Skiing in Willingen

Skiing in Willingen!

Last week was the Year 5 residential to Willingen (a few hours drive from Duisburg).  We left on Wednesday morning and came back Friday afternoon, all exhausted, but having had a fantastic time.  We were worried leading up to the trip as there had been no snow.  Last year there wasn't any and they couldn't ski, but this year, the day before we left there was 30 cm of snow, and combined with the snow machines at the resort, there was enough for us to ski.

We arrived on Wednesday early afternoon, had a very quick lunch, threw our ski clothes on, and were straight out again to hit the slopes.  The resort was a 10 minute drive away through a lovely town that I would have loved to explore if I was there without all the kids!  Next time!

It took ages for us to hire ski boots, helmets and skis.  Ski boots are probably the most uncomfortable things I have ever worn.  They give you no movement at all (for safety reasons) in your ankles, so you walk like a complete idiot, and feel like your breaking your ankle each time you put them on and take them off.  They hug your calves so tightly too, which isn't pleasant.

The kids were split into two groups of beginners and pros (some of the kids are fantastic and have been skiing since they could walk), Within those groups we were split in half again, and then the 4 teachers in the beginners group were given our own instructor, Claus.  It was great, even though he didn't speak any English at all!  We just left the kids to it, and got on with having fun, which was nice, and a far cry from the Year 4 trip when we were constantly watching the kids.  The year age gap really makes a difference.

At first we were just walking sideways up the slope getting used to the skis, and learning to go and stop.  Then when we got better we could go on the travelator to half way up the slope.  In the photo above, there are houses on the left side.  The travelator took us from the bottom of the slope to just below the first house.  If you look very closely you can see a dark line under the houses, and that is the travelator.  Pictures of us on the travelator are below.  Its lots of fun because you sort of stick your skis to it and it takes you up nice and slowly, which meant we had time to watch the kids having lessons.

I'm in the pink trousers at the front in the below.  Behind me is one of the Year 5 teachers.

We went back to the hostel after 4 hours of skiing on the first afternoon.  Dinner was rolls and cheese, and the kids had a movie night.  Two of the teachers were off at A&E with a lad who had hurt his shoulder.  Luckily nothing was broken, but it meant he couldn't ski on Thursday, and so neither could one of the teachers (though i'm not sure the teacher was too upset about the lack of skiing). We were staying in two houses, with about 25 kids and 3 teachers in each. Our lot were asleep by 11.15pm on the first night, which I didn't think was too bad!  One of the teachers did have to get up at 5am to shout at them to shut up though!

We had lessons again in the morning with Claus, doing much of the same as the day before.  Emily, my fellow TA managed to persuade Claus to let us go down the entire slope with him before our lessons finished, and he agreed.  Only 3 of us were brave enough, though the picture below shows my true feelings about the prospect of the slope.  The ski lift was fun!  I could have gone round that a few times, just without the terrifying, steep, unstable slope at the end of it!

I did most of the big slope with Claus in front of me skiing backwards, holding my hands.  I made a fair few pathetic noises while I was at it, and landed on my bum just the once!  But I did it, and the kids clapped when we came down (most of the advanced ones had been wizzing down it since the first afternoon).  Right after we came to the bottom, Emily (above) crashed into a fence and broke it,  She never did learn how to stop very well.  It went very quiet (there were lots of people around) and all you could hear was me and one of the other teachers howling with laughter!

We had packed lunches, and then could go back on the slope in the afternoon to do our own thing, with us under strick instructions from Claus not to do the big slope on our own.  Some of the kids who had also only done the big slope once decided they were now experts and did it a few more times, until I caught them at it and shouted for a bit!

The kids slept much better on Thursday night after a full day skiing and quiz night.  I woke all of them up at 7 on Friday morning.

We went to an indoor play centre on our way home, and exhausted the kids a bit more for the 3 hour coach trip home.

The whole trip was a huge success, and we all had a brilliant time.  I would definitely go skiing again, and I think Matt would love it!

We had snow in Duisburg on Saturday, but I will save those pictures for next week I think!