Well, my Christmas adventure to Austria started Saturday night when I went to Stanstead airport to catch ,y plane at 6:45 the next morning. I got there about 10:30 and tried to find somewhere to sleep for the night. I found some seats and spread out there and noticed an 'unaccompanied bag' right next to me. 15 minutes later it was still there. There was a German couple sitting behind me and they said it had been there for at least 2 hours - since they got there. So I decided I should probably tell someone - at the very least they would move it and I could spread out some more! I went over to the left luggage counter and told the guys behind there and they started interrogating me, made me show them the bag and called in some other guy. It took him 10 minutes to show up and then he wheeled it away without a second thought. A little while later, they made an announcement for whoever it was to collect his bag and "please do not leave baggage unattended at any time otherwise it will be removed and may be destroyed. Thank you!" Well, the guy came to collect his bag, got a very stern talking to and shot a dirty in my direction. Your welcome! Sleep. Woke up at about 3:30 -4:00 and waited before checking in and boarding. We left London and I fell asleep again. I woke up to see an amazing snowscape out the window and didn't shut my mouth till we touched down. Saltzburgh was -6*c but sunny. Went through immigration, had a bite to eat for breaky, got the tram to the Hopbahnhopf (Train station), train to Worgel, changed and train to St. Johann in Tirol. As I got off I met an Aussie Girl Tammy who was also in my group. We successfully navigated out way to the Pension where we were staying and met out PP reps and my roomy Katie. After that we sorted out our lift passes, snowboard hire and 1 ½ days of lessons. Turned out that most of our group were beginners, i.e. 12 out of 14 so I fitted right in. We went to dinner that night at one of the local pubs. I had Vienna Schnitzel - an Austrian tradition then we moved to Bunny's pub - the Tirol's very own Aussie Bar!

Monday - Christmas EveToday we got up, had breakfast of bread rolls with meat and cheese and went outside for out snowboarding lesson. There were 6 of the group snowboarding and we met our instructor Hannes and walked to the practice area - about a 10 minute walk with snowboards and boots or less than a 5 minute walk otherwise. We did out warm up then he showed us how to fall over then stand back up. Then we walked with 1 foot in the board and 1 foot out. We practiced going down a little slope again with 1 foot out and then stopping without stacking it. After that we jumped on a chairlift and went up another lift to the practice slope. There we practiced the 'falling leaf' which was painful as we fell over a lot. Lunch. Ham/Cheese Toast then back to the falling leat. After a while, Hannes took us down to do a blue run (there aren't green runs). Well, it was really steep and really scary and I just couldn't stand up! My board just kept going out from under me and I was in the snow again. I slid down on my bum for a way and there were all these people at a restaurant on the side standing there and watching me. Eventually I slid close enough to them that a lady came over to help me. I told here that I was in training for next years winter Olympics. I'm not sure she understood my English but if she did I'm sure she's have been thinking Australia really is desperate! Finally we all dot to the bottom. I went backwards most of the way while two of the others waled down the hill. After a long day snowboarding we went to Bunny's Pub for dinner then called it a night, ready for a big Christmas day tomorrow

Tuesday - Chirstmas DayWoke up a bit sore after yesterday but eager to get back on the snow. We had a half day lesson planned but only 3 of us made it out of the 6. So Fiona, Emma and I (in my Santa hat) went up the 2 chairlifts and to the practice slope again. We practiced our 'falling leaf' again (I practiced standing up!) and then Hannes showed us how to make turns. I managed a couple but stacked it lots too and ended up with lots of snow down my back and pants. We caught the chairlift down again and changed for lunch. Lunch was with about 80 other people from Topdeck and Bunny's Pub in a big hall. It was great. Everything you'd expect at Christmas - crackers with terrible jokes, Christmas carols, candy canes and tinsel. And of course drinks and nibblies. Lunch was warm and yummy tomato soup followed by Roast Duck with veggies and desert (although we were all full) was apple strudel. The merriments continued into the afternoon as they got people up to do Karaoke. Our group got up twice which was pretty fuuny although I'm sure the people listening didn't think so! Christmas lunch was followed by dinner at Bunny's Pub again and there were a few sore heads the next morning!

