Rudi Gonsalves could barely contain his excitement as he sped downhill. It was the first day of his holiday in the Romanian ski resort of Poiana Brasov and he was 6,000 feet up one of its highest mountains, breathing in the cleanest air.
Weather and snow conditions were perfect. An experienced skier, he tackled the difficult "black" run with ease, knees gently bent to meet the uneven surface of the snow.
Rudi, a part-time youth worker from Epsom Downs, Surrey, regularly booked a winter holiday with his wife Sue. But Sue was scared of heights and could not overcome her sense of foreboding as the skiing season approached.
So this time Rudi, a keen sportsman and fit for his 57 years, had come alone.
As he snaked his way down the mountain on that March afternoon last year, snowflakes began to fall—lightly at first, then more heavily until the clouds blotted out the sun entirely, transforming everything into a ghostly whiteness.
He could just make out other skiers descending the slopes as fast as they could. I'd better stay close to them for safety, he decided. This could be tricky.
Straining to see ahead, Rudi was only vaguely aware of a looming outline lumbering up the mountain.
"Did anyone see me fall? Where am I?"
He looked around him, trying to get his bearings, but in every direction there was only the same vast whiteness.
Then he took out his gold watch, a treasured present from his wife. It not only told him the time, 1.54pm, it also seemed to give him strength.
It was getting dark when Rudi finally gave up his attempt to scale the mountain and decided to head downhill instead. He knew it would mean moving away from the best route back to his hotel, but there seemed to be no alternative.
Despair began to dog Rudi as he faced up to the reality of spending a night in the open. It was 5.30 pm and the temperature was dropping fast. He began to shiver, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He felt very alone.
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After three hours he was very tired, colder than he had ever felt.
He was barely aware of two horses drawing a wagon along the lane towards him.
