NEWS
GREAT SKIING AND WONDERFUL CAMARADERIE
THE 2022 SCOTCH NEW ZEALAND SKI TRIP WAS AN EXHILARATING SKIING AND BONDING EXPERIENCE
Nearing the conclusion of the Term 2 holidays , myself and 30 other boys from Years 9-12 indulged in a snow trip to New Zealand that can only be described as extraordinary . Even with the outrageous 2am wake-up and trek down to the Tullamarine airport , it was clear all of us were eager to get to New Zealand and hit the snow , especially considering quite a few of us had not been to the snow in a few years .
It was immediately apparent when we landed in the new country how gorgeous it was . There were picture-perfect sights surrounding us in every direction , and it was impossible for us not to get out our phones and snap some pictures to send to our friends and families at home – not to make them jealous or anything . These splendid views were not a rarity on this trip , as almost everywhere we went , we were met with dazzling sights and spectacles .
The first day , of course , was just us getting comfortable in the surprisingly comfy lodges that we would be staying in for the week . The tour guides for the trip
were incredibly efficient in guiding us to our destinations as well , the first of which was Queenstown itself . We all got ourselves acquainted to the town we would be staying in for a week by walking through its lively streets and visiting its interesting shops , which may or may not have included KFC for most of us .
A main highlight for most of the boys , I ’ m sure , was the luge , which we undertook next . What an experience . The gondola ride up beforehand was amazing , too , but all that was going through our heads as we zipped down the narrow tracks was how awesome the luge ride was , even if our hands did almost freeze off .
Now for the main event – the five action-packed days on the slopes . The first two took place on the Remarkables , while the final three were on Coronet Peak . The atmosphere on both mountains was indescribable : beautiful views and powdery snow in every direction .
Thanks to the incredibly skilled instructors , and of course the teachers at our aid , getting back into the swing of things was quick , and soon we were all bossing the slopes and having the times of our lives . Coming off four years void of skiing , I myself was quite rusty compared to a lot of my talented peers , but another great thing about this trip was the opportunities for camaraderie that sparked out on the slopes .
My friend Morgan and everyone else in my group greatly helped me get better , and ski and build confidence when skiing on some of the harder runs , which I am sure occurred in many of the other groups . Whether it was the exhilarating jet boat ride that happened on the fourth day , or the night time riding that gave off an even more tranquil vibe than skiing in the day , moments of bonding among the groups were always occurring throughout the trip .
Thanks to all of this I can confidently say the 2022 Scotch New Zealand trip is my favourite experience at Scotch to date , and I cannot recommend it enough .
SUREN JAYASEKERA – YEAR 10
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