Journal

That time of year again

  • Posted on: January 14, 2006
  • In: Personal
  • Comments closed

{title}It's that time of year again when Emma and I set off to deepest Europe in search of the white stuff - I'm not talking hard drugs here of course - but snow and it looks like there's going to be plenty of it this year.

Seven years bad luck

I must have broken a mirror seven years ago to have the run of bad luck we've had with snow conditions. Emma and I started snowboarding seven years ago and every year since then we've managed to skillfully avoid the best snow in Europe every time.

Take last year for example, loads of snow all over Europe in February. The French, Swiss and Austrian alps are waist deep in the stuff. In fact in Austria it was a bit of a problem last year, too much of the stuff. Where did we go? Italy, where there was none. No, that's a lie, there was loads of fake stuff on 30% of the piste. Pretty rubbish really. So, this year we thought we'd go high in the mountains to give us a fighting chance.

Les Arcs 2K

We settled on a trip with friends to the French resort of Les Arcs 2000 (2000m altitude that is - imaginative eh?). There's already a 90cm base there, although it's a little icy, but the good news is there's up to 50cm forcast for Tuesday.

The child in me

Snow, amongst other things, really does bring out the child in me. Unfortunately with that it brings a child's reckless abandon which is why I end up injuring myself whilst on holiday. So, I've tried to complile a small list to ensure I have a better time than the past couple of years.

Notes to self

  • Do not get over-excited in the new snow.
  • Do not compete with much fitter, younger brother.
  • Do not leave Wife behind at any point on the slopes.
  • Do not get lift rage with badly-dressed European skiers.
  • Do not get lift rage full stop.
  • Try to do at least one jump safely.
  • Try not to be jealous of talented five year old European skiers.
  • Do not drink Port - you don't like it.
  • Do not drink cold Gluwein - It's gross.

You might think, on reading that list, that in previous years I've been a bit tetchy on the slopes. Well, yes, sometimes, but that stress has mostly been directed at the badly-dressed, skiers (sorry skiers, but you've bugged me - especially last year) and smokers (how anyone, despite having an addiction, wants to fill their lungs with smoke rather than mountain air is simply beyond me - but I'm a non smoker, so there you go.)

This is year, I'm determined to rise above it all and enjoy the mountains. There's something about being up there, in those surroundings, that is so good for the soul.

Comments

France is a good choice this year. I was actually in Switzerland, where there was plenty of snow. I had to shovel the driveway three times a day.

Have Fun!

Nik Steffen's Gravatar

Nik Steffen
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 3:36 pm

We’ve been to Wengen a couple of times. It’s a beautiful place although we never had that much luck with the snow.

Apart from the lack of snow, I quite liked Italy. It was damn cold though, down to about -25C.

Mark Boulton's Gravatar

Mark Boulton
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 3:45 pm

Hooray for Gl?hwein!

Yeah, definitely stay away from the cold stuff.

Ryan's Gravatar

Ryan
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 4:06 pm

we are buried with snow here this time of the year. look at my car: schnee.jpg

joko13's Gravatar

joko13
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 5:37 pm

I was in Arc 1800 in December 2001, and thought the Area was great, even with a low amount of fresh snow, and now its linked to La Plagne, it should be an awesome area. Its just a shame the resorts are so ugly and concrete.

If I remember rightly, there are plenty of spots for kickers and the like, and the boardpark is awesome. Have a great time.

Josh Townson's Gravatar

Josh Townson
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 6:57 pm

Wot, snowboarding isn’t a hard drug that’s virtually impossible to give up? ;)

I need to go again sometime. When I can get over my snow fear…

wonderful electric's Gravatar

wonderful electric
Sat 14th Jan 2006
at 7:20 pm

Damn, I miss the snow, I’ve not been since 1992. /Dio Weeps into keyboard…

Have fun! :)

Dio's Gravatar

Dio
Sun 15th Jan 2006
at 1:23 am

Hope you both have a nice time, be sure to take plenty of pics :)

Graham Sanders's Gravatar

Graham Sanders
Sun 15th Jan 2006
at 10:02 am

Sounds like you’ll have a good time. It also sounds like you dont have nearly as hard a time with the sport as I do. Have fun!!

Sally Carson's Gravatar

Sally Carson
Wed 18th Jan 2006
at 5:59 pm

Note to self:
Always try to keep up with The Wife when she is ragging it down the piste much faster than you ;0)

The Wife's Gravatar

The Wife
Mon 23rd Jan 2006
at 4:47 pm

Commenting is not available in this section entry.

Next entry: Five Simple Steps to Typesetting on the web: Introduction

Previous entry: A week with Camino

A picture of Mark BoultonI'm a graphic designer from near Cardiff in the UK. I've been a designer for over ten years now and primarily work on the web. I'm still partial to a bit of print every now and then though. I used to work for Agency.com in London as an Art Director before working as a Senior Designer for the BBC in sunny Cardiff. This was all before I took leave of my senses and formed my own design consultancy, Mark Boulton Design Ltd.

I've got a thing about grids and typography and occasionally ramble on about them to anyone who will listen.

If you're after simple, clean and effective web design; let me know.