Sleepover

Hi everyone,

It’s been quite a busy week here for us so sorry that our weekly update is a bit late.

Since our last post we have been all over the 3 Valleys mainly on our skis unless we have had a big dump of snow which means we go out on our snowboards, it’s brilliant to now have a choice and to be honest I think I actually prefer the skis now and am absolutely flying which Julie finds quite annoying as 2 weeks ago it was her telling me what to do and now she can’t keep up with me!  Last weekend our fellow campers Pete & Debbie took us over to see the Indian Village in Courchevel where there is actually a blue run down through the trees called “Indiens”.   Half way down there is a real small Indian settlement with a large Teepee complete with animal skin covered benches inside with, a large fire pit in the centre with a cooking pot etc and you can even join them and have your lunch with them and there 2 dogs and outside you can even have a go at shooting some bows & arrows.   On the way back we stopped at the kiddies “Inuits” (meaning Eskimo) Village” for our lunch and Julie liked the look of one of the Igloos although she had to fight off a few of the kids off to get into one, which was a very a tight squeeze too!

James & Charlie arrived in Val Thorens the next valley over on Saturday evening along with William & Emily so we arranged to meet up with them to collect some vital supplies which Charlie had very kindly bought for us and we had also planned a “sleepover” on Tuesday night which the children were really excited about.  We didn’t manage to meet them on Sunday as when we woke up and it was absolutely dumping it down so Julie & I were quite excited to get back out on our boards so off we headed and although the visibility wasn’t great we had a great time and even did the Face (a black run), the snow was deeper than ever we just couldn’t believe it in places it was knee deep!  The snow was so heavy and the visibility got worse so we decided to head back to the van for lunch, after lunch Julie & Debbie went off for a spot of shopping while Pete and I decided to go and have it large and make the most of the superb conditions even though the visibility was poor, the snow was so heavy it was covering our tracks as quick as they were made and most pistes were like riding off piste.  That evening we had been invited over to Chris & Ron’s van for drinks and snacks, it was a great end to a fantastic day.  The snow carried on most of the night and when we got up Monday morning Julie had to use the door as a snow plough to get it open so I knew what my first job of the day would be……shovelling snow!

We had arranged to meet James & Charlie in Meribel-Mottaret so we met up and found some fantastic powder on an untouched black run on route back to Val Thorens as we had to meet the kids from ski school.  Charlie and I cut a few corners and Julie followed but we soon discovered some seriously deep powder and if you don’t keep forward momentum you simply sink to your waist and then have to roll around to get out unlike Charlie who used her ski poles to get herself out, the picture says it all.  Once in Val Thorens we met two very excited children from ski school and headed off and did a few runs with them in the afternoon before heading home.

That night we packed our sleepover bags ready for our night over in Val Thorens.  We got up and out early with our skis on for the first lifts as this week was “silly week” (busy half termers) and was in VT by 10am so we dropped our backpacks off at their apartment and headed off with James & Charlie with a lunch stop on route before picking the kids up.  It was our first mountain lunch so a real treat for us, it’s funny how simple things can mean so much, god it was a mean burger & chips and no washing up washed down with a large beer and a couple of Vin Chaud’s for Julie.  

Again we did a few runs with the kids and then headed back to the apartment for a home cooked chilli & rice (thanks Charlie) and a few games with the kids before an early night.  Before dinner the light above the dining table was not working so James called the handy man who came to fix it.  While he was there I said get him to straighten a large picture above the sofa, with that James said I’ll do it so he removed said picture to reveal a very large graffitied male genitallia on the wall in black marker pen which was obviously why the picture had been strategically placed there, luckily the kids were upstairs playing on their iPads while us four just fell about in fits of laughter and quickly re-hung the picture and luckily the handy man didn’t spot it either!!

Wednesday morning we woke up opened the curtains to snow and poor vis so we decided to would be best to head off back to Meribel, James & Charlie joined us some of the way back but it wasn’t nice and wasn’t getting any better, infact it took us almost 3 hours to get back as you could only see one piste marker at a time.  It was nice to get back to the van for a cuppa and a chill out after the difficult journey back.  Thursday we met up with James & Charlie once again and did a few runs in Courchevel including my first black run on skis which was pretty steep to say the least but I love a challenge, Julie waited at the bottom soaking up some rays as it was a lovely day.  Sadly we had to say our goodbyes as James & Charlie had to get back for the kids leaving ski school, so Julie and I did a few more runs making the most of the glorious weather, on our way home we gave Pete a ring to see where they were as they had had a day out with Chris & Ron, we met up and did a few runs working our way home back to the van but as it was getting late some of the runs where getting icy as they were in the shade.  Chris & Ron are so fast for pensioners, so there’s hope for us yet.  Sorry Chris & Ron!!

Friday we scrounged a lift down the mountain to do a bit of shopping as our 10 litres of wine was running low, thanks to Pete & Debbie for the lift. 

Today we reached day 25 out on the slopes which means that our season ski passes are now paid for so we are skiing/boarding for free from tomorrow!!

Result of the week was that every Sunday they run a competition on Meribel radio to win a Jack Wolfskin jacket and I had missed out the last couple of weekends so I was glued to the radio then I heard the question which was related to the weather report that she had just read out so I quickly rang in and to my surprise I got through and answered the question correctly so I was a winner.  A few days later we went up and picked the coat up and asked how much it would be to buy and to my shock he said about €300 so I’ve had a right result but the trouble is that now everybody we know is going to be trying to win another one this sunday  - good luck, quickest dialler wins!

We have learnt a few new phrases from Pete & Debbie this week, “speed it up”, “flatten it” and “get it down your clacker” but we are not sure if they are technical terms meant for on the piste or for apres-ski in the bar!  We may have to have a detox next week as this week there has been plenty of apres-ski as another couple we met who were here for a week’s holiday have been leading us astray - great to met Richard & Aline and their children Bethan & Finn who actually only live in Hollingburne near Maidstone so I am sure we will catch up with them when we are back in the UK.

We really don’t know how we used to fit work in and hate to say it be don’t miss it at all, and I have been eyeing up some new machinery.

Well that’s about it for this week, looking forward to tonight as we are out for a lovely meal with our fellow campers so that means only one thing NO WASHING UP!

Catch up next week.

J&J