Another skiing adventure to report, and this week, we focus on the lessons we learned:

1. Our assumption that rain in Basel equates to snow in the mountains was very wrong. We did do a little research before heading out and the slopes were advertised as ‘good but wet piste conditions.’  When we arrived in Sörenberg after a 2-hour train ride, however, we found that this actually meant patches of dirt and slabs of ice.  We were obviously very disappointed.  Luckily, it started snowing around lunch time and the conditions improved greatly in the afternoon hours.
2. “There’s something for everyone” means it’s a kids place. This wasn’t actually bad. There were lots of kids learning to ski in a safe environment – very adorable.  Additionally, Sörenberg is home to a well-known disabled skiing program.  Neither of us had any idea the technology and resources that are available to skiers who are physically disabled.  While Sörenberg wasn’t our favorite, we were happy to support such a fantastic mountain.
3. Don’t fall of the t-lift – especially not the long ones.  One of the reasons that we didn’t love Sörenberg was because of all the t-lifts.  If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, here’s a quick picture I stole from the internet.  Towards the end of the day, we were taking a very long t-lift (almost 1900-meters) to the top, and Sarah being the clutz that she is, fell off and took Chris down with her.  Shockingly, it was the only time she fell that day.  Unfortunately, we were a ways away from the actual slopes and thus had the climb up a hill on skis.  It sucked.  A lot.
4. We finally learned how to cross-country ski up a hill. Why you ask?  See lesson 3.  It wasn’t because we wanted to learn – we learned out of sheer necessity.
5. If number 3 is not avoidable, don’t break your Travel Pass when falling.  In Switzerland, you load your lift tickets onto your transportation passes (because skiing is obviously a form of transportation here).  When Sarah fell off the t-lift, she regrettably snapped her pass in half.  Consequently, it wouldn’t work at any of the turn-styles, the train conductors were less than pleased on the way home, and she had to pay 30 CHF to replace it.  Sigh.
6. Nothing can stop Chris Milne from wearing Hawaiin shirts.  But honestly, why would you want to?  Hawaiin shirts are amazing and … HE’S ON VACATION!
   

   

   

   Here’s a quick video of vacation man coming down the mountain.  Yes, Sarah did beat him to the bottom, but only because he went down twice to her once.  Shame.