So I'm home and have been for a couple of weeks, my last few weeks in la Plagne were really nice, skiing, sunshine and nice lunches with the girls. Also a few cheeky drinks.... Which mainly involved me being actually dragged out of my flat with a smirnoff ice in hand! Was def a little emotional on my last day! The journey home was ok too, I somehow managed to sleep most Of the coach journey and the ferry was actually fine! Within about five minutes I realised my fears of the ferry were all really stupid and I enjoyed the trip! Especially being able to see Dover within about 15 mins of leaving Calais! The only disappointment was the "first class" train back to Carlisle!! One manky free coffee and a dirty train! Still by five pm I was back in Carlisle! Welcomed back by clear blue skies and warm weather, felt very strange!! Headed straight off to pick my car up and see my bro and his misses and the bump!
Twelve hours later and I was on a train to York for training and that was it, back to the real world and my old job!
The strangest thing and something very few people understand, is that as soon as I got back it really feels like I was never away! I know I was and it was great, but because I am back it all just feels a bit surreal!! The only people I know who understand are this who have been travelling! The strangest thing was going back to work, felt like I'd just been on holiday! In a good way lol! I do miss everyone and sunshine and snow and lunches at scotty's and Tuesday nights out and even Plagne centre with its lovely concrete buildings!
I am going to go back to the alps in November hopefully as a rep? Try something different!
So now I'm back and working and getting on with summer........ And counting down to the next winter :-) Only 7 months.......
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Wednesday 29 February 2012
I miss.....
Having been talking recently about things I'm going to do when I get home I got round to thinking about all the stupid little things I miss from home and all the things I will miss when I leave here! So here goes....
Things I miss from home (obviously big things like my friends and family!)
1) nail varnish... Not allowed to wear nail varnish because of food prep
2) being able to wear my hair down... Same reasons as above!
3) nandos and KFC... And all the other food things you can't get out here like cadburys chocolate, chocolate digestives, good salt and vinegar crisps, branston pickle (this list cod go on for ever!)
4) being able to watch rubbish on tv!
5) decent Internet.... And being able to use Internet on my phone where ever I want!
6) all the music that got wiped off my phone when it went mental during the ios5 update
7) my double bed, duvet and my mattress!
8) the rest of my clothes
9) two days off a week!
10) the Cumbrian weather (haha!)
11) magazines! Well being able to buy heat for the right price, not double like it is in resort.... To be fair I'm impressed they sell it here!
It does seem like a lot but none of it really bothers me unless I think of it all together!
And it's all small in comparison to how much I'm going to miss my friends here, skiing when I want (when it's not French half term anyway!), sunshine and clear clue skies, the snow and walking to work looking at the amazing mountains around me! Don't get me wrong I have definitely loved being here and have made the right decision about coming home but there are definitely things I won't miss....
Mainly cleaning toilets and baths after a particularly unpleasant incident this week, which I won't mention in case anyone is eating :-)
I just need a different job for next season, running a chalet on my own has been so much more tiring and stressful than I thought after last season and I'm not sure I could do it again, especially not on my own! I have however decided that I would make a fantastic rep so am going to spend the summer convincing a TO that they want to give me a job! I'm sure I can manage that! Just as long as I don't have to guide....
I've not skied a lot, again, partly down to work, partly down to how many people are in resort (far far too busy today!) and partly down to just being knackered! Think all the French holidays finish this week so hopefully la plagne will go back to being nice an quiet ad I can ski around in peace, without having to avoid people and being wiped out by stupid people (three times in an hour today! Was not impressed!)
I still have two and a half weeks left here so I'm hoping I can get out most days! Actually considering its amazing weather here at the minute I'm not entirely sure how I'll feel back in the middle of northern "spring" hoping for a nice April and may!
Anyway I'd better go to sleep ready for work tomorrow, worst thing about Wednesdays is the night.... Longest time in the week until next day off!
Things I miss from home (obviously big things like my friends and family!)
1) nail varnish... Not allowed to wear nail varnish because of food prep
2) being able to wear my hair down... Same reasons as above!
3) nandos and KFC... And all the other food things you can't get out here like cadburys chocolate, chocolate digestives, good salt and vinegar crisps, branston pickle (this list cod go on for ever!)
