Thursday 28 October 2010

Alpine Living...

First posted on People.co.uk 27th October 2010

Six years ago we met and fell in love. Not just with each other but with life in the Alps, living and breathing skiing. The six months we spent in Switzerland was life-changing, a window into a different world which didn't revolve around working the 9-5. As anyone who has been bitten by the ski bug will tell you, you don't work seasons for the money (a pittance by the way!) but for the love of it. For the knowledge that even the world's worst hangover can be wiped out by the unadulterated and sheer thrill you get when your skis hit the snow, the feeling that everything, including you, is right where it belongs. This year we finally made our dream a reality by buying a chalet in Italy. After years of working for other ski companies we're gearing up for our very first season.
Our chalet is located in Bardonecchia, a little known resort to the English, just one hour from Turin. Down the road from its more famous neighbour Sauze d'Oulx, Bardo (as we affectionately call it) has all the facilities you could possibly need for a great ski holiday without the trappings of a purpose built ski resort. With ski runs catering for all abilities, a free shuttle bus service and plenty of opportunities for that après-ski glass of vin brulé, Bardonecchia ticks all the boxes.
As a host resort to the 2006 Winter Olympics, Bardonecchia boasts some impressive runs and an awesome snowpark with jumps, rails and half-pipe and with the 2011 Snowboard World Championships set to take place here, it's firmly staking its claim as a haven for snowboarders.
On a typical Monday to Friday you might find yourself skiing down a run with only you and your friends for company and the best thing is that there is virtually no queuing for the lifts and no pushy ski schools to elbow you out of the way! With snow already falling in resort it looks like this year will bring yet another record-breaking snowfall. And so as we gear up for the start of the season, keep checking back as we keep you up to date on the snow, the runs, the resort and the après-ski!

Monday 11 October 2010

Hazyview? It's a downright blackout!

So our sojourn in the Kruger park is winding to its conclusion... just like the generator which supplies the electricity to Hazyview and today has plunged the region into electrical oblivion for the foreseeable future!  This is apparently a fairly regular occurrence so everyone's taking it in their stride. A quiet evening in with candles, red wine, chocolate and a pack of cards must be every honeymooner's dream (well, maybe not the cards....but in our defence the evenings are  long here and S**thead is a very addictive game!)

We have had a great three days of safaris and are completely "leoparded" out....Elusive? We think not! Have seen all the Big 5 now (lions, leopards, elephants, rhino and buffalo) we needn't have worried that early Spring is not meant to be the best time to safari. Perhaps Graeme is a natural game magnet or our guides really know their stuff, either way we will have many warm memories of South Africa to reflect upon to contrast with our long Alpine winter ahead.

Off to the hippo hide now to watch a bit more wallowing before evening sets in. Then back to our candlelit lodge for WC&S!