I was nervous about putting this post up while I was on my ski trip, and still feel like it might jinx me for next year, but damn am I glad I’m in one piece after this ski trip. In le Plange, the group I was with was racked with injuries. In the end I think there were 2 broken wrists, a dislocated shoulder, concussion, torn ACL, and broken leg. Of course lots of these people were beginners, but it still made me mighty fearful of a bad fall. My second day in Grimentz that fear was only reinforced when I watched this mid-mountain medi-vac. I really love skiing, but when I stop to think about the potential injuries, it seems really damn crazy.

Oh well, knock on wood. I’ll still be back on the slopes next year.

We stopped skiing fairly early on our first day in Girmentz. Just early enough to run home, grab sleds, and catch the last lift back up the mountain. The video tells the tale of how we came down.

I think I had more fun ringing in 2009 than I’ve had for just about any New Year that I can recall. The evening festivities started with a torch-lit descent of some 150 people, many of them skiing in unison with torches and flares which they then piled into the bonfire you see in the picture above. Along with the skiing, there was free hot wine and a drumming group.

It had been snowing lightly since sundown, but as midnight approached the snow picked up. 2009 was welcomed into existence with the return of the drumming group, people partying in the streets, and people breathing fire, as captured in this video, which sadly doesn’t include the look of wonder on my face:

After we’d partied ourselves out, and our ski weary legs wouldn’t let us dance any more, we wandered on home. Normally a couple of drunk kids walking 2 km home in sub-zero temps would draw some serious complaints, but with the foot of fresh snow, we were just loving it. Hope 2009 keeps it up at this pace. Happy New Year everyone!

As it turns out I didn’t blog after I left Geneva as the place I was staying in Grimentz didn’t have internet access. That was pretty much the only mark against the place though as the skiing was fantastic, new years celebrations were remarkable, and the views were breathtaking. The view here is from the balcony of the place we were staying. It was quite the view to wake up to each day.

I have to admit that in retrospect, I came on this trip ill-prepared for the big holidays that I’m celebrating on it. Thankfully, for Christmas, there were Gareth and Ross, two gents who were exceptionally well prepared to celebrate in style, as you might guess from their costumes in the picture above. But they didn’t just mark the holidays with outlandish outfits. On Christmas day they cruised around the slopes handing out presents from porno magazines to Christmas crackers, which you can see them doing in the picture below.

Everyone who travels during a holiday comments on how they are celebrating on the road. But for my part I think Gareth and Ross have the formula just right: live it up. Dress up and live the spirit of the season since your travels already mean that you won’t be following the traditions. With that in mind, I’ve got a couple of days to plot New Years.