Credit Crunch Caution - or Sod It I'm going skiing?

I havent booked yet :( With me been self employed and most of my work comming from the construction industry its a no goer at the moment, My oh is a HGV driver and although he`s not affected as yet we are playing safe.


AJ Adele

Hirsty,
You are so right. I have just reserved two weeks to my favorite ski resort with my two sons for March 2009 and it is 'cheaper" in 2009 than 2000! They even were willing to have free ski lessons for one week!

My advice to all "serious" skiers is to;
1. Make plans early
2. Look for real deals
3. Not be afraid to ask for better price
4. Look for resorts that are known to make snow and keep slopes well groomed!

Small hint: Many ski resorts and hotels will allow a free trip if you get 20 skiers or more! Just now start to "collect" those bodied!

Many ski resorts also have free skiing for "mature" skiers like DaveMac that are 75 years and older or 5 years and younger!

Many skiers also allow cerified ski instructors to ski free if you have your "card" and a letter from ski center Director!

pavelski wrote:

Soon will be inviting some of you to share costs during my trips! (I am doing video in 10 ski resorts)!

It is a question of priorities!

Skiing to me is number 1 so,,,,

Huh!? What now!? :shock: :D. Being a student isn't that bad. Loan deferments ) No way a poor economy is going to piddle on my ski parade

pavelski wrote:

Many ski resorts also have free skiing for "mature" skiers like DaveMac that are 75 years and older

Pav, that is only true if both of your grandparents are still alive.

Dave Mac,
I have a couple of +70 friends that pretend they are my grandparents and are taking care of me!

Now for a really embarassing situation about older skiers!

I got myself a seasons pass to a local hill since it was only 15 minutes away and I was "tired" of doing 3 hours of physio between 4 walls! Problem was the parking lot was on an incline and ice everywhere in parking lot!
After falling several times I went to ski center administration and asked if salt or sand could be spread more!
I explained my "problem" and was at once told, "well we do have a special place for handicapps"!!!!!! I explained I was not "handicapped" just recovering from a small surgery!
Could I be a "semi-handicap" or at least a 4 month handicapp?

After consulting the gods of the ski center I became a "semi- handicapp" or I rather liked to be a "skier with a transitory shortcomings"! I got a parking place just besides the Director of skiing 5 meters from main chalet door!

Soon I was picking up "older skiers" (with many medical issues far worst than mine) at the bottom of the parking lots! Up the hill we would go right up to lodge! I would get phone calls at night and take reservations for rides!

Now comes the "red in the face part"!!!!

After two months of physio I was starting to look and walk like a "normal" skier so in March I get stopped by ski center guard because I am parking in the "lesser than normal skier" location! Of course I have 4 older skiers with me who now begin to tell this 20 year old all the major ailements, surgeries and medical interventions they had!(hoping to convince him that they were the "patients" and I was just the driver!

You see Dave Mac,,they secretly thought I was "a hypochondriact" since they saw me ski from 8 AM till 4:30!They did not belive that I had some knee tune ups! So they were covering for me!

It was March and I was planning to ski in shorts,,,,so there and then I pull down my pants!

Silence !!!!

Then they all bend down around me a look from various angles, touch here and there, one even hit me and asked if I could feel "that pole point" !!! Remember I still have my pants down and we are 5 meters away from main door!

All day I tried to avoid those "older" fellows! Seems they told all the others in the chalet (watching us) that they were viewing other parts of my body that had been "changed"!!!!

As far as the guard?

Never had problems with him again!

This next season I will ask for a more distant parking place, perhaps in the rear where all the "cats" are!

As in all down turns (we're not allowed to call it a recession in the US) there are winners and losers. Generally everything gets cheaper, so if your income is unaffected, you are better off. The fly in the ointment this time is fuel cost. what you might gain in discounts on skiing and accomadation will be more than offset by increasing transport cost.

If the Isrealis decide to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, you can figure on cycling to the alps next winter.

I have always said I would forfeit some summer sun for the winter snow but the UK summers are so bad recently that I am in need of some sun on my face. So I guess that puts me in the sod it camp! NEED both holidays so gotta find other ways to economize! After all what's the point in doing the 9 to 5 if you can't have some pleasure on your jolly holidays!! :D

Well Pav, you are way off beam, although I certainly aspire to be a 70+ skier. It would be a much greater aspiration to meet Bandit's guess of being a 102+ skier ~ although I reiterate my meeting up with a 90+ skier in Niederau. He could still ski quite well, but wasn't sure of his own name.

Not too many clues, but there is one Beatles song that I won't be able to sing for too many seasons.

I confess to having these flash forwards with my OH.....

"Was thinking of heading off to Niederau in a couple of weeks dear."
"Really Dave? But you just came back last week"
"Did I really dear? Did I have a good time?"

If we can knees and hips together, and make a smooth transition into the above state of mind....