Michael Hoffmann

Ski vs. sea: Getting in the mood for skiing in winter

There was no escape – that was how the holiday schedule was to be: no trip in the autumn in the mobile home. But instead 6 weeks at the start of winter, a road trip to Morocco in our very own moveable “home”. Here, we are joining the German and French oldies who like to stay in the south until the spring, the surfers who gush over the Atlantic waves and the young couples who like to escape everyday life in their gas guzzlers.

There was no escape – that was how the holiday schedule was to be: no trip in the autumn in the mobile home. But instead 6 weeks at the start of winter, a road trip to Morocco in our very own moveable “home”. Here, we are joining the German and French oldies who like to stay in the south until the spring, the surfers who gush over the Atlantic waves and the young couples who like to escape everyday life in their gas guzzlers.

It is also nice here in Medina, on the beaches and in the indescribable countryside with huge mountains, deserts and the aforementioned Atlantic. The Moroccans are very nice – clean, proud and hospitable. Everything would be perfect…., if it were not for the e-mails and Whatsapp messages from the already snowy Kleinarler hut, the joys of skiing on the Dachstein and the weather app with temperatures at 0 degrees. Here, they have no clue about the wonderful taste of Kaiserschmarn (chopped up pancakes) at the Reitlehen in Eben, the schnapps at the Buchauhütte in St.Johann or the Topfenstrudl at the Weitmoser in Bad Hofgastein. Whilst sitting on the beach and watching the camels, a thought pops into my head, my skis need a service! On the 1st Advent I am not at home! So, I will not be on the wide slopes of amadé, which are all yours at the start of December. The fresh air!

Ah well, in the middle of December the ferry heads back home to the much-loved ski slopes, which you look forward to even more from the November Moroccan sun, than you do when you are at home.

For me it is clear, instead of 760 km in the car, I would rather have 760 km’s of slopes, instead of an overpriced camel ride to the beach, I would prefer to take the free ski bus, instead of mint tea in my glass I would prefer a mulled wine in a mug, instead of sand storms I would prefer a snow storm and instead of daringly driving in the mobile home to Africa, I would much rather be back in the mountains of Ski amadé.

Michael Hoffmann

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