Welcome, traveller! In this post, I will be telling the story of my first time skiing in Gudauri.
Some context on Gudauri
Before we dive into this story, let me give you a little context. Gudauri is a mesmerizing skiing attraction in Georgia. The snow-covered mountains and beautiful resorts offer a fun vacation for anyone who wants to try snow-related sports.
How do we reach Gudauri? It can be reached via car from Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. What we did was fly to Tbilisi International Airport and, from there, rent a car to start our journey to Gudauri.
The ride to Gudauri itself was magical! Driving on narrow, snowy mountain roads while listening to and singing along to our favorite songs was an unforgettable memory for me. We decided to stay in a hotel and booked through Airbnb. There are plenty of resorts to choose from, and the restaurants and cafes are nearby.
Arriving in Gudauri ans Settling
This was going to be my first time skiing. I have not been a fan of sports where there is a chance you might fall and get injured. I have tried going to the gym before and have done pilates and yoga. But honestly, when it comes to more extreme sports, I am usually hesitant and have a bit of fear before I start learning them.
That said, I want to overcome my fears (not all of them, just the ones reasonable to overcome—I would not want to hold a poisonous snake :D). I see the potential to grow when trying things that I mildly fear (though I can’t admit that I was terrified of it :D).
Once we arrived and settled, we went out to eat at a restaurant nearby and called the day off since the piste was closed after 6 PM.
My First Skiing Experience
The next day, we went to a shop that had all kinds of snow sports gear, like skiing clothes, goggles, skis, and ski helmets. We rented skiing clothes and skis from one of the shops around.
I don’t know if this is a universal experience, but the first time I tried walking in skis, I moved like a cat who just learned to walk on its rear legs. I was moving pretty slowly in the rental store, and after leaving the shop, I slowed down even more because I had to move on snow. People were passing me by, easily walking in their skis.
I entered the skiing area, and the first day was supposed to be easy. I had a tutor, and she taught me how to pretty much stand in balance and move a little with skis.
There is a mechanism in the snow that takes you up while you stand on it, and after reaching the top, you get off. Then, you have a slope you can slide down. It was hard to stay in balance without falling for about 30 seconds.
The instructor was really helpful, holding my hand as I went down, and I managed not to fall. The tutoring lasted for about an hour.
If you’re wondering how to find a tutor, we asked in the shop where we rented the ski boots and skis, and they shared her contact information.
An Unexpected Oppotunity!
After the first class, I overcame my fear a bit. But I knew this was just the beginning. The ski piste is an area with many people skiing and snowboarding.
There were different sections for beginners, somewhat experienced skiers, and a really extreme part. The extreme part was a very steep mountain where you go down really fast. Basically, the sections have different slopes and challenges depending on your skiing experience or willingness to try them out.
I knew I was done for the day after the tutoring. But of course, when you are afraid of something so much, it finds a way to sneak into your life. Although I was expecting to continue my skiing journey the next day, an unexpected opportunity showed up.
My friend introduced me to his other two friends, and they mentioned that the ski piste opens for a night ride and they planned to ski at night.
Skiing at Night
They were experienced skiers and had been coming there for the last few years. Now I was facing the decision to ski at night, even though all I had done so far was ski down a small slope for an hour.
My friend really wanted to try the piste out at night, and I said, Why not? Since I still didn’t know how to ski properly, we found another instructor who was available at night.
I was feeling super anxious, nervous, and scared before it began. We got to the piste again, and I started going down the hill with the instructor holding me to make sure I didn’t tumble.
I am not ashamed to say that I cried behind my ski helmet and goggles out of fear. But the instructor being there gave me some ease.
Letting go of Fear
After we reached the bottom of the hill, we took the chairlift and gave it another round. I was getting more and more comfortable, and my intense feelings were dissolving into a sense of freedom and accomplishment.
Even though I was really scared, I gave it a try and even cried in the process. But in the end, after I was able to get a grasp of skiing, the fear gave way to relief and possibilities. Even the instructor said I made really good progress during this session.
Final Words
One thing I want to add is that not all of my fear disappeared magically. Of course, the next day, I was still a bit scared.
It takes time to adjust and find ease. Doing things even when you have fear in your heart is very noble and not easy at all. It takes courage, determination, and strong will to keep going.
Your fear does not define you. How you feel is valid, and the fact that you take action is priceless.
So, give some things you fear but also kind of want to do a chance. It will help you see life from a different perspective, especially when you start seeing results.
Having lived a pretty sheltered life, I decided to discover the world more and be involved in it over the last year. I try things out, even though they might scare me. But I know these experiences will be valuable memories in the future.
Because memories are so precious—they give us strength and random moments of joy.
Dear traveller, thank you for being here to listen to my story. I hope it lights a fire in you to take that step toward new experiences!
