 Poster: A snowHead
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That's because employers employ people to work, not to spend time gallivanting around on holiday. I think many employers would prefer it if their employees had no leave entitlement at all with the stress it causes to arrange cover/workloads. I believe the UK is very generous with paid leave in comparison with the USA for example.
I have 3 weeks and 8 days leave per year. I can't use the 8 days in multiples of more than 3 and I can't have holiday at the same time as anyone else in my team. This may sound restrictive but like any business we are catering to the needs of our clients. I do manage to take 2 of my weeks during winter which hopefully means 2 skiing holidays. I could potentially squeeze a short skiing break (up to 3 days' leave) in too but short skiing breaks don't make a huge amount of financial sense as the transport costs are the same regardless of how long a holiday you take.
Obviously once I can afford to retire I will rectify my lack of time spent on snow... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| speed098 wrote: |
Been an absolute disaster this year.
Did the ski test at CFe then nothing for a few months till a couple of hours at CFe ( still have most of the vouchers I got at the ski show ).
Very lucky I did not book on a bash as no way I could have gone, and just hoping eyesight is ok for 2-3 days at Kaprun beginning of June, if not it is going to be really depressing. |
Fingers crossed for your trip.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| That's because employers employ people to work, not to spend time gallivanting around on holiday. |
My point is that they are not usually very flexible even when it would actually work in their favour. I had maybe 5 weeks annual leave (or whatever, I can't actually remember) and I wanted to take nearly all of it in the winter months when virtually nobody else was bothered. I was happy to cover ALL the summer holidays when everyone wanted to take their holiday and yet it was always frowned upon to take large chunks of time off in one go, even though I wasn't using any more than my total annual leave and it wasn't affecting my work in the slightest. In the end I just got fed up of the whole corporate mentality and started my own business. We now employ people ourselves and try to be flexible so they can have a life too. I know it's even worse in the US, but I really don't care. I do think things will eventually change in future with modern technology as the average work/life balance is pretty crap, although I admit still a lot better than it was for the previous generations.
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At one time my employer used to insist that folk took two weeks of their holiday as a block as it meant they were getting a rest from work and were refreshed. I always used to think that was rather patronising as there are different strokes for different folks.
As per my earlier posts I take all my regular leave skiing, but I have always accepted that I have a peculiar leave pattern and need to manage the sometimes unreasonable presumptions of others - "you will want time off in the summer". Since the availability of smart phones I've always taken my work phone with me and clear what email I can every evening over a beer or a nice cup of tea depending on the weather. That means folk no they can get hold of me if they really need me (an increasingly unlikely scenario) and I don't have 100s of emails to deal with when I eventually get back.
Oh and for those of you who have resistance from your others halves - the first Mrs SL was a good and keen skier and we learnt to ski together, but what an old colleague used to refer as "the present post holder" was introduced via the tinternet the key requirements of the profile were: no smoking; no kids living at home (too much strain on resources); and must ski or willing to learn. We don't go on ski holidays, we go skiing, like other folk might go and play football or golf it is just that we can't usually pop out of the house to go and pursue our leisure activity (or is it obsession) we have to head for the mountains.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| That's because employers employ people to work, not to spend time gallivanting around on holiday. I think many employers would prefer it if their employees had no leave entitlement at all with the stress it causes to arrange cover/workloads. |
There're 52 weeks in a year! 5 weeks annual leave is only 1/10 of it.
If a management can't organize the work well enough to allow their worker to take 1/10 of the time off work without "stress it causes to arrange cover/workloads", perhaps they should LEARN how!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am very lucky...my self employment brings with it the option of taking more than your average time off, albeit at the cost of not earning when I am away and sod any residual career ambition....work to live is my motto!. Mr P runs his own business so he manages to do the same. We know we are very fortunate to be in that position. This year we took the plunge and did a 4 week course in January in Val d'Isere with a few days before the start in the 3V. We had a long weekend at the beginning of this month, and had a great time despite the warm conditions and mush.
Personally I think employers should treasure employees who want to take more time off in the winter...maybe they should reward their altruism towards the summer sun worshipping types by doubling up their annual leave if taken between 15th December and the end of April  !
Hey...just thought, first we had maternity leave, now in the 21st century we got paternity leave...how about ski leave?
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@queen bodecia, there's a damn site more hassle when people go off with stress or illness due to being overworked. My brother works in Canada where he gets very little time off and it burns him out, especially as it makes it very difficult for him to come home for any meaningful visit.
