 Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@Mike Pow, just further confirmation from the French embassy about testing:
I take that as a test we take with us that can be verified with a certificate will be fine.
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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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Brilliant
Thanks
Waiting on LFT Fit to Fly then we'll book
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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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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Brilliant
Thanks
Waiting on LFT Fit to Fly then we'll book |
I ordered Randox ones - probably a bit more expensive than some but they arrived within 48hrs of ordering (via DPD). If you use TUI2021 or CERTIFLY as a code you get a discount off the price
I sat looking at mine yesterday - 4x PCR and 6x LF, £300 worth.... needed a stiff drink to take the pain away 
I also ordered some NHS ones to take with us for testing through the week
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Specialman wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Brilliant
Thanks
Waiting on LFT Fit to Fly then we'll book |
I ordered Randox ones - probably a bit more expensive than some but they arrived within 48hrs of ordering (via DPD). If you use TUI2021 or CERTIFLY as a code you get a discount off the price
I sat looking at mine yesterday - 4x PCR and 6x LF, £300 worth.... needed a stiff drink to take the pain away
I also ordered some NHS ones to take with us for testing through the week |
Did drive through in Cardiff with ExpressTest
£50 each
Just came back negative
Happy Days
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Did drive through in Cardiff with ExpressTest
£50 each
Just came back negative
Happy Days |
Fair play. We have a drive through with results in 3hrs booked for our 12yo at Manchester but we'll do a Randox home one as well and see if results come back quick enough and cancel the other if we need.
The first beer in resort will be well-earned for sure after all this faff
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Absolutely
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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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Locked & loaded
Hotel Montane, Arinsal
12-19 Dec
Can’t wait
If anyone is thinking last minute, it’s going for £275 half board with Crystal
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Booze question please
Bring a bottle of spirits from airport or buy locally?
Cheaper booze in Andorra?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Mike Pow, buy locally, but not in Arinsal. Much cheaper elsewhere. Jnr (he’s over 18!) bought 1.5l of JD for €22 in my local supermarket. The supermarket in Arinsal was much more expensive.
It’s absolutely pelting it down with snow here now. I think it’s been snowing pretty heavily up in the higher villages most of the day. A lot of the link lifts were shut in the Grandvalira today. Hopefully they’ll be open tomorrow even though the wind is forecast to be strong.
My friend who lives in Soldeu had to dig a path out so she could get her car into her garage. Anyone with a week here this week should in for a great time!
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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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My friend thinks there are cars under here somewhere… 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Booze question please
Bring a bottle of spirits from airport or buy locally?
Cheaper booze in Andorra? |
I'd buy locally as Andorra is duty free.. 
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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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They also have a damn good meat grill next door, and a pretty good ski equipment shop opposite. It usually has very discounted stuff by late Feb; not sure when the discounts start, if they are even December.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Orange200, yes Espunyes is an excellent shop.
@Sweedish, yes, I’ve been in that booze shop. There’s a bit of a drinking game in there. Sample all their own brews - you have to drink each on in two or fewer swigs. The normal commercial booze is quite pricey in there compared to normal supermarkets, but all the dodgy barrelled stuff that they sell you in a plastic bottle is quite cheap.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Btw… fellow Snowhead @KevWal had some difficulty with his Andorran LFT certificate. The handler at Barcelona airport didn’t like that it was on Catalan and not English or Spanish. When you have yours it might be asking if they can do the cert in Spanish (they’re unlikely to have do it in English here). They did accept it eventually.
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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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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Locked & loaded
Hotel Montane, Arinsal
12-19 Dec
Can’t wait
If anyone is thinking last minute, it’s going for £275 half board with Crystal |
Stayed Montane first time we went to Andorra - great place. Staff are super friendly, rooms were also amazing spacious. Being straight opposite the gondola is a massive bonus.
Get a heated ski locker up in Pic Negre rental shop at the top of the gondola, means you don’t have to lug gear down and you can go straight for a beer.
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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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Cheers
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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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Finally got to leave our shores, for a 7-day ski trip to Arinsal, Andorra.
Got a screaming deal and it’s been snowing like crazy the past week.
Flew Gatwick to Toulouse then bus transfer to resort.
Had LFT at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday. Drive through.
Booked it at 09:50, was back in the house with result certificate via email by 11:00
Couldn’t have been easier
£50 per person
Downloaded the form for entry into France
Piece of wee wee
Free
Got to airport at 4:00
Was enjoying a coffee in departure lounge by 4:30
Piece of wee wee
Flight was 1hr 15min
About 50 mins in Toulouse rounding everyone up for transfer bus
In our hotel room for 3pm
Masked up on plane and in bus
Mask on and show Covid Pass on entry to bars and restaurants in Andorra, then mask off at table.
Efficient, quick and just getting on with it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Evening 1 and Day 2 on the slopes
Mask to enter an establishment
Check Covid pass
Sit down
Mask off
Enjoy food and drink
On the slopes
Mask or snood getting on the lift
Straight off while riding the lift
Back up to get off the lift
Then skiing without mask
It’s actually easier and more consistent than the UK
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@Mike Pow,
Cheers, considering a last minute to Arinsal too. Leaving this Sunday. Is Arcalis still on the same lift pass? Snow good?
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Thanks Mike. No Covid pass to get on a lift, or buy a ticket? I am worrying as mine was six months old yesterday, and our boosters still aren’t showing on it.
Unlikely we’ll see you as we’re in El Tarter, from Sat morning.
