Home for a rest, again

Hmm, been a while hasn't it. Well lets see. The last few weeks of term were tolerable but not easy. Particularly with all the snow. Still, got a few days off out of it. The boys seem to think like the rest of Britain, a little snow and the world grinds to a halt. Funny how that works. However I managed to survive the first term.

To reward myself, I took a trip to Zakopane, Poland, for a week of skiing and drinking. Was a fantastic trip. I spent the week learning to ski with a bunch of Aussies on various ski-fields. Managed to go from a beginner to a competent skier who can handle red slopes. Of course I had a few spills learning but thats part of the fun. Also won 3 out of the 4 races I took part in. I Also got in some snowmobiling which was awesome. Did it right on dusk so the second half of my ride was in darkness. Kind of thrilling to think you are out in the wilderness somewhere reliant on a machine, a machine that very easily gets bogged down in deep snow. It can be difficult righting the machine and no one is coming to help you.

The town itself was very interesting. Very few signs in English and the money is worth a fifth of a pound. Food was very cheap, home-made pizza for around 4 pound. Local beer for 1.20 pound. The main street was filled with little stalls selling bread, woolen clothes and gimmicky toys, and there were sideshow type games at the main junctions. What was really out of place was the giant billboards and video screens in the centre of town with horse drawn sleighs going past. The town had just had a week of snow when I turned up and everything was buried in over a foot of it.

Of course, the other part of my trip, the drinking. The first night there was Valentines night and I have vague memories of vodka, a dance club, 4 Polish girls, being lost, falling over in the snow and having to get a cab back to my chalet. I was woken up the next morning by a knock on the door and 5 mins to get ready. Managed it of course, military training is good for something aye. Sunday night I didn't go out so I was able to enjoy the excellent breakfast the chalet put on. Went out again on the Monday night, had to go to a different club, don't think much happened this night as I didn't get lost and I was welcome at the club the next time I went. But of course I once again slept in the next day, still managed to grab breakfast and be ready before the bus though. The rest of the drinking was relatively uneventful apart from some more falling in snow (those snow drifts get deep!), and slight lostness.

Now I am back in St Albans enjoying a quiet weekend before I have to go back to school. Just another 6 weeks to go before my next break. Maybe I will go to Egypt diving this time, or paragliding in the Pyrenees, I don't know, I haven't decided yet. Its going to shape up to be a pretty good break though.