Okay, I didn’t write for a long time and therefore experienced a lot. So let’s start right away: I fiiinally, after 3 long years, have been skiing in Andiast in Switzerland. After lots of fun on my skis in deep powder snow while the sun was shining brightly I also snowboarded for one day. Meaning I have tried. And after a half-involuntary ride downwards to the valley station I already had enough for the time being. :D My knees and butt hurt. But actually that didn’t really make a difference, as I already skied for the past 2 days, so that all other parts of my body were already hurting, anyway. All in all I’ve been on the piste 6 days in a row. You can’t imagine, how my body felt. Even climbing the stairs in the morning to get to the dining room was almost too much.

My first tries on the snowboard – like almost everything else on the retreat, as well – have been recorded by René Stoverink on his HD camera. Sorrily (or luckily?) I am not able to show you any of his recordings. But I also made some videos with my cellphone. After all we needed a proof that Vanessa, who came with my dad and me, was actually able to ride a snowboard. Altogether we have been three Renés. The 3rd René (van Erp) was a Dutchman. Sorrily he had a serious crash on the piste the day before he wanted to leave. He had to be brought to the hospital by a helicopter with 3 broken vertebrae and a double-cracked bladebone. Luckily he’s already able to walk again and his injuries can heal without any surgery. :) Here are the three videos that I recorded during that week.

Vanessa on the piste:

Free ride off-piste:

Complete ride downwards from the Alp Dado to the valley station Waltensburg:

After one week in Oldenburg, in which I visited my last lecture as a student, I again was off to Maastricht, Holland at the weekend. I’ve visited a good female friend of mine there. Joyce is going to marry in July and I just had to see her unmarried one last time. ;) I help a little with organizing the wedding. So I will be in Maastricht again by July at the latest. And, even though some may not believe, I’m looking forward to it. :)

The week next to that (last week) I went to Darmstadt on business. That wasn’t that easy, as I unfortunately had a breakdown with my car during my way back from Holland. So I had to drive back to Oldenburg with a rental car. Today, on my way back from Darmstadt, I picked up my car from the frontier of Holland and relieved my wallet of round about € 300. Well, life is expensive. So what, money is not everything that matters.

And last but not least, I will go back to Switzerland. Not immediately, but in the beginning of April. I will work there for 2 month for a customer in Bern. I am really looking forward to it. If everything goes well, the move back to Frankfurt, resp. the branch of my employer (BTC AG) in Mainz, is within reach. The Easter retreat in Bad Marienberg and the Soccer tournament in Thayngen are coming up next. So there are quite some things that I can be exited about this year. I hope you’re excited with me. :)

René