It was so cold today, I tell you. And no wonder because we are up to the coldest July morning in 21 years today, when the thermometer dipped to 3.7 degrees.
Early risers were greeted by frost-covered gardens in Hornsby Heights, rowing in Balmain on water like a millpond and running on ovals of crunchy grass.Although there is no chance of snow falling in the city, the Blue Mountains may soon be dusted in white.
Talking about snow, I found a list of ski resorts for those of us born without a silver ski in our mouths.
1. Poiana Brasov, Romania. Ok, so the terrain won't challenge the advanced but you can't beat skiing past Dracula's castle in the Carpathian mountains of Transylvania. A six day ski pass costs about $160, private lessons $10 an hour, a bottle of wine $7 and a bottle of beer $2.
2. Bansko, Bulgaria. Hailed as the new Aspen of the East without the Colorado prices. There's not many places you can get lift passes for $40 a day, a sixteen kilometer run, no lift queues thanks to computer data lift passes and $2 bottled beers all served up in a World Heritage listed town.
3. Cheget, Russia. Ski with your comrades on the volcanic cone of Mt Elbrus. Don't tell the French, Swiss and Italians but it's the tallest mountain in Europe (5642metres) and once used by Russian astronauts for high altitude training. Now home to Russia's new rich, there's loads of both groomed and off piste for a mere $15 day lift pass. Then there's the vodka, try $5 for a bottle.
4. Zakopane, Poland. This seventeenth century town is the hub for a series of ski resorts. Kasprowy Weirch cablecar costs $7, add another $10 for lunch with beer and you can afford to shout your instructor and his mates.
5. Jasna, Slovakia. Lift passes cost a mere $21 for four resorts on the one mountain with 17 lifts, one gondola and four chairlifts. Be warned, advanced skiers won't necessarily be sweating and lift queues can take a while. Beer's $1.50 so that will restore the smile when you sup on a bottle in the Besenova hot springs. Take your own spices, Slovakian food can be bland with a capital B.
6. Shemshak, Iran. What do you call a skier impaled upon their ski pole in Iran? Skibab (groan). There's enough steeps and undulating hills to make Shemshak perfect for all levels. Add some youthful Persians with trust funds on holiday and prepare to party. Ski passes are $12 and gals, wear a beanie and cover that hair for cultural purposes on the slopes. Can't tell you the real price of beer as there's not supposed to be any but where there's a will...
7. Yabuli, China. Host to the 3rd Asian Winter games and home to the world's longest toboggan run. Prices start from $42 for a full day including equipment hire on weekdays.
8. Nakafurano, Japan. Ok, it's small, very small and the longest, and only, run is 400metres but it's a mere 1030 Yen or $9.60 for a lift pass. Or try Shiga Kogen's 21 linked ski resorts and 71 lifts with a $45 lift pass. Chu Hai alcoholic rice liquor soda pop is $1.40 a can in vending machines and crumbed chicken curry a mere $7 on the mountain.
9. Loveland, Colorado. What, infamous Colorado powder and bluebird days for under $100? Impossible! Think again. An hour from Denver, Loveland's day pass is $45 and the snow in abundance.
10. Mt Dobson, New Zealand Four hundred hectares on the south island for $54. The New Zealand clubfields offer the best snow value for money in Australasia. If you stay on mountain and pitch in with chores at Canterbury's Mt Olympus then dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch will only cost you $80 a day. Bring your own booze.
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