Lea Hartl

In meteorology, weather conditions that occur with above-average probability on a certain date are called singularities or weather regularities. One such singularity is the much-hated Christmas thaw. While everything is often still frosty and Christmasy white just before the holidays, it starts to thaw when the presents arrive, it gets warm, it rains and not even an array of colorful fairy lights can alleviate the dreariness of muddy front gardens?

There are quite a few people who claim they can smell snow. Whether it really is the Arctic cold air that they can smell or whether Father Frost has lit a scented candle - who knows. What is certain is that something is brewing in the north and when it reaches the Alps, we will all be drowning in snow chaos. At least that's what the weather warnings in all the media want.

The tourist center of Patagonia is San Carlos de Bariloche, both in summer and winter. Argentinian school groups and Brazilian package tourists are impressively present: they always appear in packs everywhere, recognizable by their uniform look in borrowed winter clothing.

For us, the South American skiing experience usually begins at an airport far away from South America. This is followed by a 15-hour flight, a bus ride (or two) that is at least as long, dusty, foreign cities and people who talk far too fast for you to understand them in meagre tourist Spanish...