4) being able to watch rubbish on tv!
5) decent Internet.... And being able to use Internet on my phone where ever I want!
6) all the music that got wiped off my phone when it went mental during the ios5 update
7) my double bed, duvet and my mattress!
8) the rest of my clothes
9) two days off a week!
10) the Cumbrian weather (haha!)
11) magazines! Well being able to buy heat for the right price, not double like it is in resort.... To be fair I'm impressed they sell it here!
It does seem like a lot but none of it really bothers me unless I think of it all together!
And it's all small in comparison to how much I'm going to miss my friends here, skiing when I want (when it's not French half term anyway!), sunshine and clear clue skies, the snow and walking to work looking at the amazing mountains around me! Don't get me wrong I have definitely loved being here and have made the right decision about coming home but there are definitely things I won't miss....
Mainly cleaning toilets and baths after a particularly unpleasant incident this week, which I won't mention in case anyone is eating :-)
I just need a different job for next season, running a chalet on my own has been so much more tiring and stressful than I thought after last season and I'm not sure I could do it again, especially not on my own! I have however decided that I would make a fantastic rep so am going to spend the summer convincing a TO that they want to give me a job! I'm sure I can manage that! Just as long as I don't have to guide....
I've not skied a lot, again, partly down to work, partly down to how many people are in resort (far far too busy today!) and partly down to just being knackered! Think all the French holidays finish this week so hopefully la plagne will go back to being nice an quiet ad I can ski around in peace, without having to avoid people and being wiped out by stupid people (three times in an hour today! Was not impressed!)
I still have two and a half weeks left here so I'm hoping I can get out most days! Actually considering its amazing weather here at the minute I'm not entirely sure how I'll feel back in the middle of northern "spring" hoping for a nice April and may!
Anyway I'd better go to sleep ready for work tomorrow, worst thing about Wednesdays is the night.... Longest time in the week until next day off!
Wednesday 22 February 2012
On the countdown :-(
Well you have probably all heard I'm heading home in a few weeks, while I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends and family, eating nandos, drinking costa coffee and watching tv, I am quite sad to be leaving the mountains! It's not being helped by the fact we have clear blue skies all the time at the minute!
Basically my summer job is starting early, so I need to be back for Easter, and a wee bit earlier for training! Despite wishing I could do my English heritage job and stay here I am looking forward to being back on the wall! Swapping one place with awesome scenery for another so can't really complain :-) plans are afoot to come back to the alps in November, hopefully as a rep!
Work has been the same as usual really recently, although we did have a large group booked in who left a very impressive tip.... Enough to buy a couple of nice new things! I have definitely decided that running a chalet on my own is a bit too stressful, I worked with my flatmate for a couple of days at the start of this week and it was soooooo much nicer working with someone else!! Especially when you both get on and do the job properly! Plus this week we are all getting an extra day and half off as the chalets are quiet! So looking forward to some lie ins!
I've been back on my skis again, finally!! Went out on Saturday with some of my work mates, first time I've really skied with some of them, and it was fun! Apparently I'm not as rubbish as I still think and it's really obvious that it's all a confidence thing! So gonna upgrade my skis and try skiing on better ones, see if that helps! Was out again today but it was stupidly busy! Massive queues and far far too many people on the slopes, ah well Parisian half term ends this wknd so fingers crossed it will go back to normal and I can spend the next three weeks skiing lots!
I have noticed this week that there are gangs of teenagers roaming around resort, reminded me of home lol!
Well I'm off to sleep, gotta get my rest before going in to look after my two guests!!
Ps check out the giant snow elephants in the square!!
Basically my summer job is starting early, so I need to be back for Easter, and a wee bit earlier for training! Despite wishing I could do my English heritage job and stay here I am looking forward to being back on the wall! Swapping one place with awesome scenery for another so can't really complain :-) plans are afoot to come back to the alps in November, hopefully as a rep!
Work has been the same as usual really recently, although we did have a large group booked in who left a very impressive tip.... Enough to buy a couple of nice new things! I have definitely decided that running a chalet on my own is a bit too stressful, I worked with my flatmate for a couple of days at the start of this week and it was soooooo much nicer working with someone else!! Especially when you both get on and do the job properly! Plus this week we are all getting an extra day and half off as the chalets are quiet! So looking forward to some lie ins!
