I finally made it to Chongli~~~~ Starting from January 12, 2013, when I first stood on the ski slope wearing my snowboard, until February 22, I finally arrived at Genting in Chongli. Had I not come here, I would never have understood why people would drive 300 kilometers to such a remote place. I always thought the ski resorts in Beijing were pretty good (before coming here, I thought they were great), but after hearing so many people talk about it, I couldn’t resist the itch anymore. At the end of the ski season, I gathered a few friends for a trip. It was Friday, February 22, and I left right after work. What’s more fitting than going on my birthday? Nothing could be more “2” than that.
In the afternoon, on the beginner slope while waiting for the chairlift, I somehow got knocked flying—literally flew—and landed on the ground without any warning. I couldn’t get up, and my head hurt so badly. For the first time ever, I rode in an ambulance motorcycle to the infirmary. I don’t quite remember what happened, but the infirmary was super busy—almost as crowded as the ski equipment rental area. There were all kinds of fractures and bumps, and I seemed to be the least injured. After that, I definitely won’t take the beginner slope lightly anymore. Also, helmets are really important. If I hadn’t been wearing one, I probably would’ve ended up in surgery. I was wearing hip and knee pads too, so although I landed hard on my right side, I didn’t get any bruises or scrapes. Protective gear is essential—not because you’re bad at skiing, but to give yourself the best protection in case of accidents like this.
If the medical checkup comes back clear, I want to go back to Chongli again this week, and then this ski season will officially be over. Of course, I didn’t tell my mom about the fall—if I did, she’d never let me ski again. Since I started skiing, I’ve met a lot of new friends, and life has gotten so much happier.