Poster: A snowHead
|
My son's school is going on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe in Easter 2008 with a company called 'Thesportsacademy'. I can't find anything about them, not even through the ABTA website. has anyone heard of them?
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Ask the school for more information.
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Obviously my first port of call. They have told me that they have used them before, they are ABTA and ATOL registered, I am awaiting a response with more information, but not yet forthcoming.
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
http://www.sports-academy.com/index.cfm
Tahoe eh? What a blast!
I think more schools should do American/Canadian school trips. The accommodation standard, food standard, customer care etc. are all so much higher than Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
veeeight, but you can't get there on an overnight coach...
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
veeeight, you're typing faster than me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
meh.
Every year in the summer I teach lots and lots of school kids, in preparation for their winter skiing trip. Obviously, the kids change, but I see the teachers from year to year.
Without exception, those schools that have made the brave decision to go across the Atlantic never book another school trip in Europe.
Plus - I only ever seem to pick up the pieces (kids who have had bad ski school and skiing experiences) from those that went on school trips in Europe.
I'm not saying they can't have a good time in Europe, but I can say that the experience as a whole across the pond will be much much better.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
veeeight, meh?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Thanks for that link. I followed it through and the deposit went to school this morning. It should be a superb trip, he gets 5 days skiing then a day in San Fransisco, including a trip to Alcatraz. I hope it doesn't put him off Europe though, as there are plenty of places I still want to go to.
We don't know which resort yet. Two of the school teachers have to use their well earned February term going to Tahoe to try out 3 resorts for 2 days each.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
If i was a parent I'd be concerned about sending my kids to europe on a ski trip as I remember on our trips to Les Menuires and Valloire everyone kid from 2nd year up was pissed every night. I assume its a lot harder to get drink in the USA? I still havn't made it across the atlantic yet. The idea of going to America was raised in our school, but numbers were bad because of the cost.
Sounds like great trip!
|
|
|
|
|
|
I will report back on that, but not for another 18 months. My 12 yr old hasn't found drink yet, I think that encouraging him to try rough red wine and very hoppy bitter at a young age has really developed a dislike of alcohol.
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Jane L wrote: |
Thanks for that link. I followed it through and the deposit went to school this morning. It should be a superb trip, he gets 5 days skiing then a day in San Fransisco, including a trip to Alcatraz. I hope it doesn't put him off Europe though, as there are plenty of places I still want to go to.
We don't know which resort yet. Two of the school teachers have to use their well earned February term going to Tahoe to try out 3 resorts for 2 days each. |
My money would be on somewhere "safe but boring" like Northstar though the parks certainly aren't tame. Staying in South Lake Tahoe would be a bit of a minefield liability wise - do you really want your kids staying somewhere with casinos, a major highway that bisects town, weekend party crowd etc etc. Also its a long way to go for 5 day's skiing = 4 and a half after first day faffing. Squaw possibly a bit too high cost for schools though its obviously not a penny pinching trip.
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I'm told that Northstar is really a bit low for April, also that Squaw Valley is south facing, so we hope that it will be Heavenly as the choice of the three. Do you have experience of the area at this time of year? I understand that the kids will have a full organised apres ski activity, with 1 teacher to 8 kids and something organised every day, so there will be no opportunity at all to go out. We're also hoping for a pool at the hotel to fill in some of the time. I have a feeling that because it's the week after Easter with Thursday being the first day of skiing that it won't be too busy.
I really think that it's much too far for 5 days skiing, even if it is 5.5 hours a day, but unfortunately the promise was made before the school switched from Europe to USA, and it certainly does to be an adventure worth doing, although there's going to be a lot of work for him to earn some of the cost.
|
|
|
|
|
|