Posts by andymol2

Contacts & sunnies - must confess to having had my eyes lasered in 94 so no contacts these days.

I don't like skiing in goggles & certainly wouldn't have worn googles and specs. Sunnies like Oakley Flak Jackets have water repellant lenses so unless your are an uber racer I can't see the need for goggles.

I have to say the atmosphere in the bars in Austria is a lot more fun than France and a lot cheaper.(Half price, happy our in Arc 1600 was £3 for 500ml in 2009 - almost Scandinavian prices outside happy hour!)
Next time I go to France I guess I'll go for a catered chalet because going out for a bite to eat and a drink is so pricey. Much of Austria is rather cheaper so a couple of drinks in more convivial surroundings is nicer.

I fear the French response to the recession & falling visitor numbers has been to put up the prices to screw more out of those that are going - I wonder why they are predicting Austria will overtake France as the top ski destination for Brits in 2011 for the first time in years? I hear the same is happening with the Dutch visitors.

There is some good research evidence from the US that suggests wearing a functional knee brace reduces the chances of repeat injury by 30% (or thereabouts) so it's not a mental thing!

They can be bought cheaper in the USA but the exchange rate is less favourable than when I bought a pair for my wife from http://www.braceshop.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=42&idproduct=476.

However if you do buy them on line make sure you measure accurately and make sure the documentation indicates "medical appliance" or you'll get stung for VAT. (Medical devices should be VAT exempt)

If your ACL is shot then I would opt for something like a Donjoy (They do short braces that you can wear with ski boots)

Many of the cheaper knee braces are a false economy - you are paying for a device that will offer your ACL no substantial support.

You don't have to pay a fortune for simple knee problems such as patella maltracking or arthritis but for cruciates it's another matter.

Themed pub maybe, but Irish? If it's in Dublin or Belfast then it can be an Irish pub but sticking a few shamrocks & a dab of green paint on a slopeside bar? A pub's about the place & the people.

Many of these things aren't altitude sickness- the nose symproms & red eyes are more a consquence of the air in the mountains often being very cold & dry so the mucus membranes tend to get dry. The blood flow to the nose increases to warm the air that's being breathed in. If there's any crusty bits inside your nose that break down & it'll bleed that bit more. A little vaseline smeared inside the nose helps greatly.

Get fit (if you are not already) - it's stunning how many people ski who take no other exercise from year to year & wonder why they hurt so much when they do ski. Good technique helps. However a good level of physical fitness means you will get less tired (fall less) & have the muscle strength to support your joints when you do get it wrong, so reducing your chance of getting injured.
Drink enough - heavy exercise in winter gear in dry air means you will loose more fluid. The sweat evapourates easier at altitude so it's not as obvious & the sun can be strong so adjust your fluid intake.

True altitude sickness is a much more serious matter affecting mainly the brain & lungs. The younger you are the more likely you are to be affected by the cerebral effects (age shrinks the brain so it has more space to swell into). The only safe option is to descend & acclimatise. Drugs like Aceozolamide (Diamox) & Viagra may help but are not an alternative to getting down the mountain. Look on them as rescue medications to buy a bit more time to get down in a mountaineering emergency not to allow the unaclimatised to climb higher.
I don't see them having a role in a skiing holiday other than under strict medical direction. I doubt there's any justification for using them in European ski resorts. (other than for their licenced use ) )

I would suggest Sauze too - I wouldn't worry greatly over the snow record. It's linked to Sestriere and it's an easy ski to get between the two if you want something more challenging - like the world cup runs. (covered on the same pass).

If you get the right pass you'll also get a day in Montegenevre. (get there by car or bus)

I'd go along with Davkt suggestion - get some lessons on a dry slope or indoor snow here before you go. If you've done the basics you will get so much more out of your first week.

Skiing/snowboarding us too expensive to waste your first week just learning to do your boots up or to stand up when you can do that at home. It's not the same as real snow on a real mountain but if you've got a handle on the basics you'll feel so much more confident about practicing when you lessons are over.