It’s not all field work and laboratory research at the Functional Grains Centre, sometimes you have to take time for an adventure.

PhD Shiwangni Rao explains.

Growing up in tropical Fiji all I had known were warm temperatures and ample sunshine, except during hurricane season.  When I moved to Australia in 2015 I couldn't wait to see the snow, three years later I was still waiting. So this year I was determined those white fluffs of snow on mountain tops would not evade me.

Plans were made, and emails were sent, a FGC team building prospect had started but nothing ever goes according to plan and my hopes of seeing snow were dwindling.  Luckily the FGC has some very determined, resourceful and adventurous people and that’s how James Lee, Chris Florides and I set out on a team building experience of our own.

The trip lasted two days and a homestead was arranged at Harrietville with a 35 minute drive to the Mt Hotham Snow Resort. As we grew closer to the frosty mountain top I realised that seeing snow can be risky business. The road meanders wildly, white specks of snow in valleys and translucent ice on roads sends cars sliding sideways – this was not the picture of snow I was expecting.

It snowed all day with windy conditions and although we could not see far beyond the front of our car we did arrive at our destination in one piece. I finally got to see real snow and though everything around me was white my first impression was not a winter wonderland, just a ski centre and some lifts.

The day was still young, and I learnt skiing was not easy as it looked, I’ve even had lessons. While I continued with my epic falls and slides, James perused the greens and blues with his snowboard and Chris skied from colour to colour.

The next day brought better weather with clear skies, sun and no snow fall. I finally got to see the beauty of winter. The white speck in valleys turned to sheets of glittering white on forest floor. The frosty mountain peaks and ice crystals on posts frozen in their paths. Branches covered in snow and drips of melted ice as the sun warmed up the morning. The sight was as mesmerizing as I had imagined and with clearer skies I could see that what I had mistaken for a single ski centre was actually a buzzing town of snow lovers and adventure enthusiasts. This was my winter wonderland.

We toured all the stations, played on snowed, ate snow and tobogganed the day away. I also managed to improve on my skiing that day and dared a take a run down a green trail named the Big D with James and Chris as my safety guards. Thus, with much encouragement the three of us landed with some smooth skiing, some epic falls and lots of laughter.