The Unbearable Lightness of Skiing

School holidays are sweet especially if you have had some form of test or something beforehand. However, having sadly outgrown my carefree years of primary and secondary education my opinion has been changed on these mid-term breaks.
Let me put it another way, the last two weeks of my life have been among the busiest, most exhausting and stressful as I have ever experienced. Granted exam period at uni is pretty intense but there is something a little more intimidating about a group of 40 tired Koreans who need fitted for skis, boots, poles, jackets, snow pants, gloves, goggles and they all need lift passes although they demand that they do not. This is then followed by a large family group of around 6 parents and between 10 and 20 kids of various ages. These family groups can contain several different characters varying from relaxed father who waits patiently, he understands that there are more people in the shop than there are staff, to the demanding housewife whose little chookum needs the best of everything even though the last time he went skiing he barely managed to stay on his skis long enough for it to be called skiing.
Although I have to admit the feeling you get after you fit 40 sets of skis and about 20 boards and you have given all these people an opportunity to have a great day/weekend/week is a pretty damn good one. This only lasts till you realise that you have to service all this equipment as it comes in.
On the other hand, working in the ski shop is amazing. I may be busy and tired for long periods of time, but I get to talk about the sport I love on a regular basis and people don't get bored. You get approached as some sort of ski guru, the unknown realm of the workshop belonging to you, the magic of the DIN setting understood by only the select few. This may all be incorrect to varying degrees and you may know just barely more than they do but it is one hell of an ego trip, which kind of makes all the work worth it.
There is also the other fact that I live within a stones through of the ski field, which is plain awesome to tell you the truth having the opportunity to throw on your ski gear grab your skis and just go ride for a day when the feeling takes you is incredible to me and hopefully something that I won't get over while I am here.
It may also make me appreciate the efforts that I go to get my snow in the UK and make every turn, jump or jib that little sweeter because I know that it was an effort to get there.
OK apologies for the epicness once again and also for my continued inability to keep these posts regular but I promise (he says speculatively) that I will try and have at least one a week from now on. As I mentioned earlier the kids have all gone home, the mountain is quiet and work shouldn't be too busy so this blogging business should become easier than it has been. Catch you on the flip side.

Much Love xx