Skiing St. Johann/Tirol
January/February 2005

Wolfgang Ambros seems to be somewhere around here... Schifoan (that meens "skiing" in austrian dialect) was his big song and that's what we wanted to do in Austria... Actually we decided to drive south to St. Johann in Tirol. We, that are Marc & Nadine, Marks& Verena, Jörg & Eva and Sascha. We seven stood up early in the morning and started the trip at 5am. However it was too late to avopid the traffic jam around Munich and so we took some detours to get to our hotel, where we arrived the late afternoon.
The hotel was called "St. Johanner Hof" and is a cute and nice hotel with very nice service. The rooms were called "Kuschelnester". First off all, we had a radler (beer with Sprite) at the bar, because the vacation started right now! The evening wasn't very long for us, the day was streneous and so we got to bed early.
The first skiing began. The Sunday presented us a blue sky: Emperor's weather. A little bit uncertain we stood on the skis. Anyway, if you ever have learned skiing, you only need a few moments and the feeling comes back. Mark and Verena went to ski-school, it was Mark's first time on skis and he had a nature talent. That means, he was back after three lessnons around noon. We enjoyed the runs and the incredible weather. In the evening we walked a little bit "downtown" St. Johann - a nice little town and gambled UNO with "harder rules" in the hotel.
The Monday started with cloudy wheater, bad view to the Kitzbüheler Horn. The weeks before vacation we looked into the internet nearly every day to check the snow conditions. They only announced 80cm in the mountains. So waht we needed was snow! And we got some snow, starting in the evening. Time to go out and make a snowball's battle.
On the next morning we did not trust our eyes. The cars had disappeared under a thick snow layer. Simply away. Ceratinly it still snowed. There were chaotic conditions on the streets, so that we decided to go skiing at the Kitzbüheler Horn again. On the runs you were sometimes disorientated and the eyeglasses fitted regularly. Thus we tested the first the "umbrella bar" in the valley. There we met Laber. A few schnaps, like "Willi pear" and we were in a good mood. We also had some Jager-Tea, wow! At 4pm we took again the gondola and made another run with Andreas. It was very funny and we could even see the "Ski-Teacher's gymnastics" from the mountain.
It snowed all over the Wednesday. Today we decided to test another skiing area: Fieberbrunn. At the bus stop we had to wait one hour for the ski bus and what else should we do than a snowball's battle :-) Another waiting woman was integrated in the battle after a short period of time, Sscha hit her. In Fieberbrunn was the half of the mountain closed. The view was limited and we tried the best for the runs. In the afternoon we drove back to the hotel and had a hot chocolate with rum at the bar.
Thursday, once again snow... Incomprehensibly. It snowed meanwhile 72 hour through. Thus the Kitzbüheler Horn waited for us. There we made some runs and gave up at 14.30 to o'clock. Sascha, Eva and I met at the "umbrella bar". The result were three Jager-Tea and the hole card of shooters they sell there.  The last ski bus had meanwhile departed and it became dark. But we stood it and accepted the alcoholic challenge! It was late afternoon and we walked home with our skis and still in boots. There a Radler and a family Laber waited for us. Family Laber took us out to the winner's ceremony of their kids in the Humungus bar. Tequila and Radler some more drinks. Then we chenged the location and enjoyed the live band in "Bugs Bunny bar" (not the original name). Our bed saw us in the morning.
The Friday wasn't my favorite day. We three were the first at the breakfast table but I only stirred in my coffee and then decided to go in bed again. I slept another hour and was fit! However my legs felt like they were still shakin... The snow meanwhile to gave up - We got more than a meter of fresh snow within 80 hours - that was enough and more I've ever seen in my life! The weather normalized and it was a good last ski day, before we went home un Saturday. It was a nice vacation, but after this I needed a smal break of alcohol! Unfortunately it was not perfect ski weather. But we made the best from it.

Schi heil!

St. Johanner Hof	Just before start	View from Kitzbüheler Horn
Landscape	St. Johann	Look out for elks
Elk on Tour	Snow, snow, snow...	No other chance...
meal-time	"Seinihonsa"	Jager-Tea at the "umbrella-bar"
Our daily ritual	Time to say good-bye	Mountain's world

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