Event - Ski Trip to Alpe d'Huez
Click the link for the next part: NEXT DAY1/2 DAY 3/4 DAY 5/6 DAY 7/8
Day 1 - Saturday 26th January - Arrival
It all began with the alarm going off at 2:45am (ugh!) as the taxi was due at 3:00am. Once loaded I headed for Coops' abode and collected him. Certain comments about the early start will remain unprinted!
Our airliner was due out of Coventry at 5:40am hence the early start, and their insistence on us checking in (at the portacabin) two hours before departure.
The plane left on time, managing to make his slot (!), and after an easy transfer we arrived at resort by 11:30am, ready and willing to get our room key and get out for a ski .... but reception told us "the rooms are not ready! They will be ready at 12:00." We met for a quick drink with the three Bournemouth friends who had also just arrived. On checking back with reception at 12:10 for our room key we got the reply "sorry, the corridors aren't ready!" (!!??? ..... I don't get it either).
We
finally got our key at 12:30, got changed, and were out skiing by 1:00pm
- the central area where all the lifts meet can be seen in the picture
on the right.
We had a great afternoon in brilliant sunshine - just think of it, nearly 4 hours skiing in brilliant sunshine on our arrival day!
The food was good, although perhaps not as good as some we have experienced in past years, but we do get free wine (so we should!) with chalet board.
The Leicester crew (with Andrew and Lucy Wilson, Bruce Wilson's son and daughter) finally arrived about 9:45pm. Good banter as expected, and we mentioned our ski exploits of the afternoon just to make them feel jealous and justify our early start!
 |
 |
| We met up with the "Bournemouth 3", Jon (standing), Tony (sitting), and Andy (sitting, back to camera) ... and the other person is ..... | We had a great afternoon in brilliant sunshine - just think of it, nearly 4 hours skiing was an unexpected bonus on arrival day ... |
 |
|
 |
 |
| ... a view from the balcony outside the lounge area ... | ... and another view looking along the balcony ... |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| Of course, with Chalet board you get tea and cake as you come in off the slopes ... | ... and a little later you get the evening meal, including wine, all in ... |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The "Leicester 7" finally arrived at about 9:45pm thus completing the 12. The "rogues gallery" shows: Top row - standing: Keith, Chris (yours truly!), Tony, Brian (AKA Farmer 1), Andy, Ian Bottom row - sitting: Graham (Leicester group organiser), Lucy (Wilson), Jon, Coops, Andrew (Wilson), Steve |
|
|
|
|
Click the link for the next part: NEXT DAY1/2 DAY 3/4 DAY 5/6 DAY 7/8
Day 2 - Sunday 27th January
Day one for the rest of the crew, we managed to get the group split in two and went in different directions.
We skied to the furthest extremity to the left of the ski map.
The rest skied around main area, expecting us for lunch but we never returned. It might have helped if we had actually made plans to meet somewhere.
 |
 |
| The 'A Team' split from the rest and consisted of Jon, Tony, Graham and Chris, who skied to the left extremity of the piste map, where we also found an excellent place for lunch. | After lunch we had a good afternoon skiing mainly in sunshine - finally arriving back as the sun was beginning to sink over the mountains ... |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| ... and to our traditional tea and cake ... | ... and finding a knackered looking Andrew and Coops, recuperating in the bar ... |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| We finally went up to our penthouse suite on the 3rd floor. This photo is taken while standing on the balcony, which itself is about the size of many living rooms! The bathroom even had a "his" and "hers" washbasin. I don't want to think which way round we used them ... | Meanwhile, I caught a great sunset from our balcony. |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| Then it was back down to the bar for our free welcome drinks ... | ... and then into the restaurant for our evening meal ... |
|
|
|
 |
 |
| ... during which there was a fire alarm and we all had to evacuate to the Church car park 50 yards up the road! (bl***y cold!) ... | ... however, this was found to be a false alarm and we all rushed back to warm up in the bar! (apparently someone on the 2nd floor smelt smoke and set off the alarm, but it turned out to be a staff member who had burnt their toast ... embarrassment all round! ) |
|
|
|
Click the link for the next part: NEXT DAY1/2 DAY 3/4 DAY 5/6 DAY 7/8
Content Copyright © 2008 - Round Table.. All rights reserved.