Sunday, January 14, 2007
Snowboarding!
Well, I'm back! And happily (if slightly unexcitingly for the rest of you, I suppose) in one piece :)
We left Southampton at 3am last Saturday, and about 13 hours later (including a 3-hour coach trip from Geneva airport) we arrived in Tignes. It's basically a small, self-contained tourist village -- just hotels, bars, restaurants and ski equipment shops. It's nice enough in its own way, I suppose, but the thick covering of snow made it a bit more special. At one point around Christmas time, it was touch-and-go whether there'd be enough of it to go round, but luckily the white stuff had arrived by the time we did!
Because it's winter, the days are short, so you need to be out early to make the most of your time. The lifts open at 9am and close at 4:30pm. Hardcore types can party until 5am or whenever if they wish, but I don't think we stayed up much past 11pm all week. We slept a lot in the early evening, too -- it's pretty knackering stuff. Our non-'boarding life was fairly dull, in fact: mostly sleeping, eating, drinking and playing "shithead".
For the first 3 mornings, us n00bs had lessons. Some picked it up quicker than others, but I think 3 lessons is about right for anyone, for snowboarding at least. It's just long enough to be shown the most critical part: how to turn. Once you've mastered that, you can go just about anywhere in the resort (though some slopes are much trickier than others, of course!). I found it pretty tough, I have to admit. You have to get used to the idea of putting your weight forward as you're going downhill, when your instinct is to lean back, i.e. uphill. I spent most of Tues and Wed going down the n00b-slope again and again, falling repeatedly on my arse, face and arms, and getting pretty fed up. Thankfully, the others had a bit of an off-day on Wed, too, so we decided to take the afternoon off and take the funicular up to the highest part of the resort, at the base of La Grande Motte, at which point you're over 11,000ft up! It was damned windy, but great fun.
The next day, I did what I probably should've done a day or so earlier -- come down a proper piste with the other guys. Although it was just the same level of difficulty as the one I'd been struggling on all week, it was longer and less repetitive, with some steeper and some shallower parts; and being out of the valley, the scenery was absolutely magnificent. And suddenly I found myself being able to turn. Not expertly, and not on the steep bits (there's a more basic technique you can use for coming down these); but with much more confidence and consistency -- and it was a real buzz. From starting to feel like I just wanted to come home, I realised why people love skiing and 'boarding so much. I'd love to do it again. The only question is whether I try skiing next time, or stick to what I (sort of) know! It was good to go in such a large group, too, as it allowed those of similar ability to stick together and do their own thing.
Anyway, click the pic below for photos! (log in if you're a friend, I've made pics of people private)
We left Southampton at 3am last Saturday, and about 13 hours later (including a 3-hour coach trip from Geneva airport) we arrived in Tignes. It's basically a small, self-contained tourist village -- just hotels, bars, restaurants and ski equipment shops. It's nice enough in its own way, I suppose, but the thick covering of snow made it a bit more special. At one point around Christmas time, it was touch-and-go whether there'd be enough of it to go round, but luckily the white stuff had arrived by the time we did!
Because it's winter, the days are short, so you need to be out early to make the most of your time. The lifts open at 9am and close at 4:30pm. Hardcore types can party until 5am or whenever if they wish, but I don't think we stayed up much past 11pm all week. We slept a lot in the early evening, too -- it's pretty knackering stuff. Our non-'boarding life was fairly dull, in fact: mostly sleeping, eating, drinking and playing "shithead".
For the first 3 mornings, us n00bs had lessons. Some picked it up quicker than others, but I think 3 lessons is about right for anyone, for snowboarding at least. It's just long enough to be shown the most critical part: how to turn. Once you've mastered that, you can go just about anywhere in the resort (though some slopes are much trickier than others, of course!). I found it pretty tough, I have to admit. You have to get used to the idea of putting your weight forward as you're going downhill, when your instinct is to lean back, i.e. uphill. I spent most of Tues and Wed going down the n00b-slope again and again, falling repeatedly on my arse, face and arms, and getting pretty fed up. Thankfully, the others had a bit of an off-day on Wed, too, so we decided to take the afternoon off and take the funicular up to the highest part of the resort, at the base of La Grande Motte, at which point you're over 11,000ft up! It was damned windy, but great fun.
The next day, I did what I probably should've done a day or so earlier -- come down a proper piste with the other guys. Although it was just the same level of difficulty as the one I'd been struggling on all week, it was longer and less repetitive, with some steeper and some shallower parts; and being out of the valley, the scenery was absolutely magnificent. And suddenly I found myself being able to turn. Not expertly, and not on the steep bits (there's a more basic technique you can use for coming down these); but with much more confidence and consistency -- and it was a real buzz. From starting to feel like I just wanted to come home, I realised why people love skiing and 'boarding so much. I'd love to do it again. The only question is whether I try skiing next time, or stick to what I (sort of) know! It was good to go in such a large group, too, as it allowed those of similar ability to stick together and do their own thing.
Anyway, click the pic below for photos! (log in if you're a friend, I've made pics of people private)
Friday, January 05, 2007
A belated "happy new year!" to all...
...although 2007 hasn't been too promising so far. I've just had one of my worst weeks ever what with being sniffly and bunged-up and worky-stressy and being winded and rained on and whatnot. Plus I had to come back to work the day after Boxing Day, as I said before; and as soon as I'm back from skiing, a week from now, I'll have yet another load of work to get going on, marked "urgent". Gah!
Still, New Years' Eve itself was fantastic. Last year it all went a bit pear-shaped and I ended up paying silly money for a ticket to a mediocre, half-empty club in Cheltenham (don't ask), but this year a number of old friends (including me!) gathered at a friend's house in the Docklands where we spent a very pleasant evening eating and drinking and catching up with each other's lives. And when we all came to, the first morning of 2007 was as bright, sunny and optimistic as the last evening of 2006 had been wet, windy and miserable. I walked back to Waterloo along the Thames feeling very content.
And early tomorrow morning (or late tonight, depending on how you see it), I'm off to the Alps with Al and various others, to lose my winter sports virginity. The stress of this week was almost making me wish I didn't have to bother so soon, but now I'm starting to look forward to it. I just hope I remember everything I need!
Still, New Years' Eve itself was fantastic. Last year it all went a bit pear-shaped and I ended up paying silly money for a ticket to a mediocre, half-empty club in Cheltenham (don't ask), but this year a number of old friends (including me!) gathered at a friend's house in the Docklands where we spent a very pleasant evening eating and drinking and catching up with each other's lives. And when we all came to, the first morning of 2007 was as bright, sunny and optimistic as the last evening of 2006 had been wet, windy and miserable. I walked back to Waterloo along the Thames feeling very content.
And early tomorrow morning (or late tonight, depending on how you see it), I'm off to the Alps with Al and various others, to lose my winter sports virginity. The stress of this week was almost making me wish I didn't have to bother so soon, but now I'm starting to look forward to it. I just hope I remember everything I need!
