5th-12th Jan - Tour Day 9-16: A Week in Ski-Heaven

Will there be snow????

Since the beginning of our trip, there was much dread and anticipation at the availability of snow during our allotted ski week. While in Germany, we were well appeased, there was masses of the stuff. Strangely though, as we entered Austria and then Switzerland, the snow became a scarcity. Leaving Sion on Saturday morning, we were watching the passing scenes with great trepidation. Across the border and into France the landscape was rather more brown than white, including our little village Samoëns.

Saturday was pretty much an admin day after arriving at Samoëns, completing the various transactions, including the week's grocery shop, preparing some make-shift supper and psyching ourselves up for our first day of skiing, which we were still very unsure would be done on snow as yet.

First day at the slopes:

Sunday morning and the house kicked into full gear - breakfast being made and gobbled; snow gear being donned; hair being plaited; and preparing the children for their first day with the au-pair, who would take them up to the ski area for their first day in ski school at lunch time.

Pierre and the "frauline" - on our way to the lift:

The day was very misty, and it was more wet than white.
But fortunately, as we took the gondola from the village to the base camp, things definitely started to improve and our fears were allayed - there was snow at the top :)...

Our first order of business was to sus out where the various schools were so we knew where to meet Pauling (the au-pair) and the kids at 2pm. Second order of business: study the piste map furiously and plot the plan for the day. 3rd order of business: SKI!
The views from the pistes were incredible, especially with the clouds rolling in. We tried our hand at the various blue runs during the morning, trying to find our ski-legs, which seemed to vanish at the sight of the steep drops from the edge of the run. Colin was unanimously the pro-wipe-outer of the next couple of days, doing some of the most spectacularly styling wipe-outs that kept Mishcat silently doubled over for a good 10 minutes before the guffaws even began (not to mention the pair of broken ribs and the sprained thumb which also caused for qualifiers). But in all fairness, it must be mentioned that the skis were completely to blame and once new skis were hired there was not a single tumble thereafter.

First day at ski school:

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of Michael setting of for his class, but Michael, being now 6, was in a separate group. The 5 and unders are in a kindergarten. Unfortunately for our 2 who have already skid on some reasonable slopes, this was painfully boring. But, with Amber having a broken arm, I didn't feel too compelled to try to persuade her migration to the bigger class. The kindergarten was at least fun, with obstacles and games that all the kids could participate in, but as far as skiing, it was very basic.

The girls:

The boys

(before attempting one of their death defying ramps down an even more death defying, although very average, actually quite pedestrian, hump). (Sorry boys, I am sure it was terrifying at the time ;)...)

The daily undressing and packing up routine:

Looking good Mishcat :)

Skiing in the rain:
Day 2, Monday, held our afternoon lesson in store. Desperate not to waste a moment, we braced ourselves against the rain at the village level, quite convinced that it would definitely be snowing at the top. Well, we arrived at base camp and it was still raining. We then headed up on the chair lifts to the next level as it must be snowing higher up. Needless to say, within the hour we were soaked and there was no snow to be found. Actually, I lie. Colin & I, while waiting for the Marais, took the highest lift out of Samoëns (le Croix). Here, we were pelted with sleet while riding head first into the icy gale wind, so that our completely soaked snow suits were solid ice in all our crooks and elbows. Once arriving at the top we reached the first snow! It was bitterly cold though, and while we braced ourselves against the wind, turning our backs and looking back the way we came, waiting for the Marais, only to have the lift standstill for 15 minutes before we find out that the Marais are nowhere close and so decide to descend anyway since they can't join us coz there is an electric fault on the lift and it won't be carrying no-one up the hill. We were now solid ice on the front and coated with snow on the back with rain water collecting at our elbows inside our suits and running down our cleavage (speaking only for the girls here). After getting back to the bottom, we met the Marais, collected the kids (who were inside drinking hot chocolate at the school) and trudged off the slope. Since we only had one set of ski gear each, we were desperate to get everything drying ready for the next day. It was probably not much after 2pm, when the blue skies appeared and it was the most glorious day :( and we were watching movies at home :( and we had to postpone our ski lesson to the next day :(.

