When you see experienced skaters gliding around nonchalantly it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that something that looks so easy must actually be easy. Naturally enough, all sense of romance is immediately abandoned upon stepping onto the ice in your fairly uncomfortable skates, and thoughts quickly turn to matters of a more survival-based nature. It would be great not to fall. Still having ten fingers at the end of this would be a result.
And when you inevitably fall and release yourself to the rush of shame: it would be great not to have broken anything.
And even if you have broken something, you suspect that you won't know till later as the sheer adrenaline-rush fuelled will not to be seen to have broken anything may actually carry you still skating off the rink.
It's a wonder all things considered we return year on year to put ourselves through it again.
I'm a survivor though and I still haven't broken a bone. And every year shows a small but definite improvement such that I haven't lost hope that one day, when I'm old, I'll be able to do that backward glide thing. or that knee bent spin thing. That's romance for you.
And somehow the fiction mixed with the reality all amount to plain good fun.
I've heard tell that the rink at the Point Depot (yeah I know it's not called that still, but it keeps changing its name a la corporate every five minutes so I'm reverting and I encourage you to do the same) has special things adults can hold on to (and I'm not talking about the sides of the rink) - the RDS only provides these for small kids - which make the risk of falling a whole lot less, so this might be a better option for those new to it.
On the plus side, here you have outdoor rides, Funderland a few paces away (so rob a bank first), and all the junk food you can shake a pretzel at within easy reach.
Book online to save queueing, come early to get skates, and be first off the rink if you don't want to wait 20 minutes to get your shoes at the end of the session. read more
