J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Salski

:lol: Oh Admin you're such a spoil sport. After a couple of glasses of red wine I was having such a chuckle!!

Tony_H wrote:I cant quite put my finger on it, but I have absolutely no desire to go to Lapland. I think it looks great for beginners, young kids, and people who like to sit around and not ski all day, and it looks beautiful too. But I just dont think it has any appeal to someone like me who likes to get up and down slopes and ski from first to last lift.

I must admit Tony_H it is a little puzzling :? I'm not a beginner, or a young kid & I certainly don't like to sit around all day. I too like to get up & down slopes (obviously) & ski from the first lift to the last - yet something about what I've read & heard from others appeals to me. If anyone out there has been to Finland to ski & found it to be pants, please let me know. If this is the case, then I'll probably ( & happily) go back to France, although I know some people don't like it there either :wink:

Having been on the verge of booking to go to France again this year, I started doing some research into Finland & now really fancy going as I think it will give us a very different experience. Even skiers who normally choose resorts which give them plenty of off piste & black runs seem to say they would return to Finland because it is so unique.

I've read lots of reviews & have hardly come across a negative comment about the country (one or two don't like the cold). I was thinking about the end of January but am concerned about the short daylight hours. Has anyone been to Levi or Yllas at this time & how did you find it? I realise that March would be warmer with longer days, but is this at the expense of the surreal light conditions that people talk about? I don't want to get too excited about the Northern Lights, as I know that we may not see them.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. The trips that the main tour operators all seem to organise (snowmobiles, huskies etc.)seem expensive but do vary in price. Is it cheaper to book these in resort?

I'm having a serious look at St Gervais this year (well Jan 09 actually). As ever, we are on a budget & I've sourced cheap flights & reasonable accommodation but transfers from Geneva seem very expensive. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I've also read in some reviews that it's much better to hire a car if staying here. Is this really necessary as the apartment is very close to the Telecabine Bettex? Is it difficult to explore the full Evasion Mont-Blanc area by using public transport? Maybe we should just hire a car :?

Thanks everyone - I'll pass that on & let them decide. I'll also suggest they join the forum. I've just been catching up on weeks of missed chat & it would seem you can learn about almost anything on here!

It's a bit like Chinese whispers - one minute we're talking about children snowboarding & within 6 posts we're talking about Dave Mac's thighs :lol:

Does anyone have an opinion as to what age little ones can realistically start snowboarding? My son's cub leader is a skier & wants to take her 4 year old skiing. Her husband is a snowboarder & wants to take him snowboarding. My son managed very well on skis at 4 years old but I'm not sure that I've seen children as young as that on snowboards.

I seem to remember my son playing a lot on his skis & he could obviously walk on the flat in them & go on chairlifts (with adult help) - something that can't so easily be done on a snowboard. I'd be interested to hear what others have done with their little ones. Is it best to start them on skis & then change to snowboarding at a later age once they've got their 'snow legs'?

Sounds like somewhere near Blakeney or Wells?

Well spotted Tony_H - between the two actually )

As ever, we will be camping in North Norfolk in a beautiful little spot overlooking the salt marshes. Our boat lives there & our cousins run a sailing school so there will be lots of "messing about in boats" (please don't roll your eyes Tony_H).

The sands are white, the beaches deserted & the seals and wildlife an absolute delight :-) Obviously, it might rain (it usually does) but just not being at work makes it a holiday!