LEBANON

Troubled little Lebanon, which was for a while the Middle Eastern playground of the rich and famous, prides itself in being able to provide a morning on the slopes followed by an afternoon on a Mediterranean beach. The high Lebanon Mountains rise steeply from the narrow coastal plain and the nearest ski resort to Beirut is only an hour's drive away.

It was in the 1930s that skiing became fashionable in this corner of what Europeans refer to as the Middle East. By the 1950s the sport had greatly increased in popularity so ski lifts were introduced, firstly in the Cedars resort, then elsewhere. Currently there are 6 resorts, but away from the slopes cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are well developed alternatives, with trails heading away into fascinating countryside. The season generally stretches from December to April.

Faraya Mzaar is the most popular resort close to Beirut, and benefits from good support services. Skiers and snowboarders from all over the world use the slopes here. The top of Mzaar sits at 2465 metres above the Mediterranean, and offers spectacular views of the capital, the Bekaa Valley and Mount Hermon. The après-ski is pretty good too.

The Cedars is a resort a bit further from Beirut, about 2 hours by car, and sits at around 2000 metres. A good site for beginners, but advanced skiers will not be disappointed either. The Cedars also offers off-piste skiing and other down hill thrills, as well as snowmobile trips. The season here lasts a bit longer than at Faraya Mzaar, and new chairlifts have recently been installed.

A good link to check out is www.skileb.com.

LESOTHO

This little mountainous Kingdom attracts skiers from South Africa, the country which surrounds it on all sides. South Africa doesn't have much in the way of snow itself, so it's handy to have such an obliging neighbour, and the rich South Africans are a welcome source of income.

A resort called Afri-ski (!) first welcomed clients in 2005, running the season from June to August, but that could be extended to last well into November, weather and clients permitting. The resort was able to attract some 3000 clients that year and the numbers have grown year on year. It sits at 3222 metres above sea level in the northern part of the Maluti Mountains, and the entire country has an altitude of over 1000 metres. Novices and experts are welcomed and both are well catered for.

Among the selling points for Afri-ski is the fact that the resort is Austrian managed, and they seem to be fairly well equipped. There is a 1 Km slope, ski-lifts, grooming equipment and child care facilities. Again the après-ski seems to be up to standard.

If you have any energy, time and money left, there are many other activities to entertain. The breathtaking scenery can be enjoyed as you paraglide or hand glide across the countryside; pony trekking is available, as are mountain climbing, mountain biking and bird watching. This has to be a really refreshing change from the Alps of Europe.

IRAN

Iran? Why not? Okay, so George W Bush may not feel comfortable sharing a ski lift with Mr Ahmadinejad, but I hear he's not much of a skier anyway. However I also hear that the skiing is rather excellent.

There are two main resorts, although there are other slopes available as well that have not been exploited commercially and they no doubt have their attraction.

Fifty years ago Shemshak was established, and it offers skiing and snowboarding to the higher end of the expertise spectrum. Go here to see the best Iranian skiers do their stuff. Just an hour outside Tehran the resort is well equipped with lifts and J Bar stations.

Coming on stream in 1969 is the other popular resort, Dizin, which reaches an altitude of 3600 metres and attracts most of the foreign skiers, being blessed with better support facilities. Dizin is slightly further from the capital, but offers better social facilities and après-ski.

MOROCCO

Again, explode the popular myth and you'll feel at home with the idea of skiing in this seemingly unlikely destination. The sand and the camels may never be far away, but the mountains rise steeply from the sands of the Sahara and lie under a good depth of nicely packed, blindingly white snow.

Oukaïmeden is a ski resort in the south of the country, 50 miles from Marrakesh, which attracts a lot of rich Moroccans. The ski lift lies at 3286 metres above the Atlantic (donkey is a viable and quirky alternative) and the season lasts for the winter months around January. Equipment is available for hire though the quality may not be the highest, as are guides.

Closer to Fes and Meknes is the area of Mischliffen close to the town of Ifrane. Facilities here are definitely not of European standard, though the extremely low number of skiers may well compensate.

Cross country skiing throughout the mountainous region is possible, but again it's best to bring your own equipment including even tents since the huts on offer are often derelict.

INDIA

India, is awash with ski facilities comparatively speaking. Gulmard, Manali, Kufri, Narkanda and Auli are some of the more popular resorts, all lying in the North of the country heading up into the Himalayas. The quality and availability of facilities and support services varies, but a good time is guaranteed. Nepal is just next door but provides nothing more exciting than India, and the skiing can of course be combined with so many other activities. And it's cold. Of all the places I have travelled I remember India being the coldest of them all!

Other countries that offer excellent skiing opportunities that are often over-looked by Europeans include Turkey, Greece, Armenia, Argentina ….. let me know what you find when you get back, because we have no ski resorts in wind-battrered Ireland.

I've come to realize that exceptional performance in any sport is a balance of natural talent, training, and athletic intellect. These traits enable an athlete to make the proper decisions. Talent is a key component because it provides an athlete with the physical and psychological ability to develop to his or her full potential. Training improves ones ability to perform at a high level, physically. Athletic intellect is something often overlooked by athletes in the US.

Athletic intellect is what sets great players apart from good players. The best players in any sport have the ability to out-think their opponent. They usually possess the ability to think faster than other athlete's, and can play at an increased speed as a result.

In America, athlete's care more about strength, and physical attributes. Perhaps because highly popular American sports such as football and hockey are more about physical battles than technical and tactical ability.

Soccer, tennis and downhill skiing require technical ability over physical strength. While soccer is a contact sport, it is not called the beautiful game because of the beauty of to players colliding, or the number of clever fouls that occur in a match.

Soccer is nicknamed the beautiful game because when it is played at the highest technical and tactical levels, it can be a thing of beauty.

