17 Sep 2018
After the stressful and exhausting period of trial HSC exams, a lucky group of just under 40 Year 12 students celebrated the end of assessments by going away on the ski trip to Smiggin Holes.
We all arrived to school on Friday with our bags packed and buzzing with excitement - excitement so strong that not even the 7-hour bus ride could drain our enthusiasm. We remained entertained by each other, the anticipation for a stop for food and our renewed love for the Breakfast Club.
After stopping to collect our gear and stretch our legs, we began to draw closer to our destination. The growing presence of patches of snow on the side of the road reignited our excitement. Once we arrived and carried our bags inside, there was a short snowball fight before we settled in to our rooms for the night.
On Saturday morning, we set out for our first skiing adventure, treading clumsily down to the slopes in all of our gear. Those of us who could actually stand on skis without falling over or slipping away left to complete their lesson before being set loose on the slopes. The rest of us participated in our first ski lesson where we learned how to get around without collapsing and most importantly - how to stop and save ourselves from disaster. Progress was slow at first but we eventually perfected the basic skills needed to get around.
After the instructors were done with us, the amateurs moved on to learning how to turn, under the wise counsel of Mr Black. After deeming our skills sufficient, he challenged us all by taking us up the J-bar to our first actual slope. Needless to say, there were plenty of ‘stacks’. After a while though, we started to get the hang of it and, while the slopes may have had many year 12-shaped skids in them, we all had a lot of fun.
Later we returned to the lodge for a while where we played pool and bonded as a group, before we left once again, this time to catch the bus to Perisher for night skiing. We arrived at the brightly lit slopes and shuffled our way onto the 8-seater chair lift. After reaching the top of the slope, we discovered that it was much more daunting than we had anticipated. While some of us zoomed down in a blur, others slid down most of the way on their backs. While it may not have been the most graceful sight, it was an experience that will never be forgotten - not by us, nor the people who witnessed our unconventional descent. We all had a good laugh about it at the bottom and lots of the group went up again for more exhilarating runs. By 9pm the night skiing was over and we were back at the lodge where we all sat in the hallway together and chatted until lights out.
We woke on Sunday morning, our bodies stiff and sore, but, demonstrating our determination and strength, we pushed through and wandered back to challenge the mountain once more. After another lesson with the instructors, we were set free once again, this time with a broader range of runs to explore. Those of us who started at beginner levels met up with more experienced skiers and snowboarders, sharing the slopes and having a great time. We all ended up skiing confidently, skilfully and with goofy smiles as we glided down together.
The bus ride home was long and a welcome opportunity to rest our tired bodies. We were all physically and mentally drained after exerting ourselves on the slopes but still so thankful for the experience. It would not have been possible without the organising teachers Mr Smith and Mr Black as well as the supervising teachers Ms Tolland and Ms Wellings and the group is so grateful for the time and effort they put in to make this incredible trip happen.