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| Perty wrote: |
| ...how about ski leave? |
That's what I took in the end. I wanted to ski so I left!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@SnoodyMcFlude, @abc, fortunately we are not overworked. The legal minimum leave in the UK is 20 days. I feel more sorry for my brother whose annual leave consists of 2 compulsory weeks in August, 2 compulsory weeks over Christmas/New Year (which includes 3 bank holidays) and 3 other days which he may take at any other time during the year as long as he gives at least 2 months' notice.
In my case there is no management to organise work. We work based on the instructions of our clients, some of whom are not very good at planning ahead, although we do try to help them with this.
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| Quote: |
I feel more sorry for my brother whose annual leave consists of 2 compulsory weeks in August, 2 compulsory weeks over Christmas/New Year
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That is what I do, along with a compulsory week at easter, compulsory long (fri,sat,sun,mon) weekend in october and compulsory bank holidays. I just 'shut shop'. It allows the phone to ring and the workload to build up when we are closed, and guarantees 100% squad turn-out every week we are open. It also allows me to relax and enjoy my holiday more.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Any job that doesn't allow a bare minimum of 4 weeks and preferably 6 weeks off over the peak winter season is not for me. Which pretty much rules out any fully employed position in the UK.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I skiied two weeks for the first time this year and that was great, hope to continue in the future.
I sympathise with those who struggle with leave. Where I work half shuts down over summer, so although I can take leave when I want, it does mean I have a few very unproductive weeks in the summer when everyone else is away, and I feel like I'm taking the mick being away more early in the year, even though my allowance is the same as everyone elses!
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| @SnoodyMcFlude, @abc, fortunately we are not overworked. The legal minimum leave in the UK is 20 days. |
As long as the management doesn't make you feel sorry about taking those legal leaves! (which in your earlier post seem to suggest that)
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You know it makes sense.
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I managed five weeks of skiing this season, which is pretty good considering I get 33 days of holidays a year including all the bank holidays. I'm lucky that although I'm basically an office worker I'm based in a factory that works 24/7. I work all the bank holidays so that I can take my holidays in week long snowy chunks. Skied Christmas/New Year in Champoluc, February in Nauders, March was the Off-piste bash in Serre Chevalier and for Easter we went to Lech. I'll probably go camping in the Alps for my summer holiday and then it's a long, long wait until Christmas.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@abc, no nothing like that. There is no management to speak of anyway. The holiday rules are decided at team level, so we've all had our input. Obviously the needs of the clients come first, without those there would be no business.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have been skiing for thirty years and until the last few years it was usually one week, although I managed four weeks in the late 80s before I got married.
I even joined the army in 1988 in the hope of skiing loads as a school chum spent several weeks in the Alps every year. I soon learnt that if you had a proper profession in the Army you would be lucky to get an afternoon kicking a ball about. All I was offered was a week in the cairngorms nordic skiing during my own leave so paid my usual money to Bladon Lines or whoever.
Skiing seems to have become an obsession in the last few years, even more so that my other interest sailing and is fortunately not as expensive (particularly after yacht sale).
Now I manage three or four weeks a year. Unfortunately the wife is a non-skier but will cope with an 'alpine holiday' somewhere picturesque. I have been asked if I am ever ashamed of myself skiing so much,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, no!
Now that I am self-employed and George Osborne is taxing me an extra wedge if I work too much I have decided that I will take even more holiday as it is 'tax beneficial' (or so I am telling the wife).
Oh and I still manage a two week exotic holiday, a Med Yacht Charter and a sunny chill out week too  Plus a few weekends sailing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It started off as 4 days several years ago......
Got bitten hard by the bug and now planning a 6/7 week break and hopefully a full season year after.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| hawkwind wrote: |
It started off as 4 days several years ago......
Got bitten hard by the bug and now planning a 6/7 week break and hopefully a full season year after. |
That's more like it!
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Unfortunately due to a knee injury this season I have skied exactly zero days. The first time that's happened in the 20 something years I've skied.
As others have said different people have different limitations.
When I finished university I went off to do my instructor qualifications. The following year I almost managed to ski a full year, it will forever be remembered as the year of 'eternal winter' I did a back to back seasons in the north and southern hemisphere. How I would love to repeat that one year.........
Life then gets in the way for most of us, jobs, bills, family etc. I've been lucky as my job has a generous amount of annual leave so when I was single virtually all of my leave went on ski trips I could manage around 6 weeks usually in 2 week blocks and one block instructing. I then met my now wife, she likes skiing but not as much as me and she wanted to do 'other' non ski holidays too so 6 weeks became about 3-4.
