The Anton Files... Extra Curricular Activities

 Snow and sun cannot be guaranteed. Fact. 

Take this week, for example. Blue skies and fresh powder for transfer day, when everyone was working their arses off. Then howling gales and white-outs for days on end when we actually had some time to enjoy the mountain. 

So what's a girl to do? In St Anton, thank the Lord, there are quite a few options. 

Take the Arlberg Well.Com centre. A modern, almost space age building overlooking the village, it houses enough treats to keep you occupied for hours. It's not cheap, but you get your money's worth. 

Swimming at home can be a depressing experience. Tired council-run baths with dingy changing rooms, tepid water and kids with verruca socks. Not so here. It's like getting into a bath. 

There's a fun pool incorporating jacuzzi and waterfall rooms and, best of all, an outside section, where the water's even hotter. Your head is braving the elements (and snow) at -15 degrees while the rest of you languishes in the tropics.

Then the water jets come on, creating a whirlpool effect which spins you around - you're powerless to resist. For sensible people, there's another outdoor pool, devoid of splashing kids (and grown-ups) for doing lengths. 

Once you've done that, sauna world needs to be explored. For prudish Brits, it's not for the faint-hearted. It's full of naked people and, being blunt, some of them ain't pretty. 

The steam room (twinkling lights, the aroma of eucalyptus) is a good place to learn to embrace the nudity - bascially because you can see flap all. 

After that, breezing around the selection of saunas and showers in the all together won't be too much of a problem. In between times, there are indoor sun-loungers overlooking the pistes to recline on. It's a great place to bring a book. And chill. 

From no clothes to all the clothes you can muster for my next top recommendation - tobogganing. 

Sounds like a gentle, child-friendly activity but it's undoubtedly the most dangerous thing I have done since I got here. 

Full-on kit (helmet, goggles and snowboarding boots) is desired. The track is open during the day but, for maximum scare-factor, it's best done at night. 

After taking the Nasserein gondola in the pitch black, first stop has to be the Gampen Bar for a few Jaegermeisters and Dutch courage, then a dance around to the Tyrolean band (playing hard rock classics, traditional-stylee), before hurtling down 4.3km of hairpin bends and steep descents with only your feet for brakes. 

Crashes and 360s are guaranteed, but there's another mountain refuge three-quarters of the way down with an open fire and hot chocolate so you can warm up and re-energise ahead of the home straight. Good times. 

But I am here to ride and ride I will. The forecast is looking up and a boy with 10 seasons' experience is threatening to take me out and show me some secret spots. 

Stay tuned for the next installment, when I shall be spilling some beans...

http://arlberg-well.com
http://www.stantonamarlberg.com