I've been back on my skis again, finally!! Went out on Saturday with some of my work mates, first time I've really skied with some of them, and it was fun! Apparently I'm not as rubbish as I still think and it's really obvious that it's all a confidence thing! So gonna upgrade my skis and try skiing on better ones, see if that helps! Was out again today but it was stupidly busy! Massive queues and far far too many people on the slopes, ah well Parisian half term ends this wknd so fingers crossed it will go back to normal and I can spend the next three weeks skiing lots!
I have noticed this week that there are gangs of teenagers roaming around resort, reminded me of home lol!
Well I'm off to sleep, gotta get my rest before going in to look after my two guests!!
Ps check out the giant snow elephants in the square!!
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Halfway through
So halfway through the season..... It's still great out here! I am run down and m having to make more of an effort to sleep and eat better but I'm definitely still enjoying it! It's a weird feeling to know that from now it's almost a count down to coming home, which now feels very soon! I think in a few weeks the end of season panic will start to kick in for everyone and there will be more skiing and partying than ever before! I'm already looking to next season, am thinking meribel? I quite like the idea of working in different resorts each year, can't get bored then! :-)
I haven't updated for ages, mainly because my parents were here and I was too busy! We had a pretty fantastic week of fresh snow, sunshine, nice lunches and drinks on the hill! Was also pretty good to realise I am a better skier than I keep saying, I have improved ad found myself flying down slopes I'd struggled with a few weeks before, so guess all those private lessons are helping bring the confidence back :-) it was a shame to say bye on sat (ESP as their journey home was ridiculously disrupted by tiny amount of snow in the uk!)
It really has made me laugh this last week with all the panic and chaos caused by a wee bit of snow! Seriously the reports I saw on the bbc made it look like the world was ending, for snowfall totals and temperatures that wouldn't even register here! It's been unbelievably cold here this week, rarely above -15 c during the day and down to -25 ish at night, you know it's really cold when you breathe in and your nose freezes shut! Luckily it's warming up a bit now, back to above -15 anyway!!
Think I'll ski tomorrow, it's just been too cold and ive been catching up on missed sleep! And maybe by tomorrow my eyes will feel better too! It's half term next week so everywhere will be so busy! At the min my chalet has no bookings for the week after half term, am busy praying it stays that way because I could do with a break and chance to do the mid season deep clean without guests! But I reckon it will fill up and I'll have to try to clean bathrooms with toothpicks around my guests!
Well I'd better get back to doing nothing today :-) and try to decide which ski pants I'm gonna buy!
I haven't updated for ages, mainly because my parents were here and I was too busy! We had a pretty fantastic week of fresh snow, sunshine, nice lunches and drinks on the hill! Was also pretty good to realise I am a better skier than I keep saying, I have improved ad found myself flying down slopes I'd struggled with a few weeks before, so guess all those private lessons are helping bring the confidence back :-) it was a shame to say bye on sat (ESP as their journey home was ridiculously disrupted by tiny amount of snow in the uk!)
It really has made me laugh this last week with all the panic and chaos caused by a wee bit of snow! Seriously the reports I saw on the bbc made it look like the world was ending, for snowfall totals and temperatures that wouldn't even register here! It's been unbelievably cold here this week, rarely above -15 c during the day and down to -25 ish at night, you know it's really cold when you breathe in and your nose freezes shut! Luckily it's warming up a bit now, back to above -15 anyway!!
Think I'll ski tomorrow, it's just been too cold and ive been catching up on missed sleep! And maybe by tomorrow my eyes will feel better too! It's half term next week so everywhere will be so busy! At the min my chalet has no bookings for the week after half term, am busy praying it stays that way because I could do with a break and chance to do the mid season deep clean without guests! But I reckon it will fill up and I'll have to try to clean bathrooms with toothpicks around my guests!
Well I'd better get back to doing nothing today :-) and try to decide which ski pants I'm gonna buy!
Thursday 12 January 2012
Same old blue sky!
