Jamie Dierick (11)
Skiing was fun because on the first and second days of our holiday we had lessons and we learned how to ski better and go on the harder slopes. Also, whenever you scanned your Mypass ski card to go on a slope you could check your details later online to see who had done the most runs. My favourite part of the trip was my third day on Coronet Peak because I got to do lots of slopes and a few black runs.
Aubin Dierick (14)
I like that I learned the basics and that helped me a lot because now I can ski easier without falling over. So the lessons were worthwhile. My favourite part was doing the blue runs at Coronet Peak because the chairlift is fast, the runs have nice snow and you can go fast and get lots of runs done.
Philippe Dierick
I enjoyed the physical aspect of the trip, going up the mountain, the views and the chance to improve my skiing. It was good to be away with the boys and watch them improving on the ski field.
QUEENSTOWN TIPS
Ski pass technology: We skied with NZSki's new Mypass system. This gives you a card (like a credit card) which enables you to buy your ski passes, rental gear and so on online and not have to queue on the mountain. You pop the cards in a zipped pocket of your ski clothing and the sensor at the lift entry scans them. The kids got a buzz from checking online each day how many runs and vertical metres they had racked up.
Eating out: Places we found suitable for families with good hearty and affordable apres ski meals were Lone Star, Botswana Butchery and Pub on Wharf (discounted meals Monday and Tuesdays). Ferg Burgers seemed to be THE place everyone was talking about, but we never made it there.
Snow gear: You can rent on the mountain or there are a good choice of shops starting with SnowBiz which is next door to NZSki's Snowcentre. To save money we bought all our clothing online on Trade Me.
Best times to go: Ski early season or after the school holidays and you'll avoid the crowds. Spring skiing often means more forgiving powder and warmer days. But busy days are fun, too, as there is always someone to watch - some amazingly talented and some pretty bad but entertaining - while you sit on the lifts.
Children's website: Tell your children about nzskiland.com for fun info about snow, jokes and lots of other cool activities.
