Ice Skating! What an experience!

Hi All,

And finally, after 3 days of continuous reminders (me to myself - no props used!), here I am penning it down, to have my memoirs down before they are lost. Would add this to my blog too, but first it comes by mail! :)

Well, a little preface to this whole episode. I consider ice skating one of the most graceful sports, and soo very elegant. And as you all know me (for those who do claim to ;)), I have to do EVERYTHING that I like. And so here I was adding this one more item to my TBD (To-be-done) list of things. Hmm.. someday I would have to write this TBD list down lest I forgot some action items. One more point added to it! ;)

And now since I am all set, here I go!

There was this project party picnic taking us to a place called "Genting Highlands". This place is about an hour's travel away, and there were quite a few people who were to go there. But then I talked to a few who werent going and figured out that all there is to that place was a smoking casino, and a theme park, to add a nice meal at the end of the day. And since I wasnt too keen on the meal, the other things didnt hold too much meaning. And so I chickened out. Hey, I forgot. They were charging RM 20 for transport, and so since I saved there, I "could" spend on it something else. And so thats how I justify RM 16 on ice skating! :)

Gugs wanted to buy a suitcase for his travel back home and he had to go to a Mall. Chris was with him and so I figured out that if it was Sunway, then I could hitch hike a ride with them too. And that is where we went.
The ice ring is in the centre of the Sunway Mall, and has loads of people skating around. And quite a handful on a weekend for sure! You can absolutely collide into nervous wrecks now and then! And so this is how it started out.

Purchased hand gloves which were compulsory. Had my socks on me. Went ahead and took a pair of skates from Rentals, and was all set. The skates were heavy (guess because of the blade), and was wondering how people managed to walk upto the ice ring on them! :) Well, wore them, locked everything in a locker, and was all set for 2 hrs of skating! :))

Initially it was damn slippery! (as if it changed later ;)) I mean, you actually cant believe people zipping past you! The best part about it is that the ring rims didnt have anything to hold onto if you started slipping!! Actually cursed them then, that they werent considerate for starters and all! :)) Realised later what damage it could have done, watching people slamming and crashing into the plastic panels lining the boundary.

Pradnya had told me that she had tried it out and she couldnt even complete a single round. The instructor had to actually pull her out! And so with a very dubious feeling of my achievements for that day, I started out. Managed to do one round holding the almost-not-helping edge. And I didnt fall! :) So I felt nice. That was another of my fears. Had heard that one of the Infy guys had pulled a tendon of sorts, and had some nice recuperating times ahead.

And then similarly, completed one more round. Slowly realised that it is pretty much like skating on grounds. You just need ankle and weight movement. In ground skating, there was more of foot movement, and hence there was less strain on ankles. Realised that in this, the ankles almost had a bent feel. Guess that was because I was slow. And then used to leave my hands sometime, and cover small grounds. Slowly gained more confidence since I hadnt fallen still. And then became overconfident (as I usually do), and went a little more than I should have! And bham! Was flat on my bums! :)) But what a fall! My first one and I didnt even feel it. Think I fell light, and was glad that I did. Thought I had put on soo much weight that had I fallen I was sure for some permanent damage! :)) So was mighty pleased with myself. And no loss! And so I continued the same way.

Figured out that a little more risk each time, and a little more concentration helps you go a long way! Give feedback to yourself and it would do marvels! :) (You dont have too much of a choice! An instructor costs you RM 55 for half an hour!). Finally at the end of the whole episode, I managed to land smack on the ground almost 8-9 times (since I still hadnt learnt how to stop), sprained my arm, broke my watch, scrapped my elbow, ruined my gloves a wee bit, but with completion of a round without holding, and a nice WIDE smile on my lips and a skip in my step and a glee in my heart and a halo on my head!

VOILA! I HAD DONE IT! :)) What an accomplishment! Phew!

And that was all there was there to it. Intend doing (there I go again.. my action items never close!) this once more and more till I get good at it! :) Something which would hold such fond memories.

And so till the next time. Some more adventures outlined for sure! :)

Adios.

Love,
Neha

P.S: Chris even asked whether I had tried out archery, and a thought leapt into my mind! "Why not?" :))