Hey everyone, so we had the biggest snow storm seen in the alps for decades about a week ago! It was insane!!! 100 to 150 kph winds, over half a metre of snow, massive whiteout which prompted resort closure for a few hours, pretty much unheard of as resort closure means lift pass refunds... The pic below shows the snow drift outside our flats when it all stopped! For two days I walked to and from work in my goggles because you just couldn't see!
But once the storm was over, well all I can say is wow!! Unbelievable snow conditions, clear blue skies and views for miles around! I managed to ski twice since the wknd, and both times I've felt like I've improved, today's lesson was awesome! We caught the Rochester bubble up then headed down towards champagny, I could see courcheval and the top of the tignes glacier as well as the standard mont blanc view! I actually got to the bottom of a few bits, looked back and thought sh*t that's steeper than I thought it was! From there we went back up to the verduns lift and back into centre, I loved those runs! Enough to be challenging but not too hard and so much quieter than the areas around the bergerie lift, after my lesson I did another few runs then headed off for food in scotty's, pretty good for my dy off!!
I haven't really had much time away from the chalet in the last few weeks but am def hoping that will change! I have two weeks to improve more for when mum and dad arrive! Am also hoping for another dump of snow then a return to blue sky days!
It's days like today that remind me why I love being up here in the winter :-)
On a separate note while walking home from work I saw this (pic below) made me laugh.... Hopefully it wasn't just tiredness making me think it looked funny :-)
But once the storm was over, well all I can say is wow!! Unbelievable snow conditions, clear blue skies and views for miles around! I managed to ski twice since the wknd, and both times I've felt like I've improved, today's lesson was awesome! We caught the Rochester bubble up then headed down towards champagny, I could see courcheval and the top of the tignes glacier as well as the standard mont blanc view! I actually got to the bottom of a few bits, looked back and thought sh*t that's steeper than I thought it was! From there we went back up to the verduns lift and back into centre, I loved those runs! Enough to be challenging but not too hard and so much quieter than the areas around the bergerie lift, after my lesson I did another few runs then headed off for food in scotty's, pretty good for my dy off!!
I haven't really had much time away from the chalet in the last few weeks but am def hoping that will change! I have two weeks to improve more for when mum and dad arrive! Am also hoping for another dump of snow then a return to blue sky days!
It's days like today that remind me why I love being up here in the winter :-)
On a separate note while walking home from work I saw this (pic below) made me laugh.... Hopefully it wasn't just tiredness making me think it looked funny :-)
Thursday 29 December 2011
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!
So it's been a while since I updated, the work side hasn't changed much, still not really getting more than a few hours off which means I haven't been skiing much at all! I'm really trying to find the time to get out but with guests not leaving til ten am it's a bit difficult! However I am not going to carry on complaining about that, we have had enough annoyed chats with each other out here to not bore anyone reading this with it all! I will start to get out earlier and on the up side my dinner service is going really well, got it running smoothly and getting good compliments, feedback and tips! So it's just getting on with finishing the morning stuff!
On to the fun stuff, had another couple of lessons, I am improving technically I just need to get my confidence back, so as long as I'm not on the shopping trip tomorrow, I'm off to the short steep run where I can practise!! I'm going to have more lessons in a few weeks hopefully! I even skied a red last week! Shocker for me lol!
Christmas went well, dinner was great... Apart from when I set the oven on fire, but that was only a minor blip :-) we all met at lunch time and had champagne at the top of te lift, I might be working hard and occasionally wishing I had more time free but being up there on a clear blue sky day looking across at mont blanc made it all worthwhile!! Didn't ski much because by we had lunch (yummy tartiflette!) I had to go back to put the turkey in! photos are from Christmas day!
Loving my guests this week.... Group of Geordies! Makes a change to be able to talk bout home and summer work places and them know where I mean! Plus the whole group (southern half included) are just really nice!
In other news my parents are coming on the 28th jan! Can't wait, will be so nice to see them and ski with them, I also think my skiing will improve a bit more with them here..... Well it has to or dad is threatening to hit me with his skis! Im already thinking of nice runs to take them on like the long tree line blue to la roche, and across to bellecote!! Plus I get to get stuff from the uk :-) So I really need to spend the new four weeks on the hill as much as possible so I get back to how I was last season!
