How is a Ski Vacation Like Valhalla?

In the old Viking religion, the highest honor was to die in battle. For those warriors "fortunate" enough to meet their end this way, they were rewarded by getting to spend the afterlife in Valhalla, which was the residence of Odin, chief of the Norse gods.

In Valhalla, every morning the warriors would wake up, don their armor and weapons, and march out into the snow covered fields surrounding Odin's hall. Then they would do battle against each other all day long. At the end of the day, Odin would come forth and miraculously heal all of the wounds suffered during the day of combat. Then all of the warriors would march back into Valhalla, and spend the evening drinking and feasting before falling asleep. The next morning they would awaken to begin the process over again.

The modern ski vacation is something like that. In the morning you get up and put on your gear for the day. Then you go out, get on the ski lift, and spend the day doing battle against the slopes of the mountain in the cold and the snow. At the end of the day, through the power of modern analgesics, you are healed of your aches and pains. Then you go out for dinner at a three star restaurant. And the next morning you do it all over again.