We got up early and took the first shuttle bus at 7:30 am to Falls Creek. The drive went along a winded road (perfect for motorcyclists) and took about 45 minutes. Our understanding was that we could stay at the Alpha lodge for approximately $75 per night - a special deal because we have a friend that owns a share in that lodge. Well, the surprise was big when we stood there in the office and got told that it was $65 per bunk bed in a room we had to share with two others. The good news is that this made it easier for us to decide whether to stay for one or two nights ;-). The high price can to some degree be excused by the facilities that are offered. The kitchen was huge and very, very well equipped (best I've ever seen). Not only was there a stereo and a large TV, but also a VCR recorder and a video tape library (which we made use of that evening).

The weather was perfect - deep blue sky and no clouds whatsoever. We couldn't wait to get on the snowboards after almost 15 months of abstinence, so off we went to find snowboards, boots and clothing (we didn't bring any of that to Australia). It pays off to shop around for the cheapest price. When you ask for it, almost everybody will give you a discount - especially at this time of the year when it still is kind of low season.

At 10:30 we had organised everything and got on the chair lift to the top of the mountain. Let it be said now - it is NOT the alps. By no means! We had hardly gotten on the lift when it was time to get of again. The next lift to the summit of the mountain (some would probably prefer to call it a big hill) wasn't much longer. The vertical drop in Falls Creek - Victoria's biggest ski resort - is about 250 meters. Not much when you are used to the eight-fold figure in the alps.

However, getting on the board again was great! Both of us felt like Bambi on ice to begin with but quickly got the technique right again and felt like we did in the good old days in Val d'Isere

The weather got a bit worse the second day but was still heaps better then the average Falls Creek day we were told.

Ski passes are valid for both Falls Creek and Mount Hotham. In order to get to Mount Hotham, one has to drive for about two and a half hours - OR - take a helicopter, which will do the distance in 6 minutes. That's John Eacott's business - saving people time and giving them an exciting trip by flying them from Falls Creek to Mount Hotham and back. John had earlier replied to our usenet newsgroup message and given a lot of useful advice in how to get in to Mount Beauty and where to stay. When I saw the helicopter landing nearby on our second day in Falls Creek, I quickly ran over to the heliport, but John was leaving just then with some customers on board. I was told that he would be back in 20 minutes for the next passenger load. When I returned 20 minutes later, he had just lifted off again and wasn't to return to Falls Creek that day anymore. I only got to say thanks for all his help on the radio. When the guys at the heliport told me that there had been a seat free and John would have taken me for a ride in the chopper I started kicking myself - and haven't stopped yet (which actually makes flying the plane quite difficult :-).

It wasn't all bad news that day though. On our last ride to the summit we met Hannah, a girl that had been in Denmark on a school exchange program for one year. Her Danish was amazing to be moderate. She spoke our language fluently and only with very little accent - after one year in Denmark only. Hannah and Jeff, the dad of one of her friends, were about to head back home that afternoon and gave us a lift to Mount Beauty.