Blast from the Past

Well well well... I stumbled across this blog today.


Written by myself a few years ago. Nearly 6 years ago to be exact!

...(just going to take a moment here to reflect on how old that makes me feel)

I plan to start up a blog again and fill it with various things.

But first I feel I need to bring some kind of end to this story.


Although it fell down by the wayside very early on. I had hoped with this blog to create a memory of posts and stories to immortalise this event  that I felt was going to be the experience of my life.

And in many ways it was.










The trip was a whirlwind of a sport that I loved (and still do), work, new faces, socialising, drinks, food, and a few incredibly sad, lonely moments. Which were almost certainly only to balance all the fun out.


I was privileged to enjoy this 5 month long winter season - although I worked, there was a distinct lack of any responsibility as most days I didn't have a care in the world and my only thought was getting on the lazy, mid-morning lift up the mountain and spending the day shredding up the powder, making momentary friendships and staring at spectacular views.










And I was so ready, to let anything I was committed to, go ...Including this blog.




I was way too busy discovering this new lifestyle that made me feel like the eternal student but without all the studying.




I feel it's a shame that there is this unfinished story of the winter season - so hopefully these pictures taken throughout the following months will fill some of the hole.

I would also like to share the following link with you - an edit put together by my pal of her winter season adventure (it just so happens to include me).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVlavv0twdA

Enjoy watching and thanks for reading!

First ride of the season

On Saturday I dragged myself out of bed bright and early...was extremely excited but not being much of a morning person getting out of bed was still a struggle.  After getting dressed and ready and with some weetabix in my tummy we were set to go. My bindings were not on my board...but it was fine we were going down in our minibus so I sat in the back and was set to put them on as we where headed to the lift. Half way down the road (and after starting at my board and bindings for a few mins wondering what to do next) I realised I hadnt brought the bolts to attach them to my board....panic! After a quick trip back and many apologies later, we sat on a lift headed up the mountain :)

What an awesome day! I was thrilled to discover I haven't forgotten how to snowboard, but I was definitely more wobbly. I have a complete inability to keep any kind of speed up on flats atm, but hopefully that will rectify itself over time. Considering I went boarding with 3 other people that have done a hell of a lot of snow seasons before I didn't do too badly keeping up :) in a few weeks I'll be well away!:D 

We had a quick stop in the morning to get a crepe and a hot chocolate which was very well received. Then we were off. A run or two later I was already feeling the burn on my legs....definitely had't done enough squats and lunges to prepare. Have to say very few falls but then a quick off piste attempt had me tumbling down the hill and getting stuck in the snow. 

Notice anything missing from this picture.....yes my toe strap. Managed to lose the screw from my toe strap as I was getting out of a lift bubble. Short of searching all of the pods I didn't have much luck finding it in the snow around me. So then began an interesting journey down to Avoriaz on my own to find a shop that might have some lying around. Being the complete plonker with no sense of direction that I am, I managed to miss Avoriaz completely and came 

out of one run to find that I was now below it. But luckily I had stumbled on some kind of snow gear makes event. every snow gear make you can think of had a tent thing up or a stall, so I wondered around found the Burton one and managed to get a new screw :) by this point I had no idea where anyone else had gone and hadn't yet bought a phone, but had a nice few runs on my own and then decided to head back down to Morzine...So using a piste map I made my way down. I maneged to end up on a closed slope. I did wonder why there had been a fence across the top :/ there wasn't much snow and there were a hell of a lot of rocks, I did okay to begin with just dodging rocks, but there where some severe ridges that caught me out and then there were more rocks than snows so the last bit I had to take off my board and walk. It was an interesting ride down.

Two hours later the others turned up :/ but all in all was a good day of riding :) with many more to follow I hope...

Finally

...and then there was snow. Woo!! the snow started a coupla days ago, its been alternating between lovely dry sticky snow and huge flakes, and then almost rain-like flakes and wet soggy snow. All in all looks like when the lifts open we will have something half decent to board on :D Hopefully I'll be up there on Saturday...as long as we've got the chalet all ready for our first guest :) Cant wait to hit the slopes! 