That deal makes me cry though. Flight accommodation and lift pass?
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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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Currently S/C deals with flights and transfers for 163 Euro with kids ski packs and Lift pass for <170 Euro!
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| johnboy wrote: |
@Mike Pow,
Cheers, considering a last minute to Arinsal too. Leaving this Sunday. Is Arcalis still on the same lift pass? Snow good? |
Arcalis not on same pass
It’s now on Grandvalira.
Piste conditions are great.
Off piste got wind blasted and has set up with the warm temps.
It may almost turn to corn by the end of the week if the freeze thaw cycle continues.
If anywhere else is getting new snow, then I’d go there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Orange200 wrote: |
Thanks Mike. No Covid pass to get on a lift, or buy a ticket? I am worrying as mine was six months old yesterday, and our boosters still aren’t showing on it.
Unlikely we’ll see you as we’re in El Tarter, from Sat morning.
That deal makes me cry though. Flight accommodation and lift pass? |
Didn’t have to show anything to buy a pass.
We paid £315 for flight, transfer, HB accommodation
Pass is 230 euros for 6 days
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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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My accommodation for 4 is 900 euros… I look in the wrong places…
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| Orange200 wrote: |
| My accommodation for 4 is 900 euros… I look in the wrong places… |
I’m not even thinking about the £900pp we’ve paid for Xmas week for the four of us - doh!
“you pays your money, you takes your chances” as they say
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You know it makes sense.
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This is a very special week I think
If we test positive 48 hrs before returning home (17th) then it’s quarantine here for 10 days and Christmas is toast.
Most not prepared to roll those die.
Hence the abundance of cheap packages across the Alps.
And deserted slopes
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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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Day 2 of skiing in the bag
Pistes superb
Avalanche risk is down from 4 to 3
Off piste starting to consolidate and firm up
Got my eye on a few lines for later in the week if the snowpack plays ball
Haven’t seen slopes so quiet since some of the smaller resorts on Hokkaido
Zero queuing for lifts or tables at slope side restaurants
We’re being spoiled rotten
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Haven’t seen slopes so quiet since some of the smaller resorts on Hokkaido
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Looking at webcams today, looks like a ghost town up on the mountain.
Glad to hear the pistes are okay too... temperatures taking a dip towards the end of the week, looks like sun all the way though with no 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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Day 3 of skiing in the bag
A little cooler today so all the pistes were top notch start to our finish at 3
Even quieter than yesterday
I let them go on a few runs when Nerys & I were the only ones in sight
Lots of fun
Still zero queuing for lifts or tables at slope side restaurants
Life is very good
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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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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Day 3 of skiing in the bag
A little cooler today so all the pistes were top notch start to our finish at 3
Even quieter than yesterday
I let them go on a few runs when Nerys & I were the only ones in sight
Lots of fun
Still zero queuing for lifts or tables at slope side restaurants
Life is very good |
Again, webcams show a ghost town....looks like sunblock for the rest of the week is required and into next week when we arrive.
How are you finding the Montane?
I doubt there's any issue relating to social distancing and COVID if there are so few people?
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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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| Specialman wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Day 3 of skiing in the bag
A little cooler today so all the pistes were top notch start to our finish at 3
Even quieter than yesterday
I let them go on a few runs when Nerys & I were the only ones in sight
Lots of fun
Still zero queuing for lifts or tables at slope side restaurants
Life is very good |
Again, webcams show a ghost town....looks like sunblock for the rest of the week is required and into next week when we arrive.
How are you finding the Montane?
I doubt there's any issue relating to social distancing and COVID if there are so few people? |
Definitely need sunblock.
Maybe a sprinkling on Christmas Eve.
Really happy with the Montane.
Warm, comfortable, spacious rooms.
Food is delicious and plentiful.
Staff can’t do enough for you.
Location can’t be beaten.
There’s a small lounge in reception for afternoon coffee, cake & mulled wine.
No bar, but plenty within 5 mins walk.
Only downside (not for us) is the locker room is not heated and doesn’t have a boot dryer.
We take our boots to the room, take the liners out, they dry on the underfloor heating.
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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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Ignition minus 4 hours for the first leg to Madrid.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Is it possible to drive through france to get to Andorra for unvaxed?
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Took a day off the slopes yesterday (Thursday 16th)
Bus down to La Massana for a mooch around and visit to the pharmacy.
Lunch
Our version of apres and lovely dinner back in the hotel.
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Day 4 on the snow (Friday 17th)
Just stopped for a light lunch
No wind, not a cloud in the sky, a little cooler around 8 C at the base
Pistes are still in superb condition
Quietest day so far
It’s crazy
Blessed
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Had a letter under the hotel room door this afternoon
Flying back to the UK from Barcelona now, not Toulouse.
Not much in it really in terms of transfer time.
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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'm still holding for a late deal for a Sunday flight.
Crystal have currently taken Andorra off their website, but my travel agent (great guy) has just told me they are moving the flights to Barcelona and hope to be back for sale soon.
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| johnboy wrote: |
I'm still holding for a late deal for a Sunday flight.
Crystal have currently taken Andorra off their website, but my travel agent (great guy) has just told me they are moving the flights to Barcelona and hope to be back for sale soon. |
Yes, all Andorra hols are now going via Barcelona, confirmed - great news in one sense that they're still going ahead, bad news for folk like me who have unvaccinated teens... final nail in the coffin.
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FAQ
