Calthorpe Tonale Wednesday 13 April

The sun is out but not in my head! How could they lose. The ski-ing this morning was fantastic and we skied a lot and my legs didn't ache today. No way of hiding today with my lovely yellow jacket! After lunch Paul, Tommy, Jonesy and myself go to the glacier on the other side of the resort where there is a lot more snow. Steve walks down to the gondola while we ski off a drag lift to meet him. It is only a short, low run but it is horrible with the snow very mushy and bumpy. I didn't like it one bit. We go up in the gondola with a couple of reps from Scotland who are working for a ski company here. The older one tells us that she was a rep here 30 years ago and she has seen her former boyfriend instructing still. "That's where I learnt Italian" she say "What about the language?!" Tommy quickly fires back. Probably doesn't sound too funny here but at the time it was. At the top of the gondola we catch a very old fashioned chair lift to the top where the glacier is. There is so much more snow here that you cannot beleive you are in the same resort, it is stunning. We meet at the top of the chairlift and in front of us is a very steep red run that Paul is keen for me to ski. I am not so sure! It is the only time I will come up here this week so I decide to give it a go. What am I doing! The lift to the top is a two man T-Bar which we sit on side by side. This is hairy enough let alone the run down! The run looks a lot steeper from the top than the bottom and I am a little nervous. No I'm not I'm bloody frightened! The trouble is there is only one way down! I gingerly follow Paul over the edge and am thinking I've got to turn soon, I've got to turn soon! Don't look down! What a pussy! I start turning and love it. The last bit is a bit scary as you have to go very fast to get up the slope to the restaurant. Once I had done it I felt really excited and chuffed that I had skied this slope. This is only the second time I have skied without an instructor and feel much more confident now. I'm not going back up there though! Not today anyway. We thyen skied back to the Gondola where we met up with Steve who had come down on the chairlift. Tommy, Steve and I went back down in the gondola while Paul skied the scary looking black run down. At the bottom we waited what seemed like an age for the ski bus to take us back to the hotel before deciding to walk back. It is not very far but is all uphill on tired legs in hot sun. We make it but it certainly makes me puff and pant a bit. I need a beer. The group have a quiz and bingo night but I call it a day and have an early night. What a great day.