Boards and Boots

Yesterday, me, bB, ab, seth, mizi, rafiq and some M1 students went to Nagornaya to play snowboarding! Yes, sadly to say, after 6 years being in Moscow, this is my first time playing. I know. very sad. ;P

So. We left the hostel at 9:15am (janji pukul 8:30am, tp biasalah "janji melayu" ;P), had our breakfast at Kroshka Kartoshka, Konkovo and head off to Nagornaya metro station. Before arriving we boost our energy with GORILLA energy drink! Red Bull pon boleh because seriously, YOU NEED TONS OF ENERGY TO PLAY THIS SPORT!

Gorilla Energy Drink. Siap dengan Parental Advisory. I guess kids would go really hyper drinking this.

Arrived at Nagornaya around 11 a.m. Rent out the boards and boots. Hike the steep stairs. I'm not afraid of heights so I wasn't feeling anything. The stairs was made of steel and you can see down below, so it was kinda "menggayatkan". So I guess, if you're afraid of heights, you really shouldn't look down but it was sure damn tiring walking up the stairs and we haven't even started playing.

Queuing to rent the boards and boots.

Once arrive at the top, Ab gave us lesson on Snowboarding 101. Basic stuffs: wearing and taking off the board, standing, stopping, even on how to fall.

Top of the hill. Posing dulu. ;))

HOMAIGOD. The first stand was freaking scary! Like, how the hell do you control your board?! The thing kept going down (even though, that was the purpose). I kept falling on my butt because I was afraid of going down, and getting back up was a torture! And to make matter worst, the Russians was sliding freaking fast right pass me. (T.T) Tau lah terer, but can you see there's a noob here?! ;S

At first, I need one of the guys to help me get up and hold the board but after a while I mastered the way of standing [ececeehh]. The problem with me at the beginning is, I was afraid of going down, therefore I was afraid of standing up. You have to stand up and go down immediately. So when I get the hang of sliding, I could stand up. ;))

me and bB already at the bottom of the hill.

Recharging our energy with GORILLA. lolz.

Then trying to get back up the hill was another serious torture. We tried taking the "lift", where you wear your board and hold on to the rope which pulls you up the hill. OMG! you'd thought it'd be easy looking at everyone hanging on to it but it was F*CKING HARD!!! I fell like 5 times trying to hold on to the rope, I fell every at every single try! At the end I decided to just hike the hill! I was so out of breath! I think bB and Mizi was the only ones among us that made it and of course "the pro" - Ab made it till the top with the lift thingy.

The hill don't look that high isn't it? but trust me, it's still scary. There's a few hills you can slide down to. This is is like the 2nd level. Baby's hill is on the other side and pro's hills are right next to this one.

By 5 p.m, everyone had already get the idea of snowboarding. Everyone was having fun. Still not pros though. I still fall numerous times and I still don't know how to steer the board. My knees hurts from tumbling to the front. I'd rather fall on my butt, but sometimes the snow gets on the board and you'll tumble down the hill (jatuh tersungkur). My arms hurts too from trying to get up when I fell. ;(

But I had so much fun! I wanna go again! but not today of course. My body freaking aches! I want to buy the snowboard pants which doesn't absorb water! My jeans were so wet yesterday, it almost looked like I peed on my pants! ;P but it costs like rm200-rm300 just for that pair of pants and next year is my final winter. ;(

me being 'poyo' after achiving to stand on the board. ;P

Wished someone had introduced snowboarding to me earlier.. ;P

Ps: Photos courtesy of Seth Yusof.