oz update

OZ UPDATE: FROM STEVE ANGUS

27 June 2001

The sun shone down for the whole of our opening weekend a coule of weeks ago. Too close to summer conditions perhaps, but those who came for the Alpine experience certainly made the most of it.

Despite the lack of snow there was plenty to do over the long weekend. Street performers made the town center come alive; the golf course presented a challenge and the main chairlift, the Kosciusko Express, meant those who had come for the views weren't disappointed. Some of us (see right) even tested out the toboggan run!

Although the visibility and the high winds meant it wasn't feasible to walk to the highest peak in Australia, Mt Kosciusko, the sight of this mountain brought home the fact that we were in one of most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.

Back in town, the Heller Keller bar, Thredbo's biggest and best (?) nightclub was in full flow. Hundreds of revellers packed it on Friday night and you could easily have thought you were in Dick's in the Alps.

Elsewhere around the village the bars were jumping. As in Europe, people live for the winter down here. The snowbums were visible a mile off and it was reassuring to know that people take the snow as seriously down here as they do Up North.

Strangely I was actually wearing my Natives Powder t-shirt around the lodge that we own when this girl whom I have never met before informed me that she had the same shirt. After a brief chat we worked out that she is one of the Natives team reporting from Down Under this year. [Which just goes to prove that Natives really is 'network for season workers'!. I guess the girl in question must be Layds, based in Jindabyne. Ed.]

As I write this the snow has started to fall at last. This weekend we were able to ski several runs down at Thredbo. I found very little difference in making my first turn in the Southern hemisphere as opposed to my 10,000th in The Alps. Well, the snow may have been half man-made but the enthusiasm everyone puts is is the same the world over.

With more and more lifts opening all around the New South Wales resorts this coming weekend and the Victorian Alps already in full swing the real fun is still to come.

As a certain film producer might say, until next time, happy trails!!!!

Steve Angus

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