (maybe Saltzburg) and checked with a Tourist office - where was the best skiing - they said Zell am See - so off we went. Drove up towards the ski-lifts and found a little chalet with "Zimmer Frei" sign - checked in - went and got our ski gear - and at that point Wal reckoned (dusk coming on) - no time for a real ski - but I could get my ski-legs in a car park across the road. He'd been a couple of times before - but I'd never attempted this activity, so I took all my cues from him.

Well!! The car park was 70% full, and covered in ice - enough said????

I strapped the gear on and launched.... it wasn't much of an incline, but I soon realised that keeping the gear all pointed in the right directions, and stopping - were well beyond my abilities - I ended in a heap!! But luckily didn't harm any cars. We tried a few more "runs" - and gave up. Next day Wal was off - and I tried various methods of starting and stopping - I can remember at one point where (my stopping technique was basically to fall over) Wal suggested a modification..... when I felt out of control - I should sit down between the skiis... I tried this.... all it achieved was for me to continue going in the same direction at the same speed, but my bum acting like a snow-plough causing snow to drift all up my body and head - so that then - I couldn't even see where I was going!!

Snow-ploughing was about all I achieved in a couple of days - then off we went again - dumping ourselves on poor Guy and Christian for a couple of nights in Geneva - and going with them to at least 3 different ski-resorts - they were born on skis - so I held them up more than somewhat!! But at holiday's end I could claim to have skied in  France, Switzerland and Austria.

A piccie from the Zell am See days.....

And a few comments!! Me on the left, Wal at right. And regardless of what the camera tells you - we were JOE COOL!! Wal actually had some pukka Ski-wear - whereas I (not knowing the routine) had on blue-jeans (no long-johns - the jeans were soaked within minutes of starting a day's skiing!!) and any old anorak that I had found - BUT you can just see the piece-de-resistance!!! - a knotted silk bandana round my throat!! AND... a goatee beard!! Who says the Brits don't have style!!....??

Enough said........

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