@pieman666, Sorry, my mistake. It is the Chat Forum which, in their words is going to be "retired".

I believe they're doing away with it. Incidentally, I'm still getting updates from their meetings even though I'm no longer a member and haven't been for a while. Now if I was a good sort I would let them know...

I managed to get through to their call centre but it then took 55 minutes to reschedule a cancelled flight from March this year to Jan next year. But then I received no promised confirmation email with booking ref. and e-ticket so no record of flight details. When I called back the next day I got the same imbecile that I had spoken to the day before who claimed there was no Heathrow to Innsbruck flight on the date and time I had booked the previous day!! (It was clearly there on Skyscanner). I had to raise an official complaint before a very helpful 'manager' sorted everything in five minutes. Grrrrr :-D I like flying with BA but their customer relations sucks.

With a third wave inevitable and a very relaxed attitude towards any sort of vaccination program next year's ski season is looking a bit doubtful. It's as if the French have hit the self destruct button.

I was in a similar situation. Spent a few seasons instructing on a pair of 204cm GS skis and then a 25 year break. When I got back into it it was all weird skis and people wearing helmets! I now ski three or four weeks a season (Covid permitting) and have finished up with two pairs of skis. One is an all mountain ski but the other is very much a carving ski (Hero Pro short turn). When you get the hang of these new fangled carving skis they're a whole lot of fun!

It's surprising how far this thread had gone off topic, how quickly and for how long. I really do wander how many posters on Snowheads now days have any interest in skiing.

@Mr.Egg, That is how I book my trips. Just rebooked flights to Innsbruck for Jan '22 using BA vouchers from cancelled March '21 flights. Like you, accomodation booked through booking.com and can be cancelled up untill pretty well the last minute.

Well, I've booked for three weeks in Jan/Feb '22. Ever the optimist but I do think it'll happen.

@Mr.Egg, would be great! I'm retired and live down the road!!

@MorningGory, I won't be drawn.

@MorningGory, Perhaps at tad insensitive to state "it's only £400 anyway". Let alone brag about it.

@saintnickle, Don't forget to leave a space after a full stop old chap!

Me!

This Forum is fast being ruined by a recent influx of trolls. I fear that unless the mods start acting soon, old timers will start to leave. Please excuse the thread drift!

@Timmycb5, think Pam's suggestion applies to you too. Get back on topic or take your agenda elsewhere.

@OTS, and Pprune and pilots (or lack of them)

@robboj, +1 I sometimes wonder how many Snowheads actually have any interest in skiing.

@borntoski, No doubt you're aware of the 90 day rule.

It would be interesting to know how many of these Gap Year vocational students actually go on and make a career out of skiing. Beyond maybe spending a few weeks "picking up babies" or a bit of instructing on dry slopes back in the UK I suspect very few. Equally it would be interesting to know, though we never will, how many are just treating this as an opportunity to get round the restrictions and do a bit of skiing for a few weeks. For those that are genuinely trying to make a career of it I take my hat off to them and wish them all the best on what will be a tough journey. Back in the eighties, having attained the dizzy heights of level two, I did two seasons teaching in Italy and was made welcome by the local ski school. Such opportunities are going to be few and far between now with Brexit, Covid and an inevitable amount of antipathy towards the Brits. There will be a few that make it and they will probably be very good at their jobs. Because they will be there for all the right reasons and will have earnt it the hard way. For those that are just there for a bit of a jolly; May they rot in hell!

Have the French increased their vaccination rate in the last week or so?

As @JamesHJ, said, what are they doing about it? If the Pfizer vaccine is now going to be in short supply surely they should be moving heaven and earth to get vaccines from elsewhere. Or will a Gallic shrug suffice?

@Mr.Egg, The thought had certainly crossed my mind.

Only 367 days to go.....

I've booked three weeks for Jan next year for the same price as I was going to pay this year. If nothing else it gives me something to look forward to!

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/health-pmn/lauberhorn-ski-classic-canceled-as-uk-tourist-spreads-virus-variant Can't see many countries wanting us back in a hurry

Given up on this season. Boy, am I excited about next season? And it's still only January! :twisted:

@queenie pretty please, You can go off people you know.

@snowornever, I share your frustration!

@sugarmoma666, good point.

@thefatcontroller, A huge thank you to your wife and all those who are risking so much to help us.

And for no particularly scientific reason the answer is still NO.

@thefatcontroller, Just a pity they can't beat their chests somewhere else and let us mere mortals carry on the chat at a level we can understand.

Maybe the UK's mass vaccination and lockdown will get things under control to the extent that we could all go skiing later in the season but the way European numbers are now increasing and their apparent lack of vaccination roll out (esp France) will surely mean that any realistic hopes are now gone.

Back on topic. No.

@davidof, Back to your first post; I should've listened!! Went out to the garden this morning to clear up after the dog and wham! Four paved steps completely covered in clear ice with me at the bottom. My wife saw me going down and rushed over to help only to bounce down the offending steps and finish up on top of me. We're both in our early sixties but thankfully we're both mildly obsessive about fitness which I think saved us both from serious injury. As it is she has a bruised hip and me a bruised back. It could certainly have been a lot worse. As you said: It's icy, don't rush about like it's summer! Hope your ribs aren't too bad.

Done it twice and I found getting up out of bed a very lengthy and painful process.

Even the discounts are pretty unexciting.

@Whitegold, Get some English lessons.

Used to be Platinum when insurance made it worthwhile but now no longer a member.

@rungsp, Exactly. Fingers crossed for next season!