lucis

After two back-to-back paper deadlines, and weeks of 16-20 hour days, finally got a small breather. Luckily the International office was organizing a ski/snowboarding trip this weekend (just a day after the paper deadline), and it sounded like a great way to unwind.

I chose snowboarding because many people said that it would be more fun than skiing. While it was a whole lot of fun, I seriously doubt skiing involves as much falling over as snowboarding atleast on the first day. And at a place like the Alpine valley which makes new snow every night, this means that you fall on ice rather than fresh and soft snow most of the time. I am not sure how many days before I can move without crying!

One thing I find very hard to understand is the lack of the safety concerns with skiing. While everyone is super careful while riding a bike, and helmets and other protective gear is almost mandatory, I dont think I noticed anyone wearing a helmet while skiing. Another alarming thing was the lift to get to the top of the slope. The lifts never stop, and require you to jump on and off as it slows down slightly. While getting on it was only a minor challenge, getting off was almost impossible with the snowboard strapped to the feet. There was always a pile of people down on the ground in front of the landing area. What was even more surprising was that there was no rail or something to prevent slipping and falling on the ground 20-50 feet below on the lift. It almost felt like a disaster waiting to happen.