Moral of the story:

1. always read the weather forecast
2. snow gear is not rain proof

Dinner in Samoëns:

After the disastrous morning, we decided to cheer ourselves up with a dinner date. Pauline recommended a good restaurant in town and we enjoyed an evening off.

Blue Skies and Brilliant Skiing:
After the rain and mist of our first few days, Tuesday produced ice on the windows and clear blue skies.
The cable car ride out of the village to the base camp:

Today was our big day for our ski lesson, which we were oh-so-ready-for! And it would be the first day that we would be able to venture out of the Samoëns area and head for the higher ground of Flaine.

We spent the morning exploring some new piste's and had to race back in time for our 12:00 lesson.

(Some more chairlift shots)...

(and the most gorgeous views with blue skies)...

Our ski lesson was just brilliant! Our instructor Henry took one look at us and plunged us over the edge of our belief system taking us immediately off-piste and down "dark" blues and reds and then to top it all a black. And so we came to realise that we can actually ski! We don't need to be afraid and cling to the easy blues :) Or maybe I should only speak for myself here....

This is us at the top of Flaine:

with a view of Mont Blanc behind us (the pimple above Michelle's head...):

This lesson was the beginning of the rest of the holiday - tomorrow, the top of Grand Massive!

Snow-Bike Babies:

Ok, so what happens when you go down a run with children that has a button lift at the bottom that is not suitable for children and where you are not allowed to take the child up with you? Walk back up or ask to be rescued! Michelle opted for the latter...

So, here we have Amber & Mandy being "rescued" on the snow mobile and taken back to the top of the run.

Another lesson learned:
When your wife says: "I think we should check out the run first before coming down with kids"... don't answer and say, "Ok, I am following right behind you...." and come down with child in tow. :)

The next few days we had the most brilliant weather and the most brilliant skiing. We pretty much covered the entire Grand Massives, going right to the top on a couple of occasions and even venturing down "Lucifer" and "Beelzebub" against our better judgement (and Mishcat's warnings to "never mess with the Devil").

Here Colin & I are still smiling at the top of Beelzebub... I can assure you my grin was more of a grimace by the time I got to the bottom! Mish, I should have followed your example and opted for the off-piste route to meet the blue slope half way down (pretty much where on the sign board it changes from blue to red!).

This is the view at the top of the Grand Massives:

with the view of Mont Blanc and even bigger pimple above Colin's head:

the view just a bit to the right of Mont Blanc with the clouds rolling over the peaks:

General Breathtaking Scenery:

(yes, I was referring to the 2 babes in the foreground)

(yes, the boys are also very scenic ;)..)

Kids took to skiing like ducks to water:

Yeah, yeah, forgive my very cliche cliche.. But they really did. They were total pros! Even Mandy was hardpressed to go home after skiing in between Dad's legs are alongside him holding onto the poles.

Amber & Saz enjoyed the kindergarten classes, but were very chuffed when they were upgraded to Michael's class.
Michelle taking Michael & Amber for a ski:

Sarah was the daredevil of the threesome and whenever there was a downhill to be had, she wouldn't just be skiing, she was skating. She would attempt to make new land speed records, giving everyone heartfailure in the process as we envisioned non-ability to stop at the bottom but to have her careening off the bottom of the piste. To all of our astonishment she manoevred a perfect parallel ski stop at the bottom every time.

Some videos of the kids:

The 3 snow girls:
The snow angel:

All the kids were very proud of their "pass cards" that they were presented with at the end of the week.

The Wood Family loving this holiday...

And the final farewell to Pauline:

Farewell to Samoëns and fresh snowfall:

Our last morning on the day of our departure, we all woke up to a white landscape and the first snowfall in a few weeks. It was a very fitting farewell to the week in the mountains. With the snow falling hard at the critical packing stage of the morning, the combi was getting completely snowed in, hampering the very jig-saw puzzle like packing that was required for us to all fit into the combi.

