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Before my trip to the Snowy Mountains, I never had any experience with snow, besides the occasional encounter with over-frozen fridges. Thus, I was looking forward to having a busy day with any activities available for visitors to the winter destination.
Image Credit: Perisher / Destination NSW
I was staying in Canberra at the time, and I was able to convince a couple of friends to go on a weekend trip with me. I learned that the trip was almost a four-hour drive, and I was fairly certain my ’89 Pulsar wouldn’t make it back alive. I booked a rental car from the good guys at Redspot (see our rental car guide), and they let me pick it up from Canberra Airport. The journey through Monaro Highway 23 was uneventful, but I was able to take some quality pictures of barns, the herds of sheep and the mountains that served as the backdrop of the views.
We made arrangements to stay at Thredbo Alpine Hotel, since they were running a promo then for discounted rates. My goal was to do as much as I could squeeze in my two-day itinerary. I figured there should be enough energy for the drive back home as well, so I decided on a few activities to keep us busy.
Image Credit: Perisher / Destination NSW
Our first stop was at Ski Co. in Cooma, where we picked up parkas, boots, pants and toboggans, before we rode on a shuttle straight to Perisher Valley. When we got to the snow area, I literally ran and planted my face on the snow. Despite my excitement and built-up hype, the feeling of snow did not disappoint. We took turns riding the toboggans and trying out different stunts.
Lunchtime was then approaching, and there were no injuries so far. We went to the Main Club and ordered fish and chips, steak, sausages and coffee. The afternoon was booked for ski lessons, so we needed to fill our energy tanks with anything we could sink our teeth into.
Image Credit: Perisher / Destination NSW
The learning area for skiing was a flat surface of snow, and we were fortunate to be the only students around during that time. The instruction taught us basic skills such as turning by planting the poles. Safety tips were given as well, and I still remember how to properly hold the poles, including the ideal way of using the strap. Once we were ready, the ski lift took us to the top of the slope. The whole lesson took 2 hours to finish, but it was all worth. We spent the afternoon on the lowest slope, and everyone decided to try out the more difficult courses when we return.
Image Credit: Perisher / Destination NSW
With the sun still up and some time to kill, we played around in the snow and tried our best to build snowmen. The four of us then headed back to Jindabyne Town Centre for afternoon tea while enjoying the view fronting the lake. We talked about how much activity we were able to squeeze in just one day. All in all it was an enjoyable experience, but it left me wanting for more. I hope to conquer the more difficult slopes someday, but for now I will have to settle for treasured memories.