Wednesday - Boxing DayGot up for breakfast then went out on the slopes again. No more lessons from Hannes but Ellie, out tour guide came up to help us for a while. After I was doing a bit better on the turns and feeling more confident I decided I wanted to try a run, so Ellie, Emma and I went on the blue run down the length of the second chairlift. I thought I'd struggle but I really struggled turning and just kept falling over. Actually, I was struggling to stay on the piest and kept ending up in the powder on the side! I was getting so frustrated and exhausted. Eventually we made it down. Emma decided she wanted to go down the rest of the mountain (the blue run we did on the first day) while Ellie and I went back up. I tried going on the chairlift with 1 foot in the binding and needless to say stacked it getting off but did better than I expected. Ellie went off to help the others while I did the run about 4 more times (but from the other side) and got progressively better even doing a few turns here and there and then went down the run from the 1st day and while it wasn't graceful managed to make it to the bottom properly. We went to the local brewery for dinner where I had a really yummy veggie schnitzel then of course we went to Bunnys.

ThursdayToday I went up on the gondola and conquered mid station! Again Ellie came up with me and we met a few of the skiers there too. I think I did the run 3 times or so and felt really proud that I'm getting better. The run joins the other 2 I've been doing and so met the others out practicing. Everyone is getting so much better. It's funny because now I've done the mid station run; the other run seems so much easier! I was pretty tired by the end of the day but its how they say, 'no rest for the wicked!' Tonight was fondue partway up the mountain followed by bum boarding down. Much to most people's surprise, fondue didn't involve chocolate or cheese but meat that you cook in oil. It was really cool to see the oil bubbling away as you cooked your own dinner then dipped it in a choice of sauces. Bumboarding was SO much fun… I mean SO much fun!!! The run was the blue run from the 1st day and we sat on little plastic disks with handles and screamed down in the dark. Again! Again! Then we had races and went down in chains. Wet and hot instead of the expected cold at -10*c or whatever it was we got changed and went to… well, I'm sure you can guess!

FridayWell, yesterday was going to be my last day snowboarding so I could have a day skiing but everyone managed to convince me to stay snowboarding for my last day. Went up to mid station again then up to the top station for lunch then Mark and Ellie took me down from there… on a red run! Yes, I am insane! The first part was OK but turning was scary. Not only was it steeper (which I could deal with) but a LOT narrower. At one point I was coming down a section that's probably not much wider than the length of a bed (ok maybe 2 beds!), hit a pinecone and stacked it and there were hundreds of people coming down both sides of me at 100km/h. I'm sitting there freaking out slightly and hoping I don't get taken out by a 3 year old skier! Finally we made it to the bottom (well, to mid station) where I had a cheer squad waiting for me (Thanks Guys!) From there Sally did the mid station run for the first time and we went to the bottom together. I considered going to the top again but it was already 3:15ish so didn't have too much time and was pretty tired to do another 4 runs in a row. And besides tonight was tobogganing! We got out toboggans and went up to the restaurant near the practice slope via the chairlifts. We had traditional pancake soup and then goulash which was apparently wild dear shot by the owner of the restaurant 3 days before. It was really yummy! Then we went tobogganing in pairs down the mountain. After we went back and got changed. We went to Bunny's then to Scala bar where there was a really awesome cover band playing. We made it home about 4 in the morning!

SaturdayLeft after breakfast (which not everyone made it to) for the 9:43 train to Munich which I caught with Mark and Lynne. Then the plane to Edinburgh… 3 countries in 1 day, not bad! I'll write more about Edinburgh and Hogmanay in my next blog but went to the opening of Hogmanay and it was awesome.Hope you're all having as much fun as I am!Kieran (aka. Snowboarder extraordinaire!)