As you go off of the jump, have your arms out in front of you and look at your left arm, flex your stomach, and when you have done a 180 be looking at the takeoff, this will get you spinning a little forward so that you will land flat on the landing, look back behind you and pull your knees in a little. The rest will come naturally if you have done this.

How to 720

Well first, you need to be brave. Next, as you are going off of the jump, start spinning as if you were to do a 360 and when you hit the 180, and not a second before, tuck your arms in as hard as you can for a full 360 so you will be at a 540. Then just go one more 180 as you spot your landing. GREAT. Thanks for reading.

• Spend as little money as possible and ski as much as possible
• Or: Spend a lot of money, and relax, and ski a little, too.

If you want to just "ski your guts out", like my grandfather used to always say, you should try to find small hotels, such as Super 8 or Motel 6, near your ski destination. For example, if you want to ski in the Salt Lake City area, there are lots of places right below the Cottonwood Canyons, home to Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, and Brighton, all world-class ski areas. Many of these "ski motels" have a skier's essential amenities, such as a complimentary breakfast, and a 24-hour hot tub to relax your muscles. For a car, you should get a small SUV, probably with four-wheel drive. When the parking lot is covered with snow, you don't want to slide back into all the cars behind you. This makes it much easier to get to the mountain.

If you want something more like a ski/spa experience, you can't beat the on-site lodges at many ski resorts. Some are brand-new, with in-room boot dryers, complimentary ski waxing, etc. Others are older, with long and colorful histories, such as the Gold miner's Daughter at Alta. It was demolished 7 years ago by a massive avalanche, but was rebuilt 5 years ago in the same style, but more reinforced. These ski lodges provide easy slope-side access, but rather than the motel $75 a night, these cost $300 a night and up. Many lodges are also totally booked by late August, so reserve a room early.

Before you set off for the slopes, be sure you do lots of stretching every day. The last thing you want is for it to be your first day, and you catch a little unexpected air and tear your tendons in your leg. An E.R. visit is definitely not the way to start a vacation. Try to stretch your legs the most, since they will be getting the biggest workout.

Last, but not least, make sure you have proper clothing for skiing. Don't wear cotton against your skin, because when it gets wet, it loses its warmth and stays wet for the rest of the day. Try synthetic fibers which "wick" away moisture from your skin, keeping you warm and dry. Cotton long sleeved shirts go well on the next layer, followed by a light fleece, and then a waterproof windbreaker on top. The same goes for your legs - synthetic, then cotton, then waterproof snow pants. Don't forget to stop into a lodge for some hot cocoa during the day to warm up - it can give you the energy boost you need to finish of a hard day on the slopes.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun. Whether you're skiing by yourself or with friends and family, you'll have a blast.

Why we did it

My wife and I both love rambling but walking on snow covered tracks is really hard work. If you've ever tried it you will know how difficult it is when your feet continually sink down below the knee. It was in this frame of mind we first tried cross country or Nordic skiing and we haven't wanted to put on a downhill ski boot since.

Where we went

We went to the Capcir Plateau in the Pyreenes, staying in the mountain village of Les Angles. The greatly expanded old village now has a wide range of apartments, chalets, hotels and restaurants. Both downhill and cross country skiing are possible here but it is cross country that the area excels in. Driving from the north of England to the Pyrenees for a week in winter is a daunting prospect. We took an Iberia scheduled flight from Manchester to Barcelona and there hired a car for the 2 1/2hour drive up the new road through the Cadi tunnel to the Capcir plateau.

All through the forests, along the ridges and the valleys and around lake Matemale are way-marked ski du fond trails of varying lengths and difficulty to suit every ability. In summer many of these are way-marked for ramblers and for mountain bikes.

Equipment

Hiring cross country equipment was very easy from one of the many sport shops in the village and though no lift pass is necessary you have to buy a ticket to use the way-marked trails. These cost a fraction of a lift pass and finance the maintenance of the trails.

Go for it

Off you go then, drive to the car park at the beginning of your chosen trail, show your ticket to the person in the little hut and you are cross country skiing.

The long thin skis take a little getting used to if you have been used to alpine skis. They have ridges on the bottom so that you don't go backwards when pointing up hill. The poles are longer and the boots resemble trainers or sneakers rather than the rigid downhill boots. The most important difference is the binding which is only clipped to the ski at the toe of the boot and so allows normal walking movements. It also makes many downhill ski techniques near to impossible. I am a passable parallel alpine skier but I felt that I had gone right back to my first day on skis when I first tried them on. But after half an hour I had mastered the differences and was confidently striding out along the tracks.

It is easy on the flat, which is what the green trails are. Going up hill also you are perfectly in control though you quickly find out if you are out of condition, but going down is quite terrifying at first. The down hill techniques of slowing down and stopping that you instinctively try to use just don't seem to work. But with practice the gentle slopes of the prepared trails become easier as you learn the technique for slowing down.

The motion is between walking and gliding though when we first saw tele markers in their body hugging skin tight suits striding out with graceful skating steps at double our speed it made me feel very pedestrian.

Wide appeal

On the trail it became evident that the average cross country skier is different to your average downhill skier. Firstly they are likely to be much older. They look too as if they like being out in the winter countryside rather than enduring the cold exercise as an unpleasant prelude to the apre-ski. French Nordic ski families seem to carry large rucsacs for le lavish picnic.

Benefits

There are environmental benefits too. The mountains do not have to be re-engineered to create pistes.. all you need is a snowy track. Lifts, tows and gondolas are not needed. And you can appreciate the beauty of the winter mountain scenery in silence, save for the panting of your breath and the swish swish of your skis moving forwards. And there is a warm glow from tired muscles at the end of the day together with the satisfaction that you did it all yourself.