 Poster: A snowHead
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When you go on a ski trip (or travel to a resort to work as a seasonaire, etc.) do you consider the journey there and back is part of the magic of the experience?
Or is it something to be minimised as an unavoidable evil?
At the arduous end of the scale, your journey may involve three flights totalling 24 hours (from home to lodgings), or three or more trains, or a dozen or more hours driving (car or coach).
And at the other end, you already live in resort, year round, in a ski in/out residence - and so there is no journey at all. In which case, perhaps you miss those journeys you may have once done?
I’m wondering if some folk are so busy obsessing about the skiing, that they fail to notice that the adventure of getting there and home again, is actually part & parcel of the addictive package.
Whaddya reckon?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't mind the journey there, but the journey back sucks! Generally, it means that's it for another year!
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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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@swskier, I know what you mean, but sometimes the journey home can have unexpected surprises. I was driving back to UK from Val d'Isere once with a bunch of guys (all feeling similarly "well, that's it then") and when we arrived at our stopover in Poligny we found much to our delight that it was having a beer festival. The fun hadn't quite ended...
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Since we ventured further afield for the last few years we've added city stays with the snowboarding so yes it's all part of it for us. Going to Europe this winter and generally can't wait to get there and get home when done.
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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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Overall I'd say it's part of the experience.
Probably less so now I've been so many times and these days things are much easier to plan and organise.
I've loads of stories and memories from plane/train/care journeys of years gone by.
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@Gainz, so what cities will you be staying in? Is this because they'll be stopovers, or liaison airport cities, or are you deliberately adding arbitrary cities to your trip? And which European ski destination?
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It's just a commute
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@Layne, do you think you might ever be tempted to deliberately make things less easy, e.g. try to get there by train rather than plane, however much more hassle and less economic?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We travel in a motorhome and so, for us, the journey is definitely part of the adventure...... although perhaps not the UK driving bits.
On our first ever trip we had booked the campsite at Sölden - we then overnighted at Nesselwang in super snow conditions but had to move on because of the booking - these days we don't book but look where the snow is nearer the time and head for there.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 17-12-19 23:25; edited 1 time in total
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@holidayloverxx, so: mundane, uninteresting, and unchallenging, if not a tedious and sometimes exasperating waste of time? Like a 2 hour commute across London by train and tube... twice a day. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| crosbie wrote: |
| @Layne, do you think you might ever be tempted to deliberately make things less easy, e.g. try to get there by train rather than plane, however much more hassle and less economic? |
I've considered training it with the family. I've done it with mates three times. TBH I wouldn't want to make things deliberately less easy as such.
Even though I've driven dozens of times there is still a bit of magic about it and I still enjoy it for the most part.
Would like to ski places like Georgia and Japan one day which will up the adventure stakes.
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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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| crosbie wrote: |
| @holidayloverxx, so: mundane, uninteresting, and unchallenging, if not a tedious and sometimes exasperating waste of time? Like a 2 hour commute across London by train and tube... twice a day. |
It is what it is. A journey to get from a to b so not a waste of time. Mundane definitely. . my work commute is 1 train with a walk at either end. Skiing commute is 1 flight...usually...with a car at either end. Not much difference apart from length of time.
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crosbie, Quite enjoy the journeys to resorts, hence why we do so many road trips to see something of the country too  Flights and airports are a means to an end, but doesn't mean you cant enjoy them at times.
However an 8 hr delay at AMS after a 10 hr flight, isn't really magical.
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You know it makes sense.
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Via a car trip to and through any UK airport - off as not at stupidly early hours so no sleep for 24+ hours? About the 7th level of Hell, and quite enough to put me off looking forward to going at all ever again 
Once at destination airport (with all belongings in one piece), usually that's when it starts to be enjoyable.
Journey back is just usually a deflating wind down.
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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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@holidayloverxx, have you tried driving e.g. from Chelmsford, via Felixstowe/Rotterdam ferry, and German autobahns, to Flachau? Or does that constitute a nightmare?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Bones & @Grizzler, yeah, I've sat in Munich airport for 8 hours overnight, while other members of my group enjoyed a hotel room. I think these bits are semi-erased from memory. Hence I soon began to lean toward the certainty (and pleasure) of longer ground based routes vs shorter, but sometimes much longer, flight based routes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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crosbie, Spent the night in Denver airport too, on the way out - too tired to get to a hotel, just grabbed the first flight out at 8 am, and was on the slopes by 10 - no jet lag what so ever that night
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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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| crosbie wrote: |
| @holidayloverxx, have you tried driving e.g. from Chelmsford, via Felixstowe/Rotterdam ferry, and German autobahns, to Flachau? Or does that constitute a nightmare? |
Chelmsford, eurotunnel, Belgium lux, Germany, stop overnight then onto Flachau. It's fine but is still just a commute....a means to an end if I needed to e.g. take a shedload of stuff out.