As we drove out, we took our only photo of the apparently very famous church that was 5 metres from our chalet and which we never went to see.

5th Jan - Tour Day 9

Well, this is it! Today we get to Samoens! But first there is stuff to see and do...
Beginning with Sion, we wanted to see the two castles, visible from the road and our hotel, up close. Last night there was not enough energy around to even get some decent night-time photos of the castles, let alone a visit.

The Château de Valère and the Château de Tourbillon each sit atop a hill overlooking the city. Tourbillon is a ruin, while Valère is still in good shape. Going through the old town wall we made our way up to the top of the enclosed town and could see both castles above.

The entrance through the town wall

 

Hayley and Michelle decided to see Valère while Pierre and I, with all the kids opted for the ruin of Tourbillon.

Tourbillon from the parking area... that's a long way up, and were not carrying building material!

During the long climb to the top we had the company of one of the local's dogs, a border collie, who kept the kids so amused fetching sticks and things that they forgot to ask the two old men for "uppies" - what a dog!

 

The mutt up front with keen kids in tow

 

Arriving at the top, we found the door to the castle locked! How rude, and only due to open a good 30 minutes or so from now.

This is Château de Valère from the battlements of Torbillon

And another... nice setting what?

Back down the hill again... babies ready to depart with Sion in the background

After the trip to see the castles, we began the drive to Samoens.

Pierre taking the wheel for a bit, so yours truly could rest his royal raggedness in the back.

If you've ever wondered what a Mishcat looks like in a speeding van...

After the climb out of Sion, we had to stop and admire the view - can you spot our van? - its the one packed to the limit...
Just beyond the building you see in front of the van in the picture above, the road curves and presents the Rhone Valley...

After dragging ourselves back to the car we were forced to travel through the rest of this very ordinary place...

We attempted a cable car ride up Mont Blanc, I stayed in the van, due to my bout of the dreaded lurgy, while the 7 merrymen made off for the lift. I'd just settled down on the back seat, snacks all packed out, cosy warm, ready to sleep for a few hours when they all returned! Bummer... It was the wrong lift station or something, I can't remember the reason, only the fact that I didn't get to snooze!

This is one of the glaciers that we passed on the way out of Sion

We arrived in Samoens after 3 pm, called Yves, the agent for the farmhouse we rented, and met up with his wife at the tourist information centre in the little town. She showed us through to the house, which is HUGE, there are 5 bedrooms, 2 of which are suites with their own lounges, all are en-suite, nice kitchen, games room with pool table, a massive dining room, cosy lounge with a fireplace and a laundry room equipped with a washing machine and tumble dryer. The house is a restored 17th century farmhouse, stone on the ground floor and wooden upstairs, wooden paneling etc, very, very pleasant.

 

It's heaven for kids, snow outside, masses of space inside, Satellite TV, a games console, close enough to town and the lifts - excellent.
Yves' wife organised ski passes for us, and we had lessons for the kids lined up too. Yves had organised an aupair to fill in for us when the kids needed it, so we were all sorted for the week. I went to bed to get rid of the last of my illness while the family settled in. Got to be ready for tomorrow!

Click here for the previous day - 4th Jan

Click here for the first day - 26th Dec

4th Jan - Tour Day 8

Switzerland is a *insert list of superlatives* beautiful country. It doesn't take the prize from Scotland, but it's a close second. You'll look at something passing by outside of the car window, know you're looking at it, but you can't grasp what you're seeing, well, let me speak for myself.

The other immediately noticeable thing about Switzerland are the tunnels. There are tunnels everywhere, miles of them. The Swiss will go out of their way to tunnel through anything they can find, they'll even make a tunnel where there isn't a mountain, I don't know why, it's just what they do - even their cheese is full of holes going in no particular direction.
We wanted to see the St Gotthard tunnel, which we did... twice!

I don't know how it happened, but the kids developed this zombie-like droning mantra for driving through the kilometers of tunnel. "I must be dreaming, stop the car, I must be dreaming, get this dream out of me, stop the car, stop the car..." Repeat any of these phrases any number of times, and in any order, from the moment we enter the tunnel till the moment we leave it. Importantly it must be said loudly, very slowly and in the best low monotone one can muster.

