Weigh Out Way-In

CHAPTER 62

In about 90 minutes later they enter a tunnel through a mountain hill and ride inside for the next 15 minutes or so. Then they come to a very big door that leads them into a valley. The guests become a bit worried because there is really no path to be seen in front due to the wind blowing snow on their faces. It seems neither the Finns nor Mr and Mrs Claus look worried.

They start going uphill for quite some time and finally reach the top of the mountain hill. They stop there for a breather and have a look around. The scenery from the top is breathtaking. They can see beautifully undulating hills all around them and forest, a lot of forest, so far the eye can see.

Santa rings the bell. The others go back to the their sleighs too. Then Santa rings the bell another time. The other bells ring in succession. Then the last sleigh calls the first sleigh and the driver says, 'Everything okay and everybody ready. Let's go downhill to the pond.''

Along the way there are lots of people on their skis or on their boards going faster and more steeply downwards than Santa's Hideaway Cavalcade, who are hidden under the shroud of snow laden trees. A few kids, being newbies on the ski slope, are sticking to the edge of the thick forest bordering the slope; they are learning to ski on a less crowded and easier piste. While skiing downhill they spot something red moving in the forest.

'Blimey! See! Mr and Mrs Santa and Rudolph the Rednosed!'

'Where!?'

'Over there!'

'Can't see any?'

Look! Over there? Can't you see?!'

But then he loses his balance and falls on his face in the snow.

'Hehe! You must be dreaming, daydreaming, about Santa because Christmas Eve was two days ago.'

'No, I saw Santa, I saw Santa.'

'Okay, okay. I believe you. But can't see anything any longer. It seems I missed it. Lucky you!'

Santa's cavalcade is far gone by the time the kid is back on his feet again. He can still hear the sleigh bells chime in the distance and says,

'Can't you hear, the sleigh bells.'

'Sorry, the music is so loud, can't hear anything else. Let's keep practising.'

Some time later the cavalcade arrive at the pond. Along the way they went on the small snow covered hills that undulated pleasantly and in the eye catching valleys, one of which really stuck in their minds. There was an upright ice wall about 30 metres in height. What was more amazing was that there were some people climbing upwards using mountaineering equipment.

The first sleigh gives a signal and the others sound an alarm to the others to stop. The single ladies get off their sleigh, still troubled what they saw, and scurry up to the first sleigh. Magpie and Panda see them go there and they also hurry up to Santa.

The ladies challenge Santa,

'You brought us so secretly to your Hideaway. But now we have left a lot of tracks for somebody to trace the way back to the valley in which we were some time ago after we came out of the tunnel. They'll find the Hideaway, or if we go ask these people here where we are, they'll tell us and sooner or later we'll get to know your secret location too.'

'My dear ladies. What did you see in the valley?'

'Nothing much, because the snow got in our eyes.'

'Exactly. It's always windy there and when we have snow, then we have a snowstorm. So the secret will stay with us. And even though they might get close to the door, it can't be spotted because there are snow guns that cover the door with snow immediately it closes.'

'Oh I see. That's good, I guess?

'Yes, indeed. We don't want to disclose the secrecy around the Hideaway. It is important Santa has time to recover there from his travels and get new ideas in peace and quiet together with his trusted elves. That guarantees kids have a lot of joy at Christmas in the future too.'