Gearing Up For Winter

Really like the colours in this picture

Experiencing fall for the first time has been great! I just love seeing all the different hues as I walk past on the way to work every morning. The weather has held up well so far and the browns, reds, yellows and greens really complement each other and stand out. I'm just trying to enjoy it as much as possible while it lasts. Having said that I'm now really excited for the winter season, not only because I have never yet experienced snow but also because I'm dying to try out some outdoor winter sports. I've done some research and talked to some friends and finally I've decided I know what I want to try out - snowboarding!

So the other day I visited a Snowboard Flea Market in Oerlikon with my friend Karen and managed to get a decent amount of second hand and unsold items from last year's stocks for real bargains. Just as in every flea market we didn't resist the opportunity to haggle and we did manage to some extent. This flea market happens once a year and entry is against a 5 CHF payment which goes to support youth snowboarding clubs. Once inside we saw various makeshift stalls belonging both to shop owners who would want to get rid of last year's stock (sometimes for prices as low as 15 % of the original price!) or other snowboarders looking to sell their unwanted gear. After an intense 5 hours of racing from one stall to another I came out with a grin on my face having managed to buy a beginner's snowboard together with binders, a helmet, goggles and ski pants all for practically nothing. The only thing was I was really gutted that I didn't manage to find a nice pair of boots too but they didn't have my size! If I don't manage to find an affordable pair, I will most probably rent them out, although renting gear can be quite expensive and you really are saving money when buying second hand items at flea markets such as this one (reason why I actually bought gear). Second hand items are also great for people like me who don't want to spend too much money because they aren't really into the sport as yet; plus I am only staying here for a short while anyway, with the chances of taking the equipment back home by plane looking pretty slim.  

My snowboarding gear

A few tips about buying a second hand beginner's snowboard that I've been given by a couple of friends and which I looked out for when buying my board are:

• The correct board length is chin high
• The board must also be flexible enough and be raised to leave a gap in the middle to allow the snow to pass right under
• Scratches around the sides are normal but the board mustn't have excessive damage
• Binders on the other hand must have a rigid back heel to keep your legs steady

Now I can't help but feel really proud of it sitting pretty in my room, whilst trying to come up with a cool name for it! 

My snow shoes (thanks Diego!)

Additionally, I had already bought an 'Ice Peak' ski jacket from Migros back in September at half it's original price since it was also part of last year's stock. I also got a pair of snow shoes thanks to my friend Diego who has gone back to Brazil now which will surely come in handy as they have a nice insulating layer inside. 

So yeah, ready for the winter season when it hits! 

(At least as ready as any Maltese not used to a harsh winter can be!)

Work is not half as bad walking past this every morning