reports from Niederau

Returned from heaven, as I know it.

Yesterday had several mountain/gondola meet-ups with instructors/helpers and recipients in the Disability Snowsport group in Niederau. We are talking about quite severely disabled folk, who just got stuck into our sport, just like the rest of us.

Took time out to chat to several of them. One guy had been injured in a car crash, and had great difficulty in walking, said that skiing was his only real sport. Had another lady, fastened into a chair ski, roaring with laughter, when I told her that she was now "a much quicker skier than I am". The thing is, she was fast, and fearless.

Chatted to a couple of the people working with them, they were very skilled, committed, and not the least bit soft faced. In fact, just the opposite, being very demanding of their charges.

Earlier in the morning had seen an alsation mountain rescue dog in training, complete with his Bergrettungdienst medal attached to his collar.

Sad to say there was a serious looking accident, a couple of days earlier, with a helicopter rescue. It was a retired member of the Bergrettungdienst, one of two brothers who worked as Alpingers in Niederau for over 50 years.

And then, as we finished our meal, two nights ago, and being aware of a young lady sat alone, who had nursed an orange juice for an hour, I decided, in my usual kindly way to engage. To my horror, she spoke German, at a very fast rate of knots, with extreme clipped tones.

I didn't stand a chance. I ased good opening questions, but being clueless about the answers, could not develop the lines of conversation. Was reduced to facial gestures, Ja's and neins, where I guessed to be appropriate. My family were falling apart, knowing exactly what was happening. My eldest son who has much greater fluency than I, later confessed that he hadn't a clue either.

In the end the family took pity on me, and suggested that we moved through to the bar. I said auf wiedersein to Scary Lady, but it was all I could do, not to run all the way. :oops: :oops: :oops:

Avalon - We're going to Niederau on the 7th. Staying at the Simmerlwirt which is just donw the road from the Austria. If you haven't stayed there before, you're in the best spot for both the gondolla and the bus to Auffach. Me and hubby will maybe bump into you over there (not literally, of course). Enjoy.

im there as well 7th march 31 days to go whhhoooooppeeeeee i got hotel schneeberger.

Yayyyyyyyyyyy...loads of us going to be there then ! Looking forward to seeing some of you ! Look for the harrassed looking couple with small person in tow dragging snowboard behind him !

5 weeks and counting !!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

hi dave mac,
please will you tell j2ski-ers that i had the privilege of having your two boys in my ski class many years ago in niederau?
respec'! when i see you and Sh again,i'll have the pics with me!
blod and i WILL be theer new year 2009 - 1010!
laura.

any of the 7th march group flying from east midlands?

P.S just to save any confusion how about admin start making J2Ski badges :lol: then at lease we know who fellow j2's are lol i am going to end up saying hi to the harrassed looking couple with small person in tow with snowboard only to find out they are german and think i am mad, :mrgreen: and not mrs avalon !!!

amanda n wrote:P.S just to save any confusion how about admin start making J2Ski badges :lol: then at lease we know who fellow j2's are lol i am going to end up saying hi to the harrassed looking couple with small person in tow with snowboard only to find out they are german and think i am mad, :mrgreen: and not mrs avalon !!!

join the queue amanda Dave`s got something in the pipe line. :wink:




AJ Adele