And the fabulous stuff

I have just read my blog, and realised that I have had a particularly negative spell, so it is about time that I jollied it up with some happier news. 

Last Thursday was possibly one of my favourite days in Almaty to date. 

We woke to the most crystal clear morning. The mountains were glistening in the early morning sun. The kids went to school. The nanny arrived 30 minutes early and at 9am I jumped in the car and went to pick up my friend. By 9.15 we were on the road to Chimbalak, chatting happily away. 

Got to Chim at 9.35, out of the car, carried our gear up to the top, ready to go at 9.45. Watched the avalanche control team (complete with medical officer and two sniffer dogs) set out on foot up the chair lift to hike the mountain and try and bring down the snow that the previous day's helicopter with dynamite had failed to move. 

The chair lift was not open for paying customers until 10 and some of the russians in the queue were finding this very frustrating. "Let us on, the snow is going to melt," pleaded one particularly impatient skier to the lovely lift operating ladies. 

My friend A and I finally got up the hill and enjoyed uninterrupted skiing in brilliant sunshine and warm mountain air for five hours. She still has the photos on her camera and when I get them I will post them. Absolutely cracking day.