J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

PCthug,
You can learn quite a bit from watching DVD's, videos on the internet, books, and actually watching people ski on a dry ski slope. I found a few useful tips on here:

http://www.e4s.co.uk/docs/top-skiing-tips.htm#firsttimers

But I would still advise taking your skis and boots to a ski shop to get them adjusted for you - there might be one at the Sunderland ski slope - and lessons.

On the subject of driving, I have to admit that I started driving a tractor on the road before a car, and the only instruction I received was from my future husband who pointed out which pedal and lever did what before I started. Actually, it was quite a good way to learn to drive because in those days tractors were mechanically limited to 20 mph, and you have a hand throttle instead of a foot one, which makes one less pedal to worry about. And, of course, you can drive a tractor on your own on the road with only a provisional car license :D

But I did get lessons before I started driving a car on the road!

Ally

I am rather confused about which flight Sami was booked on in the first place, but if it was the Ryanair FR2132 flight from Stansted to Grenoble leaving at 10:10 today and arriving at 12:55, then it's been cancelled, according to the Ryanair website

http://www.ryanair.com/en/notices/gops/100105-SNOW_UK_05JAN10-GB

If this was his flight then he can get a refund. I hope it was and he hasn't wasted the extra money on the new flights. His OH will then presumably forgive him for their awful journey to the airport.

Any more news on how everyone else is getting on? It's turned into an amazing epic journey, just to get out to Alpe d'Huez :shock:

Edit:
If Sami's new tickets were for the Snowjet ZT 2761 flight Stansted to Chambery then the Snowjet website said the flight was delayed (not cancelled) by 1 hour and 30 minutes. I hope it takes off/has taken off.

Ally

jonG wrote:Hi,

many moons ago group of friends and myself were staying an the Home Club in Tignes ,and had one hell of a blizzard for about 14 hours, when we got up in the morning as in the photo you could not se the tops of the cars at all.......which was bit of a problem for the plough driver as while driving down the road clearing the snow ,he also cleared two or three cars that were parked with their rear end s hanging out.....oooopppps!

jon

I think that's one of the reasons they try and encourage everyone now to park in multi-storey or underground car parks. We were somewhere, Val Thorens or La Rosiere (I've forgotten now) and they had one day a week when all the cars had to be removed off the road and outside parking so the snow-plough could do a thorough job and clear everywhere of all the built up bits of snow.

Ally

Pablo, it looks as though there's masses of snow - isn't it lucky you're not away ski-ing in Canada or somewhere at the moment :D

Ally

Have you got a memory stick to save a copy of it just in case?

Won't the airport have some sort of internet cafe (possibly with a printer)? I was in an airport a few weeks ago and I was amazed to see they even had ipod and phone chargers for all the different models and makes.

And, while I'm thinking about it, all Easyjet needed for my e-ticket was my passport (because the ticket is linked to the passport) and the reference number or credit card on the way back because they had a self check in system in Geneva. They didn't actually want to see a piece of paper.

Best of luck with getting to Alpe d'Huez and I hope you and everyone else has a great time when you get there.

Ally

Matt,
I think Admin was afraid you were going to hurt yourself and he was trying to save you from injury.

Ski-ing can be pretty dangerous at the best of times. Quite a few of us have hurt ourselves while ski-ing, even with the right gear and instruction (I broke my shoulder in a lesson falling over) and I suppose he thought trying out skis you'd bought on ebay without any sort of instruction would be very dangerous.

My own husband thought it would be a great idea to get some really old skis and have a go on one of our hills in this snow. I had to explain to him (he doesn't ski) that the bindings have to be very carefully adjusted for one's weight etc. otherwise one's ankle might break before the binding releases.

You need to get your new skis set up for you in a proper ski shop before you use them.

I'm sorry if you were upset about having the thread locked.

Best Wishes,

Ally

ise wrote:

Admin wrote:
If driving to The Alps at any point over the next week you should expect winter driving conditions; there is widespread snow and more is forecast. We strongly advise the use of winter tyres and chains are essential - pack them so you can get at them, and don't forget the gloves and the torch (Murphy's Law dictates that the very first time you use chains, it will be -20C and dark).

I think someone else mentioned this recently but don't neglect screen wash, you need loads of it and down to the lowest temperature you can get. I've gone through liters of the stuff in the last two days alone. In fact, I need to top it up again now :roll:

Don't forget the domestic matters at home either - like turn off the mains water in the house if you're leaving it empty, and cover your tender outside plants with bubble wrap or straw or whatever you have handy (which is what I have been doing today to my agapanthus which my grandmother got in the Scilly Isles around 1930).

Ally

Sami,
I had a look on the altibus.com website just now, and they don't do Chambery to Alpe d'Huez directly (as you say), but they do Chambery to Grenoble bus station, and then Grenoble bus station to Alpe d'Huez. I have no idea of the time table or cost though, but it might work and then perhaps you'd only have to get one ticket which might work out much cheaper than getting a taxi and then two buses.

£100 each for extra plane tickets sounds like good insurance value to me. And another thing, if the ryanair flight is cancelled those seats won't hang about for long!

Ally