All in White

Waiting at the starting line: the countdown begins.

Four…

I was born on 4th February twenty three years ago. In honour of that momentous occasion, my brother came to visit me. No surprises: we went cross country skiing. I did my best to teach him how to do it and am pleased to report that all his limbs are still fully functioning. We also felt obliged to sample some of the eateries in the area just to be sure that our taste buds were functioning equally well.

Three…

Flag-waving, hand-clapping: I went to see the White Tigers. Not the big furry cats with sharp teeth – oh no, far more dangerous than that. The local ice hockey team. We had seats right behind the goal and the puck regularly flew to within inches of our faces, mercifully stopped at the last second by a clear plastic screen. Unfortunately, the home goal caught the puck on three occasions and despite being named after such a splendid animal, the White Tigers lost.

Two…

A flying visit to England for a cousin’s wedding. ‘Have you come far?’ another guest asked me. I don’t think he was expecting my answer. Direct flights from Prague make Liberec remarkably accessible, and anyway, it was well worth the effort. Not only was the church service impeccable and the reception superb – the bride had even successfully organised beautiful sunshine in February! The day could not have been better.

One…

‘You’re on the moon and you have one hour to solve the puzzle.’ That’s six English teachers in a space ship and no clue where to start. Oxygen running out, a mysterious remote-controlled car leading us to the answer, tension building… What happens if we press this button? … Yes, the space ship was an Escape Room and the oxygen supply was in no danger – but don’t spoil our fun!

Go!

– and I’m off, my very first cross country ski race, pushing myself forward with my poles, then up the first hill – legs, body, arms – adrenaline pumping, and on, on, on for 30 km, the snow whispering encouragement beneath my skis, the cool misty air quenching the burn until – suddenly – the finish line is there and the finishers’ medal is around my neck and there is nowhere in the world I would rather be right now than here.