Saturday 12th December and I have just had my first run of the season.. I arrived in Arinsal on Thursday night and received my usual friendly welcome from Maria and Graham at the Palarine Hotel. Stuart (Best Barman in Andorra) was not his usual cheerful self, he supports Liverpool therefore it is understandable. On Friday I started my bureaucratic paper chase to get my work permit.
Saturday was cold, bright and clear, so I went up to the ski station. The air was cold and the snow canons were making snow until after lunch. The sky was that deep intense blue that we do not get at home, so everything looked great. There had been good snowfalls earlier, but these were followed by a warm spell, therefore lot of the earlier snow had gone, leaving a good firm base. There were a few bare patches but with such good visibility they were easy to spot.
It is quite usual for me to fall on my first run. I am so keen to have my first run that. I often forget to tighten my ski bindings. (It is a good practice to loosen the springs for the summer.) I have often sprung out off my bindings on the first sharp turn. I am certain that all my readers are delighted to hear, that this did not happen this year. I tightened the bindings before going on the fast six seat chairlift.. However without my glasses, my degenerating eyes could not see on what level I had set them. The consequence was that my first run was a very slow tentative one. Just as well that I was not in uniform but wearing an old nondescript jacket. Eventually, when I felt that my skis were not going to fall off, I had a very enjoyable day.
We have another week to play before the first arrival of British groups. The weather has turned colder and there is a rumour that we may have snow this week. H
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