As temperatures drop in our southern states, the snow falls begin and every year is a bumper year on the snow fields. Now I know you probably normally don't associate Australia with snow, but we have some wonderful alpine regions out here. The snow fields are big and clean and, if you avoid school holidays, you'll have plenty of room to move. Check public holidays and school holiday dates.

In winter, Australia normally has an extensive snow cover on the alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales and some small snow fields in Tasmania. While Australia actually has more snow cover (in area) than found in Switzerland, the snow depth can vary from almost nothing to several metres.

The ski season officially begins at the start of June but there is rarely any snow to ski on. From early July to mid-September is the best part of the season. In most years there is still good skiing until mid-November on the Kosciusko Main Range.

Here's a great place to start. You'll find ski and weather reports for all the ski resorts, accommodation specials, travel details and even jobs!

My daughter worked on the ski fields for a couple of years and had a wonderful time. Living right at the foot of the ski-run, walking to all the ski-lifts during the day (and night-spots after work) was her idea of heaven!

Perisher Blue encompasses 1250 snow-covered hectares that incorporate seven mountain peaks across four great resorts that are interlinked by an amazing network of lifts.

For those of you in the northern hemisphere, you still have a a bit of time to get fit for the snow season, so here are some exercises to get you prepared:

16. Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for a half an hour. Afterwards, burn two $50 dollar bills to warm up.

15. Soak your gloves and store them in the freezer after every use.

14. Fasten a small, wide rubber band around the top half of your head before you go to bed each night.

13. If you wear glasses, begin wearing them with glue smeared on the lenses.

12. Throw away a hundred dollar bill-now.

11. Find the nearest ice rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car. Sporadically drop things.

10. Place a small but angular pebble in your shoes, line them with crushed ice, and then tighten a C-clamp around your toes.

9. Buy a new pair of gloves and immediately throw one away.

8. Secure one of your ankles to a bed post and ask a friend to run into you at high speed.

7. Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $8.50 for a hamburger. Be sure you are in the longest line.

6. Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motorcycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face.

5. Drive slowly for five hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a snowstorm and you're following an 18 wheeler.

4. Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face. Leave the ice on your face until it melts. Let it drip into your clothes.

3. Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to take them off because you have to go to the bathroom.

2. Slam your thumb in a car door. Don't go see a doctor.

1. Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday until it's time for the real thing!

Chuckle ... surely it's not that bad ...

(This has been doing the rounds on the Internet for some years ... if you know who the original author is, please contact me so I can give credit where it's due.)

Travel to Australia

Snow in Australia