The other night we went off to do some wine tasting so we could help chose the house wines and the upgrade wines for the guests....was more than just a little tipsy by the time we got round all the  wines, and was interesting trying to come up with different ways to describe wine ('um, well its bold and erm, smooth with a hint of sophistication..??). But it was a good evening and we were all fairly jolly by the end of it so a night out was bound to follow ;). 

Fun practical day

So today things have been a lil more interesting. Still no snow but I have high hopes for tomorrow....iv managed to convince myself that when I wake up in the morning it IS gonna be white. :/ Today we have been looking at how to look after the hot tub, driving the minivan and putting on snow chains. It was a nice more practical day...I enjoyed driving the minivan, was confusing driving on the other side of the road. I may have tried to go round a coupla roundabouts the wrong way but I got there in the end :)

We also learnt how to put on snow chains and I have to say I was pretty awesome....Iv definitely unearthed a hidden talent :/we also had the boys trying to race each other putting them on. It was fairly amusing to watch.

The guys Ill be working with in Chalet Chambertin are awesome. Today they threw together a lunch for everyone when we didnt think we had anything....tasted amazing. Freddie and Rachel are my favourite cooks out here. 

We also had an amazing dinner...I am definitely being well fed here. We had homemade creamy fish pie with veg and ice cream for pudding :D

I will eventually stop posting pictures of just food....but as theres no snow the yummy food is the only way to go.

We also tried looking a food budgets and cost per person for food and wine....it was definitely confusing and I'm hoping Freddie and Rach understood it :S

At the end of the day we headed to Bar Robinson and chilled out with a few beers (well everyone else had beer, but I was definitely in a hot chocolate mood). 

Was an awesome day topped off nicely by a big cup of hot chocolate and am nice and chilled out. All ready for a long day tomorrow moving boxes from chalet to chalet then an evening wine tasting ;) looking forward to it...

There's a lot to take in.

So here I am now in Morzine. Arrived yesterday at about 10am which was a total of 21 hours travelling since I left my house. The ride was not what you would call comfy....There were 8 people in the minibus and a hell of alot of luggage. People had to share seats and were tightly packed with luggage. But we arrived in one piece :)
After a short nap we had a nice meal kindly provided by Emma and Olly...with caaake :D

We all sat down and chilled out together, it was nice to chat to the people I will be working in not in the confines of the cramped minivan. After a few (ahem) bottles of wine everyone was getting on well and people slouched off to bed.

We are currently temporarily housed in a different chalet to the one I will be working in while we all go through training together, and sharing a room with the legend that is Glenda Bottomley :D Definately regretted having the nap when we got in as neither of us got any sleep that night and ended up watching Wallie till 6am....
Am definitely flagging now.
Olly has gone through the details of what our jobs entail today...and its a lot to take in. Makes me feel pretty nervous bout starting, but Im working with some awesome people so I have a good feeling bout it all :)
Snow is Due to fall this Friday...have got my fingers crossed.

Organised chaos..

So it may have only hit me recently how soon I go, and how much I have left to organise...

So in a frenzied, item throwing state I've spent the last coupla days attempting to write lists and pack up my stuff, those who know me well know this is normal for me. Its a lot harder than I thought it would be to pack for six months...not quite the same as packing for a week long hol in the snow. Have bought a few last minute things such as a camera charger (fairly neccessary) and a new helmet (not so neccessary). Have sorted through my music, which was a huuuuge task as apparently I am ITunes illiterate, and finally everything is slowly coming together in a slightly chaotic way.

One list of many....











This is actually more organised than it looks.

 New Helmet :)

Most of my stuff is now in bags and I may have tried on all my gear (to make sure it all still fits of course) a few too many times, and soon I will be off. My blog will (hopefully) then make for a more interesting read....

Only 18 days to go

So I don't have long left now. Have been 'persuaded' to start a blog to document my season....thanks to Dan Jesse.

I have been successful enough to bag a job with a company I have a lot of respect for. From what I have experienced so far from  Mountain Mavericks  they are a small and unique company providing bespoke holidays in a range of different chalets located around the immense Portes Du Soleil area. 

I will be working as a chalet host in The Chalet Chambertin....it has a jacuuuuuzzi :D

So hopefully I will be posting lots of pictures and describing how my winter season 2011-12 is going for anyone interested :)