We'd planned to fit in a trip on the Jungfrau train and a visit to the Aletsch Glacier today, but didn't manage either. The directions on the GPS didn't work out to be doable - turns out that we'd need to be on the other side of the mountain range, so the plan was scuppered!

We stopped for lunch at Hospental,

and, while we were having lunch were informed by the owners that the road passes we needed to take to get to Sion were all closed. Fortunately there is a train that will get us there, and surprisingly TomTom knew about it... It took us to a point and then said "Take the ferry..." well ok, it's a train ferry, but fair enough, we took the ferry.

The train is a long flatbed, mostly under roof, we drove on and parked waiting to make the trip.

Waiting for the ferry at Realp...

There she is...
Most of the trip passed by in complete darkness because the train is in a tunnel for most of the journey.
Nevertheless, we got to the other side of some mountain and continued on our way.

Switzerland, and some of the closer parts of Germany, have these very oddly shaped houses... Typically made of wood, look ancient, and appear to have been slapped together during a very cold winters night. Like someone was in a hurry to have a shelter and paid no attention to symetry, right angles or any other key design principles... then never went back to remedy the construction when summer rolled on - oh, but they add on new rooms that look equally hastily scrambled. This is not a particularly good example, but you get the idea...?

Look at the avalanche countermeasures on this hill... I wonder what the property prices are like below that lot.

A windy, windy road going up a mountain...

By late afternoon we had made our way to Sion, me feeling crook, all I wanted to do was get into bed... tomorrow was another day
This is Tourbillon in Sion from our hotel parking lot... on tomorrows schedule

 

A very blurry picture of Sion on the mountainside - pretty in the dusk, lights coming on etc

 

 

Click here for the previous day - 3rd Jan

Click here for the next day - 5th Jan

3rd Jan - Tour Day 7

An easy morning is had by all after the usual "crack-of-dawn attack of the hyper children", we have nothing to do, nowhere to go, so there's lots of TV, talking and stuff of the close-to-bored spectrum. The guest house is closed today, but inimitable Gabby lets us stay on in the rooms for as long as we like - still no extra cost. At some point in the morning we go out and have a look around, there is snow everywhere, a small field next to the house and a river passing by, Michael wants to ski,

Sarah wants to to sleigh,

Hayley and Amber are off on a walk,

 

... there's a degree of fun happening...

 

12:00 comes and goes, some sms's start moving about and there are just delays... eventually the man with the spare bus arrives at about 3:30 and we are keen to get moving. They unload the new bus and Pierre happily begins to pack it - I take the man over to the stricken Volksie and he gets in to see what all the trouble is. Sure enough that stick won't budge. He starts the engine, clutch in, tries again. Almost immediately switches off again, pulls the keys from the ignition, sticks the "other" key into the gear lock..., the blood drains from my entire body as I know what is about to happen, the little silver button pops out and - well, the *&^%*&^#(@*&$#^$*&^* gear stick is as free as a bird... we drive around, there really is no problem.
I am speechless.
What we'd done was allow one kid at a time, on rotation to sit up front in the bus between the driver and whoever else is sitting in the front seat. The booster seat lifts the foot of the kiddy to the precise height of the gear lock and... well, one can guess the rest, it is only a matter of time till that little silver button gets a nudge, a shove, a kick or something locking the stick in place. Aiiiii!
The man had to pack up his new car and drive all the way back to Prague...
We told Gabby the news and she did laugh... at least someone thought it was amusing.
If you are ever in the neighbourhood and want to meet the proprietor of the Gastof Engel, and who qualifies for the title of Engel all on her own, stop of at these coordinates: Hauptstraße/St2008 @47.613060, 10.632230 and say "Hi".

Thanks for all the help Gabby!

Moving right along... now all we have to do is drive, in the same bus, to Zurich for the night.

