Ski Dubai…

I went skiing yesterday, which seems a bit strange since I’m in the Middle East. It’s like visiting the world’s largest Ukrainian Egg in Vegreville Alberta. You have to stand next to the “man-made over statement” and smile for the camera. You check it off the list and go to the next “worlds biggest.” When others marvel about it, you can smile smugly and talk about the day you went skiing in Dubai…

Ski Dubai is a huge tube that extends behind and above the Mall of the Emirates. It claims to have the world’s first indoor “black” run but the creators have never seen Whistler. It also has a 90-metre indoor quarter pipe and a few rails. The slope has indoor chairlifts and a t-bar.

My Dad and I eagerly laid down some cash for a chance to ski in the Middle East. We were given boots, skis, a jacket, and snow pants. I forgot a toque so I jumped at the chance for a helmet to keep my noggin warm.

It was shocking to step into a frozen world with real snow and sub-zero temperatures. I yearned for an extra layer of fat and vowed to eat more pie when given a chance. Bring on the apple pie and don’t spare the whip cream!

The slope was similar to your average Whistler “bunny” hill. It was groomed and I managed to snag a bit of corduroy. I could’ve hit up the rail but decided against it. Instead I made tracks on the slope – averaging five short turns before reaching the bottom. Each run with the chairlift ride included took about five minutes.

There were a few Africans flying down the hill with no idea what they were doing. They just stood up and crashed a few metres later. It was hilarious – I had tears in my eyes watching them. The rest seemed to be from Austria and skied with the precision of Olympic stars. Maybe Ski Dubai reminded everyone of home.

In two hours my Dad and I accumulated well over 20 runs. Mostly we posed for the camera and took turns filming each other. By the end, I had a runny nose, my fingers were frozen, and I wanted hot chocolate… We found a restaurant, ordered hot apple pie, and steaming drinks.

Ski Dubai is checked off the list…anyone know where I can find the world’s largest fork?