Day 5: Morning sun, Afternoon snow and Brad Pitt

We woke to a calm sunny day which meant one thing – Mountain time! The day started beautifully, with clear skies and keen kids. The second we pulled up in the car park they dispersed to grab their gear and catch the ski lifts up to the slopes. Being a Tuesday, the mountain was virtually empty and the kids were jumpy with anticipation.

  

They tried new ‘runs’, tested their skills on the jumps and helped each other along with words of encouragement. In rest times, they made snowmen on the hills and made friends in the cafeteria; always with smiles, energy and goals to get better and better.

Felix Pountney

Cameron Nicholas

Phoebe Lavender 

Owen Spanswick

Around lunch-time, mother nature began to flex, rolling in the clouds and sending the snow flurrying in. An absolutely beautiful sight, especially for the few who have never seen snow before. The fog, snow and plummeting temperature didn’t deter them though; they continued up and down the mountain for as long as they could.

This evening, after dinner, we headed into town to New Zealand’s smallest movie theatre, Cinema Paradiso, to enjoy the new Brad Pitt flick, Ad Astra. The kids stocked up on treats to share as they watched the film before heading home for some much needed sleep; recharging in preparation for day 4 on the mountain.

Another glorious day of thrills and spills, but most of all, a proud day – seeing our kids support each other, encourage each other and bond over triumphs and stacks is what makes working with these guys so amazing.

Shout out:

-          To Lochlan Ward, for his detour off the beaten track

-          To Beth, for her willingness to jump down after her friend, and

-          To Kara, for advising against this…