Mt. Buller is 1800 feet in height, located 3 ½ hours north-east from Melbourne in the Alpine National Park. 
It is part of what is called the “Victorian Alps”. 
There are numerous runs and many chairlifts, 
although not all of them were operational because of a lack of snow at the bottom of the mountain. The girls attend camp for the first three days of the week from Monday to Wednesday, 
and then they go home on the same bus that brings the boys up for their 3-day camp from Wednesday to Friday. 
There is a lot of accommodation available on the mountain, 
and we had a very nice lodge with a separate kitchen and lounge area just for our group. 
Not having skied for years since skiing with our church youth group 40 years ago, and having broken my kneecap a few years back, I was understandably very apprehensive about this undertaking. We left at 4 in the morning, so the trip down to Mt. Buller was not really memorable, as it was in the dark! There was a very yummy bakery en route at the town of Yea that had wonderful flat white coffee! As we approached the mountain area, it was amazing to see snow falling and the trees covered with a blanket of white. 
The road up to the resort was very steep and icy, and we had to stop to have chains put onto the front wheels of the bus. As we drove past any parked cars, it was strange to see the windshield wipers all standing out from the cars, so that they do not freeze onto the "windscreens". Apparently the cars also all park in reverse, so that they do not need to use their handbrakes, which may also freeze. When we arrived at the resort, we were first whisked off to the ski rental section, 
and then it was time to try my own legs on those skiis! Luckily for me, the equipment is much more streamlined and the skiis are much shorter in length than those of yesteryear! It is amazing how much you remember from times long gone. I guess it is rather like riding a bicycle- you don’t really forget once you have learned, but you certainly get rusty. To be sure, it was hard work hard resurrecting my skiing skills on those slippery and sometimes crusty steep slopes! On the third day I managed to find the time to take a ski lesson myself 
and that did wonders to boost both my confidence AND my skiing ability. Each adult was responsible for a group of 3 or 4 students of similar ability. I was usually assigned to help the basic beginners! 
All in all, it was a most interesting week. One day it was fun to traverse across to a second slope and stop for hot chocolate at a small alpine cafe 
(frozen camera, so picture is foggy!) before attempting to master my first blue "Family Run"! The weather conditions were not ideal. While we had one beautiful sunny day with blue skies during the girls camp, we mostly had snow,wind and sleet accompanying us down the slopes. The skiiers would pass me like spectres in the night and continue on their way. I was never too sure which was the right way down in these conditions. A change in direction might find you on a different slope! One time I was shocked to land at an area that was posted a "sensitive area"! Who knows where I was? It brought back memories of skiing into an avalanche area at Mt. Norquay years ago! The week also had its share of concerns. One student was temporarily lost on the slopes after his ski lesson! How does one find a student on the slopes amongst hundreds of skiiers and snow boarders? Luckily he was a level-headed student who actually found us! Numerous students developed gastro problems. One student went careening into a snow fence and had to be taken off the slopes on an emergency snowmobile. Every evening we had a sharing session with everyone after dinner and were regaled with some very fascinating and hilarious adventures! By the fifth day, the ski boots were almost glued to our feet, and it was indeed a struggle to walk normally again after we had returned our equipment! As we were leaving, the sun crept out of hiding and the entire ski resort was bathed in sunshine! 
What a shame to have to depart! We returned home with a few stops on the homeward route, 
arriving back in Melbourne on Friday night, tired but happy! 
(frozen camera, so picture is foggy!) before attempting to master my first blue "Family Run"! The weather conditions were not ideal. While we had one beautiful sunny day with blue skies during the girls camp, we mostly had snow,wind and sleet accompanying us down the slopes. The skiiers would pass me like spectres in the night and continue on their way. I was never too sure which was the right way down in these conditions. A change in direction might find you on a different slope! One time I was shocked to land at an area that was posted a "sensitive area"! Who knows where I was? It brought back memories of skiing into an avalanche area at Mt. Norquay years ago! The week also had its share of concerns. One student was temporarily lost on the slopes after his ski lesson! How does one find a student on the slopes amongst hundreds of skiiers and snow boarders? Luckily he was a level-headed student who actually found us! Numerous students developed gastro problems. One student went careening into a snow fence and had to be taken off the slopes on an emergency snowmobile. Every evening we had a sharing session with everyone after dinner and were regaled with some very fascinating and hilarious adventures! By the fifth day, the ski boots were almost glued to our feet, and it was indeed a struggle to walk normally again after we had returned our equipment! As we were leaving, the sun crept out of hiding and the entire ski resort was bathed in sunshine! 
What a shame to have to depart! We returned home with a few stops on the homeward route, 
arriving back in Melbourne on Friday night, tired but happy! 
Here in the Victorian Educational system, we have recently adopted an "E5 model" of teaching. Rather than bore you with all the details of what that means educationally, I will tell you my interpretation of the "5 E's", according to the progression that I made in my skiing during the course of the week!
Day 1: "En"timidating
– afraid to venture out too far, in survival mode!
Day 2 : Energizing
– having fun getting some exercise on the slopes!
Day 3: Enlightening
– actually being able to exercise some control on
the slopes!
Day 4: Engaging
– having fun exploring new slopes and runs! On to
blue runs now!
Day 5: Enjoyable
– wishing that I could actually do more skiing again
some time in the future!
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