The reason why we chose to stay at House 740 was cos it is very near to Hongik Subway Station and from this station, we can take the Seoul Ski bus directly to Yongpyong Ski Resort.
We have to board the bus very early at 5:10am in the morning. From the past few days, we have learnt that the public transportation in Korea is very on time. DO NOT BE LATE, in fact, it's best to arrive at least 10 mins early as when the schedule says 5:10am, it means the bus will leave the station at 5:10am, not arrive.
We left our luggages with the guesthouse and took only our backpacks with enough clothing for 2 days. Left for Hongik Station exit 8. Instruction was to wait in front of Woori Bank, easy enough but we walked up and down that pavement 3 times!! From exit to exit and simply couldn't find Woori bank. Started to get worried, asked passerbys and nobody knew where Woori Bank is. Walked along that pavement one last time in that cold early morning toward exit 8 and lo and behold.. maybe cos it was still dark, or cos the signage is too big on the building and thus we didn't see it. The very building that we walked passed so many times actually housed Woori Bank. Caught the purple Seoul Ski bus just in time.
After settling down, we met up with our ski instructor and rented our equipments and clothing. Then off we went to the slopes for our first ski experience.
These are tickets for the ski lift. Tagged to our jacket and will be checked each time we take the lift... not that I took the lift that many times...
Nearly the end of winter thus I was told the snow is not so "good" and mostly artificial.
We first practised at the baby slope. We were so clumsy with those ski on while kids were zooming passed us looking all stylo milo.
Hubby and the instructor went down the slope (behind us in the photo) 4x while I .. ahem... did it only once. Here's my story... not complaining but the instructor's english and accent made it very tough for us to understand what he was trying to explain. So most of the time, I was guessing. And he is young, from a sports school, avid and seasoned skier, and perhaps he forgot that this was our first time or he tot too highly of us. After a few minutes at the baby practise slope, while we were still fumbling, he tot we were ready and he told us to get on the lift. Didn't help that I didn't catch his instructions on how to get on and off the lift cos i was trying to glide myself to where he and hub were standing. Somehow, we all got on the lift and I started to panic. He was looking at his hp when I asked him how do I get off this thing? Then he gave the simple instructions... skis straight, body lean forward. Go.
Perhaps he saw the fear in my eyes hahaha.. he got worried and I could felt him holding on to the back of my jacket when we were nearing the top of the slope. Then when my skis hit the ground, he gave me a slight push.. fair enough... I had it in my head.. skis straight, body lean forward. Go. All's well when I got off the lift but almost immediately I saw it's a dead end in front of me! Natural instinct kicked in and I turned right and immediately it was down slope. My posture was still at "skis straight, body lean forward. Go" and at this posture.. I raced down the slope (ok, at least to me, it was damn bloody fast). I tried to do the "A" stance he taught but I wasn't slowing down. In fact I was going faster and faster. I was worried I would crush into somebody or I would lose control and tumble down and break my limbs.. or neck. Haiz.. now that I am thinking of it, I must be getting old to have all these worries. I used to be more gutsy than this.
Anyway, I figured the only way out, was to fall. So I did. Then... I couldn't get up. Those darn skis are so heavy and I simply lack of the strength (later I found out it's the lack of core muscles) to get up. So i sat on the snow waiting for hb and the instructor to come by. Waited and waited till I tot my butt was getting numb from the cold. No sight of them. Felt silly sitting in the middle of the slope so I used all my strength and finally managed to get up. This time, I had more control and managed to get down the slope in one piece. Totally traumatised.
When I finally met up with them then I found out the hb fell once he got off the lift and like me, took some time trying to stand up. He said the instructor saw me zooming down the slopes and perhaps he tot I'll be fine so he stopped to wait for him. Little did they know I was screaming my way down and didn't know what the heck I was doing all those time. Anyway, this one time was quite enough for me. Hb and instructor went back up the slope 4 more times but I was quite happy taking photo at the base of the slopes. Perhaps next trip, I'll give it another (skis straight, body lean forward) Go .
Hubby with the instructor. They were very easy to spot because they are almost the only ones in all black. The other skiers are all so colourful!
Me all covered up.
My clumsy attempt at skiing at the practise area.
Hb's attempt.
A view of the place
He insisted we wear our masks for this pix. Buay tahan. Can see in the background, the snow is already thawing and this will be a river in spring.
Taking a rest at the lobby of Dragon Valley Hotel.
Not much food choices at the ski resort. We had dinner at this small eateries with decent food at reasonable price.
We stayed at Dragon Valley Hotel. No photo for the blog because hb took all the pics with his hp and the SD card spoilt and all the pics are gone.
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