Winter 2006: Mt Hotham

This weekend was absolutely surreal..

Seeing snow falling out of the sky for the 3rd time in my life was simply 'beautiful'. I really felt like I was in another country, living another life, feeling so carefree...

Considering the fact that the night we went to the snow, I was supposed to go right after work with my P&Gers. However, thanx to last minute work pile, my boss told me I had to finish off my 40page presentation slides by COB! So I couldn't leave with my P&Gers as they were leaving at 4pm. To cut the story short, I had to go into my P&Ger's friend's car as they were leaving later on in the night. 3 awesome ppl whom I've never met: Ben, Van & Peter. My dad dropped me off at Knox to meet them outside Rebel's sport. Instantly we clicked. Peter opted to carry my luggage! so funny, him carrying it inside Knox City Shopping Centre! I felt like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde!!

We finally left for Hotham at 7:30pm. All 4 of us talked, ate, sung, laughed in the car all the way. We arrived at 2am! It was something that I've never done before! Driving at night to the snow! (I highly do NOT recommend it even though the company was great!).

Now I've been to nearly all of the Mountains in VIC for snow like Mt Buller, Mt Baw Baw, Mt Donna Buang, Lake Mountain & Mt Buffalo. I must say though, Mt Hotham is truely the best mountain in VIC (and the furthest too)! So open (eg. you can see all all the other snow capped mountains/valley from every angle). They also have this great bus system that picks you up every 5 minutes from 10 points on the slopes.

Since Lucy & I were amateur skiers in Downhill skiing (I've only ever done cross country skiing), we decided to buy a day lift pass with lessons for $132! We were very very thankful that we did the lesson (ie. learning how to stop!) cos right after that, Janice & Simon who are the professional downhill skiers (who does the blue and black run!) took one of us each to go down the hill slowly.. Boy oh boy did my heart nearly pop out just going down the hill! It's like a rollercoaster going outta control and the worse thing is, you're controlling it! (or should I say trying to control it). Gosh to think 6 yrs ago I would've just done it without hesitation. Now that I'm older, I'm so risk averse!

However, I must say after going down the green run (which btw, is still fairly steep), I gained much more confidence and went up the lifts and down the slopes 4 times! Boy did I pay the price the next day! All up, I fell down about 10 times!

At night, all 11 of us had pasta for dinner around the table (thanx to Amy & Janice who cooked for all of us). We chatted the night away with our countless bottles of wine & wheat beer. Some very interesting exchange of conversations I must admit. Such a great night in deed.

Anyhow, enough of writing, here are the priceless pics...

Our Lodge - Tanderra @ Bus Stop #Lucky 8


Sat Morning - Janice & Simon
Cooking Bacon & Eggs for all 11 of us!
and with snowflakes falling on my head @7:30am


Going for our lesson with our ski & lift pass


Lessons with the instructor - Gabriella


Doing the green run @ the Big D
With Van & Ben

Going up the Chairlift - scary...


Falling on my butt for the 10th time!


Sitting on my cool (like the pun?) snow mobile


Simon, Janice, Lucy & I
after making down the green run alive!


Janice & I just had to do this - 'snow angels'
We did this right at the bottom of the green run!
yes I think we were asking for amateur skiers to run over us!


Funny pose: Janice, Ben, Pete & Van


Playing a very corrupted game of Monopoly


Sunday morning:



With my darling Lucy
& my cool beanie that you can use back to front
(thnx Chiennay for helping me pick it out!)

Finally, the other part of the group
Me, Lucy, Miles, Amy (from Boston who's now moved to Aust
to be with Miles & both of them got engaged 2wks ago!),
Simon, Lachlan (who's such a hottie! =)
Janice & Greg