We went to Trolactiv in Evje to do a Basic Ski Course so that everyone would be of a similar ability when we went on trips and expeditions.

Over the week we went through all the basic techniques such as telemark turns and stopping. For me it was quite hard to get the hang of. I had only done a week of skiing before and that was two years ago. But it was quite good that there were others there who could ski so we all helped each other out. The weather for the whole week was brilliant; no clouds and blue sky!

Some of the most important things that I learnt, apart from how to ski, is what sort of clothes worked best for me so I would be dry and not too hot. Once I had sorted out my layering system it made learning to ski much easier because I wasn’t overheating.

The first day we went to a local skiing area with manmade tracks so we could get used to the skis before we went off the tracks. The main aim for that day was to get comfortable with going downhill so we learnt about the best techniques and body positions. It helped me out a lot because the groups were quite small so we got a lot of time with the instructor.

For most of the instruction the instructor would demonstrate the technique then we would practice it whilst they critiqued up. After that we would ski around so we could practice the different techniques on a variety of settings. This was quite good for me as I learn the best through practice instead of just watching people do it.

The highlights, for me, were the scenery that we saw from the summits. When we got to the top of the hill with the radar tower on it we could see for miles and it was only improved by the great weather.

At the end of the week I was confident that I could go on a skiing expedition which was the aim of the week. I still had a lot to improve on but that would come with experience and practice.