Click here for the previous day - 2nd Jan

Click here for the next day - 4th Jan

2nd Jan - Tour Day 6

Neuschwanstein Castle was on the menu for today, we arrived last night in temperatures from which zero could only be seen in the distance, and today is no different. The ground was covered in thick snow, and when q'ing to get up the hill for the tour of the castle the ladies and kids almost froze.
Its about a 2.5 Km walk uphill to the castle from our hotel, we decided that it would be best to get the littlies up the hill in a horse cart so that there would still be enough humor left in them to make it through the castle tour. Cold and tired don't go well with little people.

If you enlarge this photo, you can see Neuschwanstein better

Neuschwanstein from a distance

The walk to the ticket office and pony terminal

This is Hoenschwangau - where Luddies' parents lived, and his childhood home

Pierre and I did the walk up - it was great.

One of the horse buggies on its way up.

Way below zero, I should have had thermals on under the jeans, if we hadn't been walking fast up that hill we may have just snapped frozen like statues on the way up. The streams coming down the hill were all part-ice and the snow-squeeks underfoot of all the pedestrians was a constant sound.
After some drama at the horse cart queue (like a 2 hour long queue), and a resulting change in tour time, the rest of the family joined Pierre and I at the castle where we scampered a lunch and rushed off to make the tour.

Neuschwanstein castle, literally "New Swan Stone" built by Ludwig the II is a beauty. Huge pity it was never finished, but what's here is well worth the look.

The view from one of the windows in the castle - Hoenschwangau visible on the right

It must be simply surreal to call a place like this "home" or, more precisely, "one of them" if you're a Bavarian King.

Ludwig sounds a little like a 19th century Michael Jackson, living in a fantasy land and building homes to match. The castle is themed in many parts after Wagners works. Caves as they appeared in some opera, painted scenes from others.

There are 2 things that should be allowed here 1) unguided tours where one can just browse and absorb the place, and 2) access to the unfinished bits of the castle. No photography as usual here, the art is degraded by light. Well OK, that and it boosts sales of the tourist books containing all the authorised photos at the end of the tour.

Some photies on the way out...

There was snow falling from the boughs and being caught in the afternoon sunlight - the larger view does a little more justice. This is in the woods just outside the castle.

The Woods just outside the castle... he he... I kill me!

Q: How can you be sure that it's cold out?

A: When your breath freezes on your whiskers...

 

Kiddies all packed up and ready to make the trip down - the men joined in on this ride

 

After the castle was done, we had quite a long ride ahead into Austria. Scheduled to stay in Bregenz, on the shores of Bodensee we stocked up on some groceries at a local store and hit the road.

Not more than a few km's out, a funny thing happened...Well, it wasn't funny at the time, and though I expect (hope) it will be funny at some point in the future, it is still not funny now... not to me anyway. Coming out of Hopferau I changed into 3rd and couldn't change out again... the gear lever was stuck, jammed, immovable, unbudgeable. Sensing that there was trouble abrewin, after announcing the observation to the rest of the family I pulled off onto the shoulder and we tried to work out what was going on...

 

It was still flipping freezing outside and while Pierre jiggled the gear stick inside the car I looked into the bonnet to see if I could locate where it connected to the gearbox and there look for any obvious signs of trouble. But it was already dark and there was just no seeing into the engine compartment. We called the car rental company in Prague, told them of the news and after a little to-and-fro-ing on the phone, they informed us that there was a serious problem and that we should seek accommodation for the night, arrangements and so on would be investigated to get a solution sorted and they would call us.

Synchronicity again had provided abundantly, and as it turned out, I had pulled off on the shoulder in the driveway of Gastof Engel...

I tell you...

So there we were, sorted! They had all the room we needed and were the most accommodating people ever. Gabby (the owner) took care of us, helped us call other car hire companies, let us use her phone, spoke to the operators when they couldn't sprechen Englisch etc. What a lady. Eventually the car hire co in Prague said that they would send a replacement vehicle to us in the morning and that they'd be there by 12:00.... it's bed time...

P.S. Today is Darryl's birthday - Happiness Flee!

Click here for the previous day - 1st Jan

Click here for the next day - 3rd Jan