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Published: February 22nd 2015
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Hi all here we are Skiing again. This time it's Cervinia pronounced chervinia. We started with delays at Bournemouth airport due to the aircraft de icer breaking down then we lost our landing slot in Turin so hour and a half late leaving. On a plus side 150mph tailwinds meant we were here I under and hour and a half. Another hour wait before the coach left but we are here in one piece. There is tons of snow and we have picked up our hire skis and not ready for the off. The hotel is lovely, old style but warm, clean and charming. Also the wifi seems good and is available in the bedrooms. Just git back from a welcome après ski welcome party, but I don't think it's gonna be a late one tonight as we only got an hour and a half sleep last night. Anyway day one over, well nearly just dinner to go oh and probably some wine too.
Monday
Well last nights dinner was a treat. Not the normal pizza and chips. Met up with a rep from last years trip, was so nice to see Louise again. Well Tracey went to ski school and I joined social ski. Tracey was the only one in her class so had a one to one. Problem was she was knackered by lunch time. I and a group of 3, one snow boarder and three normal people went off on a social ski. We covered some 10miles in just a couple of hours but by hell did my thighs and calves know about it. My hired skis are amazing and really forgiving in soft snow. This afternoon another Après ski party and a good time to meet our rep Josh. Just a couple of beers and mulled wine. Forecast for tomorrow is sun......woohoo!! We had just a flurry of snow this evening But nothing to write home about. So we are now ready for our evening meal after rubbing cream into our aching muscles..........
Tuesday
It's been snowing overnight and the wind has picked up. The weather is gonna go one of two ways. If the sun breaks through then it's a sunny day or if it doesn't then it's gonna be cold......... It's bloody freezing. Minus 6 brrrr! I dropped a reluctant tracey off at ski school and I skied down to meet social ski. By hell did my muscles hurt, so much so I was going to back out. It was when I reached the bottom that I discovered 3/4 of the mountain was closed including the lift I needed to get partway up the mountain to then ski a cross to Tracey. The wind was horrendous and sideways icy snow. You could not see the piste. I couldn't see tracey so I decided to ski to the bottom. The wind got worse to I took shelter in a bar with a hot chocolate and brandy. It was at this point tracey Text to tell me she and a Load others were at the hotel. Soon after leaving the bar I came to a complete stop as the sideways snow obliterated the piste and I couldn't see the piste markers and was worried I would be blown over the edge.So I met up with her for lunch at the bottom. It was then they closed the mountain. So no more skiing today, great I thought let's try and sort my aches and pains.
Wednesday
Woke to beautiful sunshine, the only problem is the mountain is shut due to high winds. They have now opened the main lift to Plan Mason but there is only two runs open back to bottom but you cannot get from there back to Plan Mason so we are waiting in the hotel to see if the wind drops before midday.. Left at midday and skied plan mason to the town three times then the last back to the other side of town. It must be one of a few resorts where you can ski down the high street. The now conditions we either soft blown in by the wind or hard crust because the wind blew away the soft snow. Neither bothered me as I learnt on crusty snow. It was very windy but it made for interesting skiing. Back early to the hotel so I think a dip in the hot tub is in order.
Thursday
Yep hot tub did the trick. Off for a days skiing, possibly some of the best conditions I've ever skied. Weather amazing, snow amazing and my skiing.....amazing. Fabulous day finished with a few beers and hot tub. Food not up to much tonight but hey I'm not hungry.
Friday
Forecast today for snow showers today which was spot on. Problem is the flat light, as you cannot see the lumps and bumps in the snow. I went to the top of the mountain and skied 11km to valtournenche and decided to ski back to our resort and that was fine but we hit the flat light on the way back. This is not fun so my ski buddy Grayham and I sort shelter in a mountain cafe for mulled wine. The run back to Cervinia was difficult and my legs hurt big time. 30 years being an electrician does not help. Anyway we decided one last run from plan Mason down the blue run to Credez then a beer would be in order. Anyway, on the way we found a black run marked experts only so I says to Grayham are we expert? He said lets find out. So we skied the black run, it was a bit challenging but made it to the bottom In one piece. We must be experts then! A couple of beers at the bottom of the run hit the mark. We hit the hot tub again had more beers and shortly after dinner it was bedtime. Weather outlook tomorrow is good so here's fingers crossed And hope my knees hold out.
Saturday
Woke to it snowing. Forcast says sun but we will see. We have decided to go up at 10, I really want to ski on our last day. Well I went to the top couldn't see the snow and was hard making out the piste markers. This was thick mist and total white out. This is when your brain cannot determine depth or defenition. So I came down so slow it put a tremendous strain on my knees. Hallway down at Plan Mason it cleared but by this time I was knackered. I decided to ski down to the village and call it quits before doing any lasting damage to my knees. This has to be one of the most unnerving skis of my life. I see why people can off piste and get lost or come a cropper. Anyway packing time followed by end if holiday après ski party is the order of this evening and a flight home in the morning.
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