Fast forward to today and we're expecting our first child soon, in hindsight this year would have been better for destroying my knee! I'm looking forward to teaching my kid how to ski but that will be a few years off. I'm optimistically hoping to get a couple of weeks in until family ski holidays (where we can all ski arrive) either instructing or with the family. Things may or may not work out this way but I can console myself with the fact I've had plenty of skiing in my lifetime so far!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Grizwald wrote: |
Fast forward to today and we're expecting our first child soon, in hindsight this year would have been better for destroying my knee! I'm looking forward to teaching my kid how to ski but that will be a few years off. I'm optimistically hoping to get a couple of weeks in until family ski holidays (where we can all ski arrive) either instructing or with the family. Things may or may not work out this way but I can console myself with the fact I've had plenty of skiing in my lifetime so far! |
When we had kids we made a conscious decision not to let it get in the way of our skiing and that was pretty tough in the first couple of years, but we now have 2 little girls (3 and 6) who both love skiing and have already racked up 30+ weeks on snow between them. They are going to kick my ass into touch when they get a bit bigger! Skiing is now our ultimate family time together, so it can be done.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| Grizwald wrote: |
Fast forward to today and we're expecting our first child soon, in hindsight this year would have been better for destroying my knee! I'm looking forward to teaching my kid how to ski but that will be a few years off. I'm optimistically hoping to get a couple of weeks in until family ski holidays (where we can all ski arrive) either instructing or with the family. Things may or may not work out this way but I can console myself with the fact I've had plenty of skiing in my lifetime so far! |
When we had kids we made a conscious decision not to let it get in the way of our skiing and that was pretty tough in the first couple of years, but we now have 2 little girls (3 and 6) who both love skiing and have already racked up 30+ weeks on snow between them. They are going to kick my ass into touch when they get a bit bigger! Skiing is now our ultimate family time together, so it can be done. |
30+ weeks by that age is impressive! As a family we've done a week per season since 2011, when our boys were 4 and 6, and we managed a second week away this season at Easter so they've done 7 weeks each. The lads also ski at Braehead most Sunday mornings during school terms, as well as a quite a bit at Hillend and a few days up North, which has got them to a decent standard and skiing together on holiday works really well.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 29-04-16 11:21; edited 1 time in total
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We managed about 40 days skiing this season, over a total of 7 trips (4 family, 3 weekends for me/wife/friends).
Considering I'm in full time employment and my kids are in school, I thought this was good going.
Total flights bill c. £1000, and car rental c. £800, albeit a bit of cheating by using Avios and Hertz points in there.
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40 days is a good effort with the kids. That's our aim next season too. We managed 26 days skiing this year with the little ones and they're improving rapidly!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| When we had kids we made a conscious decision not to let it get in the way of our skiing and that was pretty tough in the first couple of years, but we now have 2 little girls (3 and 6) who both love skiing and have already racked up 30+ weeks on snow between them. They are going to kick my ass into touch when they get a bit bigger! Skiing is now our ultimate family time together, so it can be done. |
That's great. What did you do when they were too young to ski? Put them in nursery? It will come for us, but until they're old enough to be put in ski school I can see me getting a couple of weeks on my own, hopefully......
It's great seeing little ones ski, great balance and no sense of self preservation. I can take a little bit of comfort in the fact it will take mine a little bit to catch up to me 
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| Grizwald wrote: |
That's great. What did you do when they were too young to ski? Put them in nursery? It will come for us, but until they're old enough to be put in ski school I can see me getting a couple of weeks on my own, hopefully......
It's great seeing little ones ski, great balance and no sense of self preservation. I can take a little bit of comfort in the fact it will take mine a little bit to catch up to me |
Yes, combination of nursery on the hill and private nanny, but did sacrifice a fair bit of ski time to play with them too. Our eldest actually started skiing when she was 2 and our youngest started at 3 (this season). But they both played in the snow happily from 6 months. It is great watching how quickly they pick it up. Our eldest is 6 now and she is totally at home on a pair of skis and can ski the whole mountain, bumpy blacks, off-piste, trees, powder - the lot. Our 3 year old only started this season, but she's already riding the high speed chairs and skiing any blues (Canadian) on the mountain.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| 40 days is a good effort with the kids. That's our aim next season too. We managed 26 days skiing this year with the little ones and they're improving rapidly! |
Yes, it means pretty much all the school holidays, and the big bonus this year was that they are just old enough 5 and  that we successfully did a weekend with them as well. Might do 2 weekends next year...
We've already got 40 days bookd for next season, with scope for a few more of we squeeze some more weekend in. I might hit 46 but depends on how much I have to come back for work. All 39 of next years flights are Avios!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@faithsdaddy, do we need a spreadsheet yet?
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| snowdave wrote: |
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| 40 days is a good effort with the kids. That's our aim next season too. We managed 26 days skiing this year with the little ones and they're improving rapidly! |
Yes, it means pretty much all the school holidays, and the big bonus this year was that they are just old enough 5 and that we successfully did a weekend with them as well. Might do 2 weekends next year...
We've already got 40 days bookd for next season, with scope for a few more of we squeeze some more weekend in. I might hit 46 but depends on how much I have to come back for work. All 39 of next years flights are Avios! |
Sounds like you have it all well sorted there. Proves it can be done if you want it enough.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just finished my last day of the season, 97 days on skis  Outside chance of some touring still.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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When I worked full time I got 4 weeks of skiing in per year, with a 2 week motorbike tour every 2 years. Since starting my own company and essentially doing my old job on a contractual basis around the country I try to do full seasons of skiing, Dec to May. Howver, this winter I had to work but split two 3 month contracts with a trip between them and a couple of holidays so although I lost out on potential earnings I still got 6 weeks of skiing in. Next winter I will be out for the full season again, aim for 80 - 90 ski days but would go a lot higher if conditions were perfect 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| MagSeven wrote: |
I used to ski almost every day. I'd go after work to the local hill just down the road during the week, then at the weekends travel further afield to bigger ski areas. Would usually get around 100 days a year, for the past 5 years. We were lucky to be living in a place with lots of snowfall and loads of ski hills. (Japan)
This year is the first year in about 30 years when I haven't skied a single day. |
Yes but we all know you have been doing something epic that you will cherish for the rest of your life. Where are you now BTW?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Scarpa, are your initials FV or have I got two snow heads completely mixed up?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@GlasgowCyclops, Nope, definitely not me I'm afraid.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Had my 32nd day on skis this season on Saturday. That'll probably be my last this season (although not yet given up all hope).
Sat was Glencoe (which was awesome. Great snow and my first flypaper experience. And my second). the other 31 days were abroad. That's with a full time job and enough annual leave left for a summer holiday. We usually maximise ski days by going diy and flying out very early sat mornings so we can ski that afternoon and flying back Sundays so we can ski the Sat before returning.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Scarpa wrote: |
| @GlasgowCyclops, Nope, definitely not me I'm afraid. |
Pa!!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@faithsdaddy, just to make you feel better I get one week a year. It's the balance. My wife and daughter like to ski but we also want to show her other bits of the world. Add to that a boss who reluctantly lets me have 4 weeks off a year and expects me to cancel if a job comes up. Then add in the government's reluctance to allow kids to have out of school experiences. And the government's determination to reduce the cost of it's employees.
I have made up for it in the past few years by using dryslopes to do a bit of freestyle.
It is my secret dream to do a season but that will have to wait until my daughter is grown up and probably until my wife divorces me.
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| henzerani wrote: |
@faithsdaddy, just to make you feel better I get one week a year. It's the balance. My wife and daughter like to ski but we also want to show her other bits of the world. Add to that a boss who reluctantly lets me have 4 weeks off a year and expects me to cancel if a job comes up. Then add in the government's reluctance to allow kids to have out of school experiences. And the government's determination to reduce the cost of it's employees.
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That's no "balance" for someone who really wants to go skiing! That is a huge "compromise"
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Currently 1 week in 10 years due to having kids, we have booked again for next year for another week so hopefully it will become a week per year, maybe two if I am brave enough to go on a bash. Other than that we like to have a variety of holidays in the year for us it can't be all skiing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| CH1975 wrote: |
| Currently 1 week in 10 years due to having kids, we have booked again for next year for another week so hopefully it will become a week per year, maybe two if I am brave enough to go on a bash. Other than that we like to have a variety of holidays in the year for us it can't be all skiing. |
Wow, I'm surprised you even visit this forum! But sounds like you want to ramp it up in future.
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| CH1975 wrote: |
| Currently 1 week in 10 years due to having kids, we have booked again for next year for another week so hopefully it will become a week per year, maybe two if I am brave enough to go on a bash. Other than that we like to have a variety of holidays in the year for us it can't be all skiing. |
Wow, I'm surprised you even visit this forum! But sounds like you want to ramp it up in future. |
Tell me about it, I did used to ski fair bit but becoming self employed, having children and marrying a teacher have seriously effected my skiing opportunities. I am going to ski more often, I purchased a VW California last year and am hoping to do some ski camping over the next few winters.
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FAQ
