[Red.] High in the Flachau mountains, a transparent, strange object glistens in the sunshine. What at first seems like a UFO turns out on close inspection to be something very different. You see, roaming the slopes of the Flachau Snowboard Arena aren’t astronauts, but rather zorbonauts!

In the same spot where, during the winter, folks are zipping down the slopes on boards in various shapes and sizes, once summer arrives, things really begin to rock ‘n roll – literally, downhill at speeds of up to 50 clicks! If you’re looking for an adrenaline kick of a different kind and you don’t mind having your bones rattled a little, you might want to give this odd, inflated plastic ball a shot and learn first-hand what a hamster feels like when he hits top-gear on his wheel.

Actually, to be exact, a Zorb consists of not one, but two balls, with the smaller one mounted by countless ties and a cushion of air inside the bigger one. You climb in through a small tunnel on the side, while you will be transported up into the hills of Flachau by means of a specially constructed lift that will get you to the start in no time flat.

You’ll have time to take one deep breath and then it’s “Valley, here I come!”. The “normal” downhill method has you belted to the inside of the Zorb, before you roll head-over-heels down the hillside. But if you’d prefer to add a little water to the action, there’s also the so-called “Hydro Zorbing” option: in this case, there are no safety belts, but rather a bucket of water that will basically allow you to surf down the mountain. This isn’t just a great way to cool down on hot summer days, it’s also guaranteed to get rid of any kind of hangover from the night before! Plus, if you’re looking for a unique first date, Zorbing’s as good as it gets: you know, if you want to get a little closer, why not try Zorbing instead of a dark movie theater?

You can find complete information and facts about Zorbing in Flachau online at www.zorb.at  - let the good times roll!