Les Arcs Diary - Week 7

Saturday 14th February

Finally get to go boarding with two of my housemates, Matt and Toby and some of the Subzero guys - Simon, Dave, Tristan and Andrea. It is a hot day and we head over to La Plagne, taking in their park which is similar to the one I learned in at Tahoe. I come back with Andrea, who has only started boarding this season, giving me the chance to practice my switch riding again. It's still not very good! I have my first staff meal in the Blanc, too lazy to cook and it's a good way of getting to know people. Meanwhile it is half term so the Blanc is full of sixth formers and the slopes are packed.

Friday 13th February

See Andy and Clive off at lunchtime and retire to recover from last night. Spend the evening at the Mont Blanc Valentines Party with Matt, one of the guests and Matt and Toby from my apartment and some other Planet Subzero guys. Not very romantic!

Thursday 12th February

It's Andy and Clive's last day and we board in beautiful sunshine. Andy has to stop at lunchtime after hurting his shoulder, so Clive, who is making boarding look easy, and I head over to 1600 to the snow park. The park is a good one, with three red kickers bigger than the ones in Val, and some stupidly big black ones. I nail the reds, and it is only when I pass them on the lift back up I realise how big they were! Finish the day taking Clive off piste and through the trees. Have another late night inthe Blanc, winning five games in a row at pool (not bad for a potter!).

Wednesday 11th February

The boys are doing well enough that we venture off the nursery slopes and do some runs off the 69 lift. They are getting on well, linking turns, but beginning to suffer from all the falling over they are doing. But I push them a little hard and they are too knackered for their lesson. I have only done two pistes since I came back, and a lot of switch riding, so I go off on my own for a bit in the afternoon. As it is the hotel staff's day off we go for a pizza in the Refuge in the evening.

Tuesday 10th February

After spending more time teaching Clive and Andy in the morning I film their lesson in the afternoon, getting plenty of footage of them falling off the button lift. Tuesday night is Karaoke night in the Mont Blanc, but the machine breaks down before Clive and I can get up and do our thing. Clive and I head down to the Marlu after, with Becky, Mooey and Sam who are staying in the hotel. There is a live band playing and it is a mad night, all the seasonnaires are in as they have the day off tomorrow.

Monday 9th February

Back to the nursery slopes with Andy and Clive. They didn't get much out of their lesson yesterday but are making progress under my superb tutelage. After a good day we take in some apres-ski at Jimmy's, watching the mad utch dancing to terrible Euro-pop (the MacDonalds song has to be heard to be believed) and have a long night in the Mont Blanc bar.

Sunday 8th February

I spend the day on the nursey slopes with Andy and Clive, teaching them to board, as they've only had a few lessons at Milton Keynes. After lunch at the Blanc they head off to lessons as they are booked in at 3.15pm all week. Have a quiet evening, helping Clive work out how to use his new camcorder and showing them some of the footage I have taken.