For anyone who has ever been skiing or snowboarding, you may be able to empathise with me at finding myself lost on the slopes. During a recent vacation to New Zealand, a group of friends and I headed up to Coronet Peak, with a mixture of skis and snowboards in tow. While my friends are all experienced skiers, I wanted to try my hand at snowboarding and after a few lessons on the magic carpet, decided to head up for my first run. As the chair lift elegantly brought my friends to the top of the mountain (and left me in a heap on the floor) we agreed to meet up at the bottom and as they all turned left and headed down the intermediate slope, I departed, very slowly, to the right, down the blue run for beginners. While I proudly made it down without falling over, ironically it was at the bottom that I began to panic. Where were my friends? There appeared to be a swarm of identical looking jackets and snowboards and all of a sudden, after realising I had no phone signal, acknowledged that I was lost. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it is only now I realise that this could have been avoided had we all agreed to carry a walkie talkie radio, before hitting the slopes. Most groups travelling together on a ski holiday will contain a mixture of abilities, some choosing to ski and some to snowboard. With group members off at different locations at different times, radios allow you to keep in constant contact. Unlike mobile phones where you only talk to one person at a time, a walkie talkie radio allows each group member to participate in the conversation at the same time, so no one has to feel isolated. While you are of course expected to enjoy yourself on the mountains, safety must be a key consideration. If you incur an injury, which to be honest, is very likely when you are ploughing down a mountain on two pieces of plastic, at least you are able to make an emergency call with a radio. If you just rely on your mobile phone, you may have limited signal and find you are unable to make that all important call. Similarly, if you just want to arrange to meet for an apres-ski or a spot of lunch, being able to contact family and friends at the push of a button is ideal. If you have not skied before, you may be surprised at how tiring it can be and if your pre-arranged meeting time is still hours away, walkie talkie radios give you the chance to change your plans and be flexible. Another benefit to walkie talkies is cost. Ski holidays are not cheap and saving every penny counts. Taking your mobile phone abroad to make and receive calls, incurs hefty international charges. With a walkie talkie radio there are no costs involved, only the initial cost of the gadget itself. Talking is totally free. Coverage will vary depending on the model of walkie talkie radio you purchase, however areas can be covered up to ten kilometres. They also vary in size, so if you have an image of a big, bulky security guard device clipped to your ski pants, think again. Many come in lightweight compact designs, as well as shock resistant so if you take a fall, your radio will be protected. As the nights draw closer, it is definitely the time to start thinking about your alpine winter holiday. Adding a couple of walkie talkie radios in your suitcase will not only keep you safe up on the slopes, it is also a great way to keep in touch with the rest of your group, both on and off the mountain.
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