 Poster: A snowHead
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Me 'n' Mr A (Sorry, Mr A & I) started going skiing at Christmas to get away from the family hassles (amongst other things), but this year has presented a totally new dilemma altogether - They want to come with us!
Basic outline - last Christmas we went skiing with my Aunt & Uncle plus other assorted relatives & hangers-on. We compromised on resort & went to their favoured choice, not ours. A great time was had by all, but we were bored by the skiing after 2 days.
This year they have suggested we do the same again, but we want to go to different resorts - They favour Sestriere & we want to stay in Sauze, up on the Mountain at Sportinia. I know they're fairly close together & we could meet up to ski together during the day, but will miss out on the apres side of things.
So do we risk being struck off the will & do our own thing or compromise again in the interests of family harmony?? What would you do Snowheads? 
(Critical info - Our hotel is over £150 cheaper than theirs & has the added bonus of free drinks with dinner)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you were bored by the skiing after 2 days, why do you want to subject yourself to the same thing the following year?
Have a look at the Italian Dolomites. Lots of lovely resorts, huge skiing area with something for everyone (Arabba and thereabouts has the most interesting skiing for the better skiers)....and fabulous scenery.
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| If you were bored by the skiing after 2 days, why do you want to subject yourself to the same thing the following year? |
Sorry, didn't make myself clear. Last year we went to Madesimo, which only has 60km of piste, hence the bored after 2 days. I doubt boredom would set in when given the vast expanse of the Milky Way to ski in 
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Seems to me you've already gone a lot further than many would. I think they should join you in your