Sincere apologies for the vacuum of silence. We have been suffering from a severe case of internet-less-ness. I'm sure anyone that has lived in a country with a foreign language can sympathise when I say it was a nightmare. Actually, anyone that has ever dealt with any internet service provider (telkom, cough, cough) will, no doubt, agree that curing a case of internet-less-ness is extremely frustrating.
Add to this my laziness with the German language (the kids speak english most of the time and certainly don't bring any internet terminology into conversations), and I think my dilemma is clear.
However, the issue was resolved, and a new router was waiting for us yesterday afternoon when we got home. Hooray.
A few things have happened since my last post...
First, a little bit of snow. It was on the Pullach side of Munich (work) and it was just a few flakes, but it was enough to make me whip out my camera and capture this wonderous event. And yes, the kids thought I was CRAAAAAAZY, despite my efforts to explain that other than that ONE time after our Motherless party, it does not snow where I come from.
Also, I went on my first snowboarding adventure.
Now, being from this very hot place called Durban, snow, in large quantities, was not something I found easy to comprehend. I also decided, in my clever little head, that I was going to be amazing. The most talented snow boarder ever to touch ice.
I was wrong.
In fact, it was only as we were riding the cogwheel train up Zugspitze (the highest mountain in Germany, therefore a long ride up, and a long time to contemplate ice/snow) that it occurred to me that snow was just water and would, therefore, be incredibly slippery.
It is possible that this, and the gradient of the slope, psyched me out a little... but it is also possible that I am not, despite any preconceived notions, NOT the most amazing snowboarder.
In fact, I spent so much time on my hands and knees after falling over that I may never be able to do yoga again. My poor other half was so patient and went down the slope behind me to help me / catch me. Only to have me wipe out on top of him. And for anyone that has perhaps not snowboarded before, the parts of the slope where you ride are rather hard. I prefer the parts in between the marked off slopes where the snow is all shmooshy and your legs disappear. I also like to eat some snow when I get thirsty, but apparently that isn't the best idea I've ever had. Some people wee in strange places.
It is also rather daunting to have kids who look like they've only JUST learnt to walk come whizzing past you, twisting and curving, and shouting out that you, "snowboarder" should be in the ski school, not in their way. It seemed all the other beginners had been swept away to some secret location, leaving me to be The Only Dork On The Mountain.
The 'button' lift was perhaps the worst part. For some reason I could only make it up to the veeerrrry top of the slope once. I just kept wiping out and then the hook would get stuck on my leg and drag me until I could get free. Ow.
By the end of it I think I could say I improved. I think I moved at least 3 metres down the slope in one go before collapsing. The main problem for me though is that my muscles were just not used to this kind of exercise and it felt like my feet were in a constant cramp. So the majority of times that I fell over was just me trying to give my feet a break, and not because I had 'fallen'. Sad that after all those years of dancing my feet couldn't cope!!!
So, I go back to my movement to gain strength/fitness in an effort to avoid immobility in old age. Who knows. A couple of crunches and I may just be as AMAZING as my head thinks I am.
Hopefully, with the motivation of my currently aching limbs and muscles I can stick to it this time....
Well, that and the looming New Years Snowboarding Expedition to France. I will not be the dorky newbie again.
p.s. It is meant to start snowing properly here this week. :)
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