Life is a highway....

It's the beginning of November, and Sandy has given winter a world wide welcome, and she's made it clear its going to be a memorable one at that. South African bred, thinking Fall was bitterly cold, this winter story shocked my system and my bank balance to implement the American advice of "layers, layers, layers!" Nevertheless, with extreme weather comes extreme sports. Danielle's family having the condo in Vermont, vouched for a great Ski opportunity for us both, and one we couldn't refuse. It was a trip to Outdoor Sports Centre in Wilton, where our boots were fitted and paid for, 5 days for collection and we had hired our gear for the season, ski's, boots and poles. Socks, jackets, ski pants, helmet and goggles and we were A for Away !

Danielle's host dad found a great deal for us to get ski passes for Okemo mountain, as well as three one hour lessons. Considering we have both never attempted to ski in our entire existence, this sounded like the ideal package. The weekend trip was open, the plan was to have a few farewell drinks with Mariska at Cactus Rose, as she was leaving the next week, spend no more than an hour at the bar, then drive the 4 and a half hours or so from Wilton to Ludlow, where we would get to sleep around 1a.m and would be bright and bushy for our first lesson. We met for drinks, we had a few laughs, we socialized with the group, we said goodbye and we jumped in old faithful, the Pathfinder.

On route, we stopped for a coffee and pee break at Dunkin, pulling out Dan noticed warning lights appear, considering the car had been in for a repair that day it was not a concern. Driving a while longer, our jamming beats went from 4 to 2 speakers, thinking the speaker just blew, again, no concern (looking back now these were ALL warnings and concerns). Just outside of Massachusetts, around 10 p.m the clock disappears and the headlights start dimming, an emerging panic, an attempt to GPS nearest gas station, throwing commands to Dan while she drives in almost darkness, hearing next exit, she turned into the first one, trying to remain calm, I exclaimed it was the wrong exit, I guess exit was the operative word, and another was taken and we were driving through a toll with no staff in it, in which we continued to drive, coming out the toll it was no speakers, no clock , no lights, NO POWER ! We were on the side of the highway, African instincts - PANIC ! Freezing weather, Dan's window won't close (It was open from the no man toll booth drive through) shivering and shaking, a call to the host dad, and the man with a plan remains calm. Within seconds there is a tow truck, but it was just driving past and quickly lent us a hand, checking the battery to our dismay, was not the quick fix problem, it was the alternator. Over the next two hours, we were towed to a town called Springfield, where we dropped the car off at a panel beater for an early morning repair, then dropped off at a hotel to spend the night. All the movies and stories you hear, were definitely making a script for " The two African girls that went missing "

We turned the unfortunate event and made the most of it through humour and good vibes. Thankfully for that piece of plastic that saved our lives that night ! The ski trip would be delayed a day.... but our enthusiasm remained !