I remember the days when I used to head out everyday Saturday morning, often accompanied by a clanging headache, ringing around my sleepy head, wrapped in the regulation baggy warm garb that I felt marked me out as a snowboarder... cos obviously the snowboard didn't give it away.
On Friday nights I used to dream of powder. And to be fair, on a Saturday morning it often cushioned the impact as my party-night hangover crashed into the weekend.
It's been 4 years since I strapped a board on and it was a great way to kick off 2018, my second year of living more adventurously.
Last year's resolutions turned into a curse as I damaged my knee and, instead of progressing to being an ultra runner, 2017 saw me limping down hills and mountains often in pain. So this year I will continue to find every opportunity to grasp adventure in all its many guises, small or large without setting too many huge goals.
In Serbia for Orthodox Christmas (and a bit of work too) I grasped the chance to visit Kopaonik, Serbia's main ski resort. I was a little hesitant as I rode off down the first run in Kopaonik, last Friday. I was here once before in a snowless period, precisely one child ago, and I thought it was a bit poor.
But a few years later with all the lifts open and after three half-days on the snow I am happy to say I was wrong. It lacks the steepness and variety of the Alps but it was a great way to ease my knees back into snowsports and a great way to welcome the start of a new year.
With special thanks to my brother in law for organising this little trip, to Say Yes More for providing my face protection and Sub Zero for base layer (review coming soon)! Here's to another year of making the most of this beautiful life.