The island known affectionately around the region as вЂњthe rockвЂќ is a raised coral atoll (at 269 square kilometres, it is the largest in the world in fact) 69 metres above sea level on its high side and 28 metres above sea level on its low side. Cardrona Queenstown skiingДЇirst and foremost, Niue can boast of a landscape like no other. IвЂ™m having such fun that I canвЂ™t believe IвЂ™ve never skied before. By the end of the day, I can zig-zag down the slope and weave my way through a line of poles. But, by the end of the morning I can follow Monika in a cautious crocodile.

I suffer some spectacular falls, my skis fall off, I battle to snap my boots back into them, I drop my poles and whizz down the slope without them. This is serious stuff, with a вЂњcarpetвЂќ to carry you to a ledge at the top. Once weвЂ™ve mastered standing, walking and stopping, we graduate to the beginnerвЂ™s slope. From there, she marches me in crab-walk up the side of the slope вЂ“ Step 2! Step 1, she explains as she spins me sideways, is standing still on skis. As soon as attach mine, I begin a backwards slide but, in a flash, Monika stops me. Monika, our instructor is Swiss and from the easy way she lopes around in her skis, itвЂ™s clear sheвЂ™s spent a lifetime on them. Our вЂњclassroomвЂќ is gentle 6-foot incline. IвЂ™m relieved to find that while most of my classmates are children, there is one older couple. I find myself at a screen, scanning in my mi-ski pass and then filling in onscreen details of weight (average) height (ditto) and age (a glance around the room tells me this is well above average) At the other end of the room room, IвЂ™m swiftly bundled into boots, and with skis and poles under my arm and voucher in hand, I clump out to class. We hurry towards the sanctuary of a low, dark wooden building and in through a door marked rentals. вЂњItвЂ™s snowing!вЂќ the cherubic know-alls announce. Little white feathery flakes fill the air. We descend from the bus into the aftermath of a pillow fight, or so it seems. The journey is long (45 minutes) but this background soundtrack helps to pass the time as we coast around the lake and wind up through the snow-dusted tussock and into the perfect white world on the mountain. During SeanвЂ™s silences, the radio pumps out current hits and two cherubs in matching blue helmets, goggles and overalls engage in a deep and lengthy battle of knowledge. Our driver, Sean is a cheery chap, with a repertoire of self-deprecating witty banter, interspersed with advice for the wise and well-behaved skier. Our orange easy ski bus arrives and on we hop. Next morning, 7.45 sees us garbed in ski-gear, waiting in the dark at the bus-stop on Frankton Road. So, with vouchers in hand we head to over to Quest on Shotover Street for waterproof jackets, pants, gloves, goggles and helmets. Ski-ing from any viewpoint across my considerable span of years, always looked hard and thatвЂ™s why IвЂ™ve never tried it before. IвЂ™ve heard this вЂњeasiest placeвЂќ pitch before and IвЂ™m sceptical. Helpful Emily, at the I-Site bureau in Queenstown recommends an Easy-Ski beginnersвЂ™ family package at Cardrona, вЂњthe easiest place in Queenstown for beginnersвЂќ. If I donвЂ™t start skiing now, I never will.

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