Mount Buller Snowboard Extravaganza

Trip to Buller

Got the Ski Express from outside the National Gallery. soon we were out in the suburbs and then into more sparsely populated low rolling cattel country. Scenery became progressively more hilly and interesting, passing thruogh, numerous small villages and hamlets. Tome it is reminiscent of parts of Wales but with Gum Trees....along the way I spot balck headed Ibis, Coockaburras sitting on telephone wires and large flocks of White Cockatoos.

Pleasant ride all the way to Mansfield where we get our first view of Mt Buller in the distance. Roads get more windy as we enter the Alpine National Park that surrounds the mountian. absolutely stunning with huge Gum Trees and Wattles, Tree Ferns and tumbling streams.

Day 1

Apart from the fact that the laundry bag fell apart on the journey we arrived at the coach stop after a really good ride. A four wheel drive taxi took us up to thye hotel which turned out to be around the corner. We quickly checked in. For the first time Boarder, kitting up can be a bit daunting but the staff were friendly and effective. So there we were all kitted out; Rosie had her lift pass and she was off exploring the slopes whilst me and Izzee focussed on learning to get up on our boards and heel slide down the slopes under some control. It's surprising how much you can learn in an hour or so. We returned hot and sweaty to the room; Rosie indicated that the slopes so far were good.

Went for a quick burger which turned out to be really good; wholemeal bun and lots of fresh salad. Non of your mac'd rubbish. Walking around the village reveals a fun place aimed firmly at the youf....cool supermarket with good stuff in it, ace restaurants and bars; nothing stuffy.

Day 2

Main lesson day; Izzee and me had two lessons today; beginner and beginner 2. Andi in the morning taught us (excellent) and mad Nikki in the afternoon (not to everyones taste). By the end of the lessons we had learnt lots and were ready to try it out. Rosie had spent the day trying out the different slopes and came back with lots of opinions. Had dinner at Pat's Cafe. on the way back from Pat's my right knee started to hurt and by bed time I could hardly move it.

Day 3

A full days of trying out our new moves for Izzee; up to the doctors for me; a bruised right knee tendon. I resumed in the afternoon where we stayed mainly on Burnt Hut run and had lots of fun, feelin more and more confident. Dinner at the Noodle Bar.

Day 4

Izzee and I decided to spend the morning practicing our moves from day one then after lunch have the intermediate lesson. At the same time Rosie would have an advanced lesson. We had Tino as a teacher and he was excellent.We started off on Bourke St then off to Shakey Knees then across to Burnt Hut then down to the bottom of Grimus chairlift and up to the Summit. Down Summit run (black level at the bottom) then off down Wombat. Most of this was in whiteout conditions and by the time we got to the top of Wombat I had had enough so I shouted to Izzee that I wouldn't go down and wait for them at the top of the wombat chairlift. They were quite a while and I was tempted by some apple pie in Koflers cafe nearby.....Once they re-appeared we traversed across towards the top of the holden express chairlift and back down to the top of the Blue Bullet. There Tino informed us we were all solid level 4's which was worth all the exhaustion I was then feeling. I was so knackered I couldn't even get to the bottom of the blue bullet so walked the bottom half.

We had tea at Pat's Cafe.

Day 5

Feeling exhausted today after the intermediate lesson yesterday. I decided to give the morning a rest and chill out in the Hotel. Once I had sorted the girls out with lessons and such I retired back to the room. The level 5 lesson they attended turned out to be really good for them and they came back enthused. We all went out after lunch on to the slopes and had a good, but tiring afternoon. Had dinner at the Koorona Bar; quite a rough looking place but the main bar in the village.

Day 6

Last day of skiing and the journey back to Melbourne to pick up a car at the airport.

For whatever reason, I wasn't feeling sore this morning. So we had breakfast, checked out and jumped on our ski's. I had agreed to meet the girls at the top of the burnt hut run, so up the blue bullet, down shaky knees, up the emirates chairlift and then traverse across to the top of the burnt hut run. After a few runs I spotted the girls coming down below the chairlift. They had been up to family run and then ski'd down from there. We had maybe 8 or so runs down the slope; me just practicing my basic intermediate level moves, the girls meanwhile were keen to practice their freeestyle moves; doughnuts, flips and jumps. We had a great morning, weather variable but it didn't deter us. We finished at 1.30pm and then changed into our travel clothes, returned our ski clothes and waited for the bus.

The journey back was good; video entertainment and pleasant countryside. Airport was busy but checking out the car a breeze and soon we were on the road towards Apollo Bay.