Chamonix, France Xmas/New Year 98, 99: “Learning to Ride”

 After doing one of those jobs that involved sitting at my desk, and nothing else, for nearly four months, I needed a break and the French Alps seemed like as good a place to go as any. The plan was to learn how to board for a couple of weeks, before the big trip to Canada and the States early in the New Year. The protagonists were Todd, Lynn, Jason and Dave, Matt and Sharon joined us for the second week and Jan (Daves wife) left after the first week.

 Saturday 19^th December

 Left Gatwick (eventually) after deciding that the tube wasn’t going to be reliable enough to get me there and catching a cab to Victoria to board the Gatwick Express with only 2 minutes to spare. The check-in was ridiculous, it took 1.5 hours and left no time for duty-free shopping. Then the plane missed its scheduled departure and we sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes. After we arrived in Geneva we discovered that our bags had gone to Stockholm. Two hours later and a couple of glasses of port courtesy of a kiwi in the same predicament, we jumped on the bus to Chamonix with our bags.

 We had a ‘welcome meeting’ as is common for package holidays from England, with the tour company rep and arranged lessons after renting board and boots from a shop near to the apartment ‘Residence Orion’. Got home eager in anticipation of a big day ahead.

 Sunday 20^th December

 Up early and off to pick up lift passes and meet our snowboard instructor ‘Ollie’ who took us in his ‘bloody car’ to Les Chosalets where the private lesson lasted until about 12:30, after which Todd went up the Grant Montets and I proceeded to practice this weird side-on sport. It was very tiring initially and by 2:30 I was wasted. It had snowed all day, so that added to the tiredness. The apartment had problems with hot water also.

Monday 21^st December

Up early again and up north to Le Tour. Progressed from the poma at the start of the day to gondola and lifts, skiing mostly red runs by the end of the day. Some highlights were falling over in deep powder and not being able to get up again. At night we went for a meal and had fondue with a nice bottle of St. Emilion red, expensive, but nice. After that we went to a pub called ‘Wild Wallabies’ and met one or two people. It was cold going home and after the compulsory sit-ups earlier in the night, I found it very difficult to get up off the floor.

Tuesday 22^nd December

Today was excellent, weather-wise – unfortunately my rib seems to be broken, and only managed a couple of runs at le glacier du mont blanc, where the ski jump is before I had to go home, as I was too cold and sore to continue. We went home and ate and slept and jumped on the Aguille du midi cable car, to 3842m where Todd and Lynn got a bit of altitude sickness (in Todd’s case it was due to some exercising a little more than his body could cope with). Jason came around and we organised to meet him for skiing the next day. Had a pizza calzone/crepe for dinner.

Wednesday 23^rd December

Met up with Jas in the morning and proceeded up Les Brevent. Did a couple of warm-up runs on the learners slope before joining Todd down the steeper runs. After a couple, we dragged Jason (and Dave and Jan) down with us. Just before lunch I caught the front edge and landed on my front and the pain was such that I had to quit for the day. The trip back down the mountain was slow and over-cautious. Had a beer at the aptly named ‘le pub’ and a tex mex feed on the way home.

Friday 25^th December (Xmas)

Overnight there was 10cm of new snow, in addition to the previous days snow, which we didn’t see much of, as we took the day off because of sore bodies. Went for a walk in town with Jas and discovered that most shops close between 12:00 and 2:30. Today was clear, calm and sunny. We boarded at les Flegere and Todd and I left Jan, Jas and Lynn down at the 1 km green run and boarded in some unbelievable powder. After 2 runs we had lunch and took Jan and Jas up, and then did one more run before being so buggered we couldn’t continue. We then showered and changed before going out for dinner with everyone (including Dave off his sick bed) at the Jeckyl an Irish bar in Chamonix Sud, which had a particularly nice waitress (well it seemed important at the time).

Saturday 26^th December

Returned to Le Tour with Todd and Jas and felt decidedly jaded after only 3 runs, so Jas left and Todd and I went to the top to see what was there. Before we left we discovered a quad lift containing some excellent off-piste boarding and got a second wind and did four more runs before our bodies were so sore there was just no continuing. Met Sharon and Matt fresh off the plane and Lynn got sick. Matt discovered that you can use shaving gel to draw pictures, and temporarily clogged up the basin in our apartment.

Sunday 27^th December

Le Tour again with Matt, Sharon, Todd and Jason. Back to the same off-piste stuff minus Sharon and Jas, who just couldn’t make it up the bendy, up and down drag lift. We finished early, but not before nearly landing on Todd after he had a 3m fall off a rock. Legs were absolutely buggered and we finished at about 1:30. Got organised and Matt and Sharon came round before we ended up going out to the Jeckyl again and drank Guinness. Dave and Jas came along and we played darts and went out for a fondue (again!). Met some Italians who taught us French in an English pub. Bon Annee.

Monday 28^th December

We went down to Geneva today. Lynn was supposed to join Jason, Todd and I, but was sick. Todd was very hungover, Dave finally went boarding, as did Matt and Sharon so we caught the 3 trains over 2.5 hours to Switzerland. Found some toilets upon our arrival and then ate and had a bit of a look around a pretty sterile, clean city. No real highlights but the tea shop was a lowlight! We also went to the United Nations buildings. A good rest day, although language was a small problem. There is no real reason to return here (except of course to fly out at the end of the week!).

Tuesday 29^th December

Boarded les Grand Montets today, it took a while to get into it. Followed Mattress around as Todd snuck off early. Went out for a fondue yet again with J & D & M & S & T & L. Wild Wallabies sucked yet again, but we managed to get pissed yet again!

Wednesday 30^th December

Rest day. Flagged Grand Montets with Matt, as I was just too fucked! The wax on my board was really shoddy, I just slept and went to the internet café, shopped, lay down and was kept awake by noisey Italian wankers before I drifted off to sleep again. A very busy day!

Thursday 31^st December (New Years Eve)

Got up and went with Todd to Grand Montets. Got the first cable car up and had to wait 15 mins for the first lift. We did a couple of runs on the shitty icy snow and decided to head for les Brevent but that was closed too. Returned for sleep, ping pong and pool before everyone came round for NY drinkies. The Italians went crazy and the noise in Chamonix Sud and the glass breaking in town was interesting! In bed by 12:40 for boarding in the morning.

Saturday 2 January

Friday was not much of a day for boarding, it was almost spring skiing conditions without the base. We went up anyway and although most lifts were closed we managed a couple of runs at le Tour. Cleaned up and went to the Irish pub again then home for 11 hours of well needed sleep. Today back to Geneva and back to Gatwick, London and some recovery time to let broken bones and sore muscles heal before the big trip to North America. We are off to Holland in a fortnight.