Today we went on the slopes for the third time. It was very cold in the morning and as we approached Coronet Peak, we could see the snow machines whirring merrily away to create that lovely powdery stuff for us to ski on.

It's amazing how much more comfortable one gets with all that STUFF -- the clunky boots, the skis, the poles, the gloves, etc etc!! -- by day 3. I felt positively expert getting everything on and then making my way out to the slopes. On day 1 I could barely move without falling over. By day 3, I felt confident that I would not disgrace myself by tumbling all over the place, especially when getting off the various lifts. That is, until Kheng had her accident...

But before that happened, Bret had us ride the chair lift up to the Big Easy, where we had come to such grief on day 1 with W**ker Dave. We all managed to get on and off the lift without incident, and even enjoy the views on the way up (at least, I did). The scary part of course was having to come down. I don't know how Kheng does it but she merrily speeds straight down the hill. For me, not hurtling down was the incentive for making those turns that Bret wanted us to do! I'd do anything to turn! But neither of us fell! Hurray!

After lunch (which I had very little room for, after a breakfast burger which consisted of bacon, egg, cheese, and hash brown between a bun!!) Kheng and I decided we should attempt the Big easy ourselves. This time I was not so successful. In fact, I managed to lose my way coming downhill and ended up in a heap when I realise I was headed for an intermediate ski jump. That little detour meant I had to take my skis off and trudge upwards in soft snow to get back to the start of it. Boy, was that a tough 10 m.

The third time we got the chair lift up, Kheng came to grief. The chair came around and she must have been looking in the wrong direction because she only half sat on it and when it lifted off, she fell sideways and hit her head on the edge of a metal box which housed the monitor panel for the lift. I turned around to see my friend slumped motionless on her side, and there I was, dangling seven feet in the air and not able to get down. What a pair of aunties!!! Luckily her shades took the brunt of the fall and saved her eye from getting gouged out on the corner of the metal box. But she's a game auntie and once she had recovered her composure, we went back up again. This time Ember and Bret were waiting up top for us so it was a much more successful run downhill.

The festivities over, we headed home to rest a bit. Then we met Bret for a drink at a pub in town. This one, like all the rest, had a fireplace. I'm going to miss this.