On to the fun stuff, had another couple of lessons, I am improving technically I just need to get my confidence back, so as long as I'm not on the shopping trip tomorrow, I'm off to the short steep run where I can practise!! I'm going to have more lessons in a few weeks hopefully! I even skied a red last week! Shocker for me lol!
Christmas went well, dinner was great... Apart from when I set the oven on fire, but that was only a minor blip :-) we all met at lunch time and had champagne at the top of te lift, I might be working hard and occasionally wishing I had more time free but being up there on a clear blue sky day looking across at mont blanc made it all worthwhile!! Didn't ski much because by we had lunch (yummy tartiflette!) I had to go back to put the turkey in! photos are from Christmas day!
Loving my guests this week.... Group of Geordies! Makes a change to be able to talk bout home and summer work places and them know where I mean! Plus the whole group (southern half included) are just really nice!
In other news my parents are coming on the 28th jan! Can't wait, will be so nice to see them and ski with them, I also think my skiing will improve a bit more with them here..... Well it has to or dad is threatening to hit me with his skis! Im already thinking of nice runs to take them on like the long tree line blue to la roche, and across to bellecote!! Plus I get to get stuff from the uk :-) So I really need to spend the new four weeks on the hill as much as possible so I get back to how I was last season!
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Too much snow??
Well it's been a while since I posted, this is mainly down to being ridiculously busy setting up chalets, cleaning, getting surprise last minute guests, shopping trips on blizzards to bourg, drinking and an odd bit of skiing!
Er well chalet set up etc is very dull so I will spare you the details, first guests arrived on Sunday, so first transfer day is tomorrow.... Cooking and everything is going well!
I've been out a few times, mainly to scotties, where I manage to get incredibly drunk on a couple of pints and spend the rest of the night bouncing around to whichever crazy French band is playing that night and just generally have a fab time. Now my guests have arrived I'm only really going out on a Tuesday night so I can sleep in on my day off!
The resort opened last Saturday, I did ski, not much but enough to convince me to spend some hard earned cash on lessons. I've gone for private lessons because it's a confidence thing with me! First lesson was entertaining! Great instructor but my skiing was bad for the first hour, after that I got a bit better! Thursday we all had a free group lesson which again really helped, despite the fact we were skiing in a blizzard! The snow was awesome, best I've been on in a long long time! By the end I was feeling pretty good about my skiing so tomorrow I'm off for another private lesson to kinda keep the momentum going! I wanted to go up today but there was more chalet set up to be done!
On the snow front I think we've had about 90cms in the last two days? It's definitely a lot anyway! It looks so cool out there but it is delaying full resort opening which does kinda suck! I think this is the week it's going to turn really cold.... Down in the -20s I believe!! It does make me laugh though, seeing the news about snow chaos on the uk! Here it's barely a problem on the roads!
I don't really have any pics for now, sure I will get some soon :-)
Right its time to head back to work!
Er well chalet set up etc is very dull so I will spare you the details, first guests arrived on Sunday, so first transfer day is tomorrow.... Cooking and everything is going well!
I've been out a few times, mainly to scotties, where I manage to get incredibly drunk on a couple of pints and spend the rest of the night bouncing around to whichever crazy French band is playing that night and just generally have a fab time. Now my guests have arrived I'm only really going out on a Tuesday night so I can sleep in on my day off!
The resort opened last Saturday, I did ski, not much but enough to convince me to spend some hard earned cash on lessons. I've gone for private lessons because it's a confidence thing with me! First lesson was entertaining! Great instructor but my skiing was bad for the first hour, after that I got a bit better! Thursday we all had a free group lesson which again really helped, despite the fact we were skiing in a blizzard! The snow was awesome, best I've been on in a long long time! By the end I was feeling pretty good about my skiing so tomorrow I'm off for another private lesson to kinda keep the momentum going! I wanted to go up today but there was more chalet set up to be done!
On the snow front I think we've had about 90cms in the last two days? It's definitely a lot anyway! It looks so cool out there but it is delaying full resort opening which does kinda suck! I think this is the week it's going to turn really cold.... Down in the -20s I believe!! It does make me laugh though, seeing the news about snow chaos on the uk! Here it's barely a problem on the roads!
I don't really have any pics for now, sure I will get some soon :-)
Right its time to head back to work!
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