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@crosbie, Quite the opposite of your original premise. My daily commute is up the front garden steps, across the drive, and into my workshop: takes all of 20 seconds.
Our annual 8 week trip to the Alps in our motorhome takes at least 3 days the first of which is a boring 8 hour drive to Folkestone. Once past Northern France we take a variety of touring routes to see new places, which often involves a bit of retail for Mrs BK, and because we are often driving backroads we have had a few dodgy moments on snow and ice before we even hit the mountains.
Just read @scampers post; yes precisely.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 18-12-19 0:36; edited 1 time in total
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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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I enjoy the car trip I usually do to the EoSB. Not keen on air travel.
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I used to quite enjoy the drive to the Alps, even on my own - choose music, choose whether to stop, sing, don't sing. There's nothing to beat the last drive up into the mountains under a starry sky, snow covered mountains appearing. Or snow falling - half open window to listen for the sounds of loss of traction, fingers crossed you won't need chains, but if you do.... that means loads of fresh snow. So it's good either way. Arriving, switching on the heating, climbing on a chair to get down a bottle of red from the wine racks on the top of the kitchen wall units. Boil a kettle and warm it up a bit. Have a drink while the electric blanket is taking the chill off the bed. Aahhh!!
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I travel during School holidays so the airport part of the trip is pretty rubbish. We try and and make the journey to resort fun though, stop for lunch, visit a decent swimming pool etc.
If you offered me the ability to click my fingers and be there I'd take though!
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We usually drive Lisbon-Andorra and stop at friends in Madrid for a night. Girls can watch films, often Pixar, on their rear screens and we listen to the dialogue from the front. Day 2 starts with a Spanish breakfast of chocolate and churros, continues through the Wild West of northern Spain, then starts the winding trip into the mountains and who can see first snow.
A plane trip to Canada is functional, so far neither fun nor hell.
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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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I enjoy the excitement of gradually approaching the mountains and seeing more snow etc. but that's only a small part of the journey. The rest of it is a crappy drive to an airport, lots of waiting in queues with people that get on my nerves and then usually a few hours of uninspiring views before getting to the interesting bit.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I used to quite enjoy the drive to the Alps, even on my own - choose music, choose whether to stop, sing, don't sing. There's nothing to beat the last drive up into the mountains under a starry sky, snow covered mountains appearing. Or snow falling - half open window to listen for the sounds of loss of traction, fingers crossed you won't need chains, but if you do.... that means loads of fresh snow. So it's good either way. |
This ^
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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journey is part of the holiday.
It's not always enjoyable. Especially if you have to drive the other end & to wait for that first holiday beer.
However the whole anticipation for what awaits the next day is worth it 
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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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| Dougie wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| I used to quite enjoy the drive to the Alps, even on my own - choose music, choose whether to stop, sing, don't sing. There's nothing to beat the last drive up into the mountains under a starry sky, snow covered mountains appearing. Or snow falling - half open window to listen for the sounds of loss of traction, fingers crossed you won't need chains, but if you do.... that means loads of fresh snow. So it's good either way. |
This ^ |
Also this. But the drive back to the UK is less enchanting.
Flying sucks. A sometimes necessary evil. If I've been able to save up enough airmiles to take a long haul flight in business or first for our summer holiday that improves the experience so that it becomes a part of the holiday, but other than that its something to endure. This winter I'm taking the train more often than I have done in the past. For my route from home to Les Arcs it's a reasonably convenient and civilised journey, but it's a longer day than if I fly so that's a downside. If only I had a magic wand...
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Since giving up ski holidays, I can't say I particularly miss dragging luggage to and from airports. I quite liked the actual flying part, but I still do that on occasions, and now with less luggage.
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You know it makes sense.
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I tend to enjoy the drive, if it is flying though, I just want to get it done and get the wheels on the tarmac at the destination. I particularly enjoy the drive down at Easter, as it always comes off the back of a work trip to China and so I am pleased to be back with the family. Also at Easter the days are getting longer and everything is waking up and I tend to drive with a smile.
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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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Bring on the teleporter! I think I've done nearly 100 ski trips, seen too many airports, driven too many miles, travelling mostly on my own, I hate it, I just want to get there. No desire to waste time by stopping in any towns en route.
Travelling with friends changes things for the better immensely, stopping for lunch becomes a social event rather than a boring function of necessary nourishment. I like flying, the feeling of going 500mph towards my destination, it's the airports at either end that really suck.
The really nice thing about driving is loading the car at home & not touching the cases untill I arrive in resort, I have almost never stopped en route as this always seems a waste of time & money.
The whole point of skiing for me is to spend time with friends and family, doing something we all love, the journey is just a necessary evil.
If I could get to a ski resort on my motorbike, mmmmm, that would be different, I have frequently thought about the logistics of doing the eosb by bike, it needs to be done
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Poster: A snowHead
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| tangowaggon wrote: |
The whole point of skiing for me is to spend time with friends and family, |
It’s a mind game. During travel we are with (friends and) family. I set expectations accordingly, starting 2 days before, so we are clear how long we’ll be in the car, what time we’ll leave, when and how many films can be watched; or that we will arrive in Calgary like zombies but they should be awake to get to the bus which will take another 2 hours before hotel beds.
I don’t want my holiday to be bounded by 12 hours of hell so I plan accordingly. When the screens are off the girls think it’s a bit boring but then we chat about what we will do or have done.
You can tell they’re not teenagers yet
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Travelling from Jersey adds an extra leg to our Journey so we try and mix it up a bit.
On 28th Dec we are Ferrying to St Malo then train all the way to Moutiers which is a nice way to travel so it becomes part of the trip and is quite a relaxing way to travel.
In Feb half-term we endure Gatwick and so fly over from Jersey the night before and have a 'social' in the premier in with the group (15 of us).
In March we will again go Jersey to Gatwick to Geneva but will do both legs the same day so it can become a bit of a slog but being a 'lads trip' early morning beers and rum for the transfer makes it much more palatable.
Next year I am buying a VW van of some kind so will also have a drive option for some long weekends - with being on an island with a 40 mph speed limit I quite enjoy the open road.
So in answer to the original question - we try to make it part of the trip where possible.
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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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I've set the countdown until half term for 3:30pm on the Friday when we pick the boys up from school and start the drive - yes the drive is a slog (and I only do part of it) but it definitely feels like the start of the holiday as we get to listen to rubbish music and chat as well as the inevitable arguments at some point! Ask me next February when we've done the drive with more of our own kit than ever as the boys now have their own skis, ski boots, board boots and a board and it was a tight enough squeeze last time as we don't have a roof box!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I enjoy all of it, I think its a mindset thing. If we fly (usually long haul), we always stay in an airport hotel to avoid any travel day stress - and it starts the holiday early. Once the bags are checked, we eat a nice meal in the airport and have an array of snacks for the flight, I enjoy the movies, games, chatting. Usually a coach transfer to resort waiting for that moment when you're in the mountains - its just magical!!
We got married on 20th Dec and we drove to Samoens early on 21st, back home on the 24th - a long road trip for a short stay but the journey was definitely a big part of the adventure and I'd do it again!
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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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| always29 wrote: |
| Ask me next February when we've done the drive with more of our own kit than ever as the boys now have their own skis, ski boots, board boots and a board and it was a tight enough squeeze last time as we don't have a roof box! |
Even with a roofbox on our Mondeo estate ours is a squeeze!
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Answer to the OP question - yes if you listen to the new age hippie dippy school of ski instruction/coaching.
"What would you like to achieve in your skiing journey?"
To be fair it's crept into and polluted hobbies from the world of corporate HR, or to be more accurate the hideous reimagined "talent management" who love to demotivate staff with bureaucratic BS about their "career journeys".
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For me the journey is very much part of the trip. I most frequently drive and I love driving. I can put on an audio book and then the hours flash past, obviously it does come rather unstuck when you hit a ridiculous traffic jam trying to get into Bourg St Maurice, but fortunately that's only happened to me once. The overnight Eurostar to Bourg used to be tolerable when you could have a couple of drinks onboard to help you sleep but since going dry that train is now akin to medieval torture.
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I love the journey! Prefer it when we add a day both ends of the holiday to stay somewhere en route. This year we're doing a fly drive via Munich which I can't wait to see. I drove through Austria and Southern Germany the summer before last and the views were amazing so looking forward to that, too.
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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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I like the journey there, particularly as mountains start to appear and first signs of snow are visible.
As others have said, journey back not so good! Once back to Lyon the mountains have gone and it's a slog through northern France to Calais and then home, with thoughts of work looming
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Strangely I quite enjoy the journey home. After 7/8 days skiing I feel kinda "ski full". We usually ski the second Saturday so enjoy a hearty meal down in Chambery. And I look forward to some home comforts, being home...
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