Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Snowboarding and the Art of Perseverance



VIEW FROM OUR BALCONY AT GARDEN COURT

Queenstown, the 'Adventure Capital of the World', is  a picturesque lakeside town on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.  We are meeting up with my Uncle Darryl and my tow cousins, Danny & Andrew to join them on their annual ski/snowboarding holiday.

The deep blues of the lake reflect the winter blues of the sky, and wispy cirrus clouds streak from behind the snow-capped peaks which surround us - a stark contrast to our entrance into Queenstown late last night:  the dark road wound its way along a black lake, a trail of tailights leading around the next corner as starbursting headlights whooshing past in the opposite direction.  Amber streetlights and incandescent houselights twinkled in pairs across the way, relected in the inky waters.  A deep, throbbing dub soundtrack gave everything a hauntingly surreal feeling, taut with anticipation.

Ferdburger, which has been recommended to me as 'DaBestestBurgerInThaWorld' is packed to the walls and does not disappoint.  Harrys Bar, just up the street, has a warm fire and cold beer, and is full of beautiful people with the satisfied smiles of a good day on the slopes.

Our morning is spent returning rental cars, transferring to the swanky Garden Court lodge in town, searching for a good flat white, and preparing to hit the slopes of Coronet Peak that afternoon. 

I’ve never been a good surfer. 

One, I don’t go often enough to be any good, and two, I’m just plain lazy.  It’s a heck of a lot of work to get around on the water, all that paddling and paddling and paddling for a short ride on a wave.

LOOKING OUT FROM THE TOP OF CORONET PEAK

That’s why snowboarding sounds so good to me:  strap your boots to the board so’s it can’t float away, ride a lift to the top of the swell, then drop in on the biggest wave, albeit a frozen one, that you’ve ever seen – 1,200 meters above sea level.

So it’s a wonder that I’m not better at it.  But then again, see #2: I’m just plain lazy.


AW YEAH, THAT'S HOW I ROLL...


HOW'S THE SERENITY!?


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