 Poster: A snowHead
|
So the situation is, I love ski-ing, I've been a few times with the ex and friends who have now had families etc and a ski holiday doesn't fall on there priority list anymore.
This has meant the chance of me going on a ski holiday has become less and less realistic unless I grab the bull by the horns and venture out on my own or meet some like minded people to join up with.
So then this is my first step, as the title suggests, what tips and advice would all you snow heads that have ventured out to a ski resort on your own or found yourself in the same predicament as me suggest?
Personally I would find the idea of going on holiday on my own really daunting and probably more so joining up with complete strangers, since I'm a social slow burner.
If you could put my mind at ease to allow me to undertsand what you could potentially face that would be great, can you tell I like to know all the pro's and con's before I make a decision? 
For instance:
Are there any specialist tour operators that offer single snow holidays?
Will snowheads be running a PSB etc?
Good and bad experiences of travelling alone?
Anything else that may be useful.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
been skiing alone many times, and also been with friends/brothers. before snowheads I tended to stay in a catered chalet. most times i ended up with a few freinds to ski with.
I'll 2nd achilles recommendation about the bashes. You may not know anyone in person, but half the people there don't know anybody else either. And once you've bumped into a handful of snowheads on the first evening... you have new friends to ski with
So i'll suggest this thread also...
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=49389
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Hi E4RPY, I've been skiing by myself several times now. I'm a single gal and none of my friends are into skiing so it's go alone or not at all. Much the same as yourself. Personally, I love it. I live by myself so I'm used to doing what I want when I want. However, it is nice to get to know like minded people and a skiing holiday is the best place for that. I've joined a couple of the TO organised piste tours and got chatting to people that way or simply just got to know people in my hotel or chalet. Skiers and boarders are a friendly bunch, and you're bound to meet like-minded people to ski and socialise with. However, I'm equally happy with a quiet evening, just me, a good book and a glass of wine.
There are a few specialist TOs that offer 'singles' ski holidays but I avoid these like the plague. They tend to be focussed on single people with one aim in mind, if you get my drift. Not my thing at all. However, the regular TOs are happy to take bookings from single travellers and many offer single rooms or low under-occupancy supplements. I have no bad experiences of travelling alone and would recommend it to anyone.
You may find your best bet is to join a snowheads bash. I've yet to try this phenomenon but it definitely seems like a fine way to have a sizeable group of ready-made ski buddies to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
E4RPY, if you're reluctant to make the plunge into travelling alone, a ski holiday is probably one of the best ways to do it. People are there for the skiing, and you don't need to know people well, or have anything else in common, to potter round the slopes a bit together. In a catered chalet the evening meal, with "free" wine (quality depending on what you pay!) is generally very sociable and with a drink or two before and afterwards the evening is really taken care of.
If you like the idea of something a bit more structured there are a number of companies who do specialist ski instruction holidays - Inspired to Ski is one I've been with, but there are a number of others. Often there's a three or four hour lesson, and a video feedback in the early evening (not nearly as daunting as it sounds) and it helps that everyone is there to improve their skiing.
Taking lessons, in whatever form, is definitely a good idea.
Can't remember whether the other thread mentioned the Ski Club of Great Britain - they organise holiday groups for different standards of skiing. Opinions of the Ski Club do vary (to put it mildly  ) on Snowheads, but it might be worth your looking at their brochure. They tend to be a bit pricey. Personally, I'd go for Inspired to Ski, or Phil Smith, or Warren Smith, or one of those, rather than Ski Club.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have no family of my own (apart from my parents). So a "family trip" is totally out of question. Friends? How did they become friends of mine in the first place? Oh yes, I met them somewhere along the way as I move through life...
So, if you get my drift, going skiing alone is just one aspect of life. You might end up have a few friends you can go on holidays in the future!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've skied on my own for my skiing holidays for yonks now and have gradually made up a family of like-minded solo skiers. I join ski school as a means of having a group to ski with - piste skiing on your own kind of sucks after a few runs and no-one to stop and natter to about how awesome, shite, the pistes are or to discuss which hut you go to for coffee, kunch, choccie, etc
What we do now is say that we are going to so-and-so place/hotel at a certain date and see who turns up - and if none do, join ski school again and repeat the whole process!
I have found British, Dutch, Austrian, German, Scottish, French, Spanish skiing partners to name but a few nationalities and really enjoy my holidays as a result. Even through snowHeads I've met up with some complete strangers and had a whale of a time skiing with them! Thanks Alex and Espri!
The last organised group trip I went on I did not enjoy so much as there was so much pressure to socialise both on and off the snow! 
Sue
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Hi E4RPY,
Redpoint Holidays ( www.redpoint.co.uk ) run Solos Weeks, in Zillertal. They're aimed at people who have no-one to ski with (not the dreaded "singles" holiday). The price includes 4 days with a guide and an optional extra 5th day to the Hintertux glacier. The role of the guide is to provide a social day out, so that everyone has skiing company to stop with for a drink or lunch on the mountain. Accommodation is in a hotel in single rooms, with Solos Week guests eating together at the same table. The evenings are pretty relaxed, either sit beside the open fire in big comfy chairs, or join other Redpoint guests - tobogganing, playing Austrian skittles, night skiing etc. There's no pressure to join in and sitting by the fire reading a book is accepted as much as being the life and soul on the Austrian skittles night.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4RPY, I've been on plenty of skiing holidays alone. I'd recommend trying a chalet holiday as they're very sociable. Alos look at the forum pam w suggested as it covers the same topic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Hi E4RPY,
I hosted many weeks of solo holidays in Morzine France last season. I can say withoUT exception everyone had a great time and each group made friends quickly. Everyone arrives as a solo traveler so everyone is in the same situation. the first evening meal around the chalet table is the ice breaker and from there on each and every group looked like they had known each other for years!
So just go for it, it will be the first of many if you try it. Some feedback from last years guests can be seen http://www.morzineaccommodation.co.uk/verjusguestbook.php
Good luck, Ian
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Hi E4RPY,
I had my first taste of a solo holiday last season - coincidentaly it was at imskiaholic's chalet in Morzine mentioned above and organised through pistepals.com - and like Ian says, everyone had a great time.
I was very hesitant about hooking up with a load of strangers but my usual ski buddies were all making excuses for one reason or another so it was a case of either taking the plunge or not ski for the winter and I'm glad I did it.
Like you, I'd also consider myself a 'social slow burner' but after the first couple of hours I had no problems at all. There was a real mixed bag of ages, personalities and abilities on our trip but everyone came with the right attitude and by the end of the first night we felt like an established group.
This isn't intended to be a plug for Ian but I have to say that he was a superb host, some of the skiing we did with him was fantastic and he looked after us brilliantly in the chalet and in the local bars.
So, like others have already said - go for it. Stuart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4RPY, I have always travelled on ski trips as a solo, as my wife has absolutely no interest in skiing.
But I have always found people to ski with for a large part of the trip. As Samerberg Sue says, one way is to join group ski lessons. It is quite common for some or all of the group to ski together after the lessons as well as during them.
This is also one area where traveling with a TO rather than independently can help, both because it means there will be other people from that TO in your accommodation, and because they frequently run a day or two of "ski leading", which will give you a group to ski with as the lessons would.
And of course, posting on here when and where you are going may often result in finding fellow snowheads to ski with - this year I met and skied with Samerberg Sue and Espri as a result of doing that.
I have always found that skires (and boarders) are generally fairly social, and I have never had more than a couple fo days out fo a six day trip skiing by myself, and often have found people to ski with every day. And even on days by myself, I have on a few occasions just got talking to somebody on a chairlift, then skied a few runs with them before separating and going our own ways again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| E4RPY wrote: |
Personally I would find the idea of going on holiday on my own really daunting and probably more so joining up with complete strangers, since I'm a social slow burner.
If you could put my mind at ease to allow me to undertsand what you could potentially face that would be great. |
Some very good pointers have already been given......................
Whilst seeking some advice is always a good first step, no-one will be able to "put your mind at ease". The only way to gain confidence is to take the plunge, and grow with your own experiences.
If company makes you feel more comfortable, you're rarely alone on a snowsports trip, not for long most times anyway, unless you choose it. Which can be a problem, although likely you will bump into similar "slow burners" who might be more your cup of tea.
Staying local (the Alps say) would be a good start, but don't be scared, eventually, to look farther afield. I have no problem these days doing a 9000 mile round trip completely on my jack. I'm not sure when I started on this whole sliding thing I would ever have envisaged going solo, least of all enjoying it.
Although I've only been solo four or so times (it seems like more and I still seem to end up normally going with a group), they are always the trips I have gained most from (flat out enjoyed......), mainly from the people I've met, and may likely never see again. Though going back to see old, new, friends, hopefully seeing a smile on their face, is worth it's weight in gold.
Go for it.
John.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Yes, definitely go for it. Lots of sensible suggestions in this thread.
