Anyway, the trip to France was great. Short, but a great way to relax and stop thinking about Lithuania projects and such things. It must be said that the weather wasn't great - indeed, the woman selling lift passes tried to fend us off "But monsieur, 'aven't you seen le weather report?" When we replied in the negative she shook her said and muttered stuff about cloud and no visibility. Well lady, thankyou for informing us. Seeing as the weather is so bad, i'm sure it's no problem for us just to nip back to Scotland until the weather improves a bit. Or, on the other hand, keep your negativity to yourself and sell us what we asked for!
Anyway, she was only half right. The cloud brought with it lots of snow, and at some points there was even beautiful sunshine. The off piste runs starting at the top of le Grand Montets in the Italian bowl (so named after the Italian's who died in an Avalanche a few years ago), past the avalanche warnign signs, through the trees and eventually arriving in Argentiere at the at bottom after a vertical drop of over 1200m (three times in a row) was the highlight of the trip for me.
Thursday was a wash out. By which I mean it was proper minging. Ski resorts are supposed to have snow, right? Not driving rain three quaters of the way up the mountain! This meant that only the very top part of the runs had nice snow, and the rest of it was like snowboarding through a half drunk slush puppy - you know when you've sucked out all the syrup and all you're left with is munched up ice. I have never been so wet on a mountain. Fortunately, after a couple hours you hit saturation point and stopped caring so much. By the afternoon it was literally only the British left on the mountian -all the French had gone home to their vin chauds and creme cafe cigars. We even overheard someone in the lift queue complain about the same lift pass girl trying to avoid a sale by giving another negative weather report. At least she was right this time. But us Brits are hardy souls, and cry's of 'watch out for that rock Rupert' and 'Oh, thats a lovely carve Tara' could be heard bellowing from the lungs of folk still having a jolly good time.
Anyway, the whole holiday was great. I would rather had more time in the board park (my attempt on Thursday in zero vis led to me crashing, taking a wrong turn and having to climb out of a gully in thigh deep snow). French food is indeed excellent, and despite being rather tasteless, baby octupus was fun to eat (although is that ethically sound? Can the Octopii maintian sustainable populations if we're eating all their babies??).
Flippin Soaked
No idea what this cross was doing. I just hope it wasn't marking a grave.
Who's that sexy guy?
The top of the 'Italian Bowl'. Everybody heading down was praying against avalanches (of which the chances of one occuring were 4/5)
Mont Blanc. Highest mountain in Europe. Doesn't look it, does it?
8 comments:
You don't look sexy in that photo, but I guess you do normally. In a macho way. Err... are you trying to put your tongue in Andy's ear in that other one?
Also, I hate you. Again. This time for going boarding without me.
What the??
Is Matt trying to lick me? Am I safe? That freaks me out almost as much as the driving rain on the mountain did.
Still a good holiday though, I will post a similar report eventually...was a bit busy today though...popping off to Basingstoke to watch us win a (ice) hockey game 10-0. What fun.
I'm still not going near Matt again.
Hardy British man, I love it. Way to go. Next time I hope you guys have room for a lil yankee girl to join in the fun. Whaddya say to some boarding for 2007? Maybe we can even invite Tim Curnock. :)
Yep. Yankee girl. Lots o British bloaks and some snow. Sounds good to me. :)
Hey, please grow some cool facial hair for the conference this weekend. Looking forward to seeing you there.
i think you should cut your hair in a punk rock circa 1987 fashion.
please.
and the facial hair too...do something fun with that like the hawkins says.
long time no.. comment?
anyway, you brits are seriously so hardcore. boarding in the rain and slush? ugh. does not sound like fun to me. that photo of matt and andy remind me of frankfurt. i guess matt's still doing his "gay act" huH?
and speaking of andy... i have to email him about tax stuff. he's so going to hate me.
hope you're well! (oh and we had a 30 minute blizzard in new york on wed! it was absolute madness. but i think spring is finally upon us now.)
what? just OK?! grey's anatomy is NOT just OK! maybe it's very american humor? i dunno. i think it is the greatest show i've seen in a very long while. give it another go :)
you're calling FRENCH food tasteless? guess what the rest of the world things about British food? ;)
i actually agree with alasdair on greys anatomy. it's gotten better since the super bowl, but it has too much sexual humor for me to consider it "the greatest show i've seen in awhile!" yikes.
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