February 2006 was going to be the best month I've had since my accident in 2003. The Back Up Trust were taking me and 9 other wheelchair users to Colorado for a 12 day trip to learn to ski again. 6 buddies would be joining the trip to help out and generally be there as support to us on our expedition! I hadn't been this exited about doing something for a very long time.

I arrived at Heathrow and my dad helped me in with my luggage. As I arrived and found the group my first response to arriving was "Oh no not you again" I looked up to see the smiling face of Ali who I had met on the trip up to Keswick. Great, I already know someone.

The procedure for getting on and off the plane was very much like my trip to Amsterdam so this time there were no nerves. We all settled into our seats and started to get to know each other. At the other end of a long flight we were all tired and it did take a while getting through customs but when we did there was a comfortable coach waiting for us. The coach had a lift to get us all in and once we had transferred over to the seats we could all relax, and most of us fell asleep. We arrived at the hotel 2 hours later and checked in. We had double rooms and I shared with Guy, one of the buddies. The rooms were spacious enough and access to the toilet and bath were adequate. Feeling shattered from the travelling I got in bed and fell asleep straight away looking forward to the next day.

I had skied many times since I was a teenager so thought that I would be able to pick it up quite quickly, how WRONG was I. Being a T5 complete with no sensation below the chest I was going to have to learn a new technique and it wasn't going to be easy. I struggled for the whole trip while some people who had never skied before picked it up relatively quickly which was all the more frustrating!! Although I never managed to get the technique down it was one of the best holidays I've ever had. Being away with 9 other people all dealing with the same issues but all pushing each other on was amazing and something I will remember for a very long time.

The skiing was divided into 2 sets of 4 days skiing with a day off in the middle. This day off was also going to be one of the best days I'd had since coming off my motorbike. I've never tried riding a snow mobile before but always thought it looked like great fun, so when the opportunity was put in front of us to spend an afternoon on the mountain screaming around with 500cc's between our legs most of us had no hesitation. It was amazing to feel the acceleration of the machines on the snow and it was the nearest experience I'd had to riding a bike again. The only problem this time was keeping your backside from sliding off the seat.

The twelve day trip went by like a flash but we all made great friends and one of the team "Ali" even managed to bag himself his future wife! The evenings were spent in the local restaurants eating great food and drinking too much wine and beer but we had all used up so much energy during the day that we needed it. Well that's the story and I'm sticking to.

The Ski Instructors also deserve a mention as they are amazing. Most of them are volunteers and spend most of the day picking you up off the snow and setting you in the right direction again, which isn't easy if you weigh quite a bit and act like a dead weight in the snow. You are given every assistance possible in choosing the right ski and making sure you are comfortable and secured into it properly. The general feeling is that everyone wants you to have the best experience possible from the trip.

Although I didn't manage to ski particularly well during the trip I do still have every intention of going back sometime soon.