Thrills and spills are a downhill experience

The veterans will then remind you of the differences of human capacity. They speed down the advanced slopes while skillfully changing their course to avoid other people, fly over the jumps, and at last take an elegant curve and gracefully come, with the de rigueuer spray of snow, to a halt at the chairlift entrance.

You may also encounter other interesting people-social media influencers taking photos in their matching outfits and equipment, and occasionally celebrities, fully dressed against the elements, but still managing to be recognized by fans.

But it's often more fun to watch the novices, skiers who have trouble controlling their speed, and hence face the risk of becoming a "torpedo", an expression denoting an uncontrolled hurtle down the slope.

Those new to snowboarding are, on the other hand, prone to fall over in ways that may appear to defy the laws of physics. When they lose their balance, they might fall on their backs or knees, unable to get up; when they catch an edge, they might take quite a few tumbles down the slope; and when they get off the chairlift, they might crash into one another. Of course, I know because of personal experience.

This is where "the little tortoise "comes in handy. The tortoise-shaped plushy that people wear on their butts and knees as cushions has developed its own air of celebrity at ski resorts across China over the past several years.

Whoever first had the idea of hanging a stuffed toy on their buttocks must surely be a genius. Even though they are considered by some to be unprofessional or clumsy, they are thick and soft and provide cushioned comfort to most coccyx-crunching tumbles.