J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by OldAndy

Firstly may I say that you are in for a treat!
So much fun being around tiddly tots as they explore the snow.

My advice,
Lots and lots and lots of kit!
As many hats, pairs of gloves and ski suits as you can beg borrow or steal.
Because,
It's not just skiing!
There is tobogganing to do every day and snow ball fights and snow man building and .....
It's not just skiing.

On the first day there will probably be so much pent up excitement that the kit will be soaked before any formal outing through just throwing snowballs and frollicking around outside the chalet.

Don't overdo things with them, same as at home; I doubt you would expect 8 hours on the beach/in the garden etc without a decent break for either of them.

Esprit have an excellent reputation and I would follow their advice, they have more experience than anyone with just their own kids to introduce to the mountains.

But .....
I would suggest that for yourself (and OH?) that to aproach this as a family holiday rather than a skiing holiday would be sensible. I'm sure you'll get some skiing in but probaby spend more time pushing sledges and drying clothes, gloves, tears etc than skiing.

Do let us know how you get on.

Janbear - my advice - don't!
I skied Sierra Nevada for a day a few years ago, it was that or a days shopping and sightseeing in Granada so no contest.
Did I have a good time? - absolutely yes, great fun and very sunny for February.
Would I go back? - yes, for a day or so if I was in the area.

But ...
I don't think it is really a resort to consider for a week. I am sure that if you were lucky with the snow and the whole area was open it would be OK, but when you have so many choices in the Alps and Pyrenese I wouldn't take the risk.
For me it would be in the same categorie as Scotland - there is skiing, can be really great, but variable conditions and a small area.

Every morning, yes every morning, on your holiday .....
Have a couple of runs to warm up and enjoy and then .....
Take some time out on your own on a run that, to you, feels comfortably within your competence etc.
Could be a blue or a red, who knows. Good snow, quiet, and no big bumps or surprises would be my criteria suggestion.

And practice!
Work on skiing in control and really thinking about where your body is and how it feels and try to "do it right", whatever "right" happens to feel like!

You could pretend you were being videoed for a "this is how you do it video" so that you concentrate on all the bits that bring it together.

Exactly the same issue as yourself Moogie with my OH not skiing.
We just carry our normal phones and use them as we wish.
The bill never seems very much, £20 extra on each phone for the week maybe and we do text and natter as much as we want really.
I'm not sure of the reasoning behind buying new sims?
What's wrong with your usual phone?
Just make sure data roaming is switched off!

Iceman wrote:

OldAndy wrote:Plus a feeling of camaraderie as one realises that other (perjorative term of choice) are dancing at the same time.
And I've never played with video editting before and it was great fun doing a vid with sound etc.

That will be the highlight of my year :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Oh you poor lamb - that is so upsetting!
I am sure you can find something more exciting .........
I do hope your OH doesn't read your posts :mrgreen:

Something to talk about before the skiing started and more "gripping" than N, H, B & G
:thumbup:
Plus a feeling of camaraderie as one realises that other (perjorative term of choice) are dancing at the same time.
And I've never played with video editting before and it was great fun doing a vid with sound etc.

I would try a couple of travel agents who specialise in skiing, especially as you are not particularly savvy on the subject.
I have used both .....
www.skisolutions.com
and
www.igluski.com
before and received great service.

Just got a promotional e mail from igluski headlining half price chalets for 8th and 15th Jan.
January prices starting to drop??
Seen a number of cheap deals post new year and first week in Jan but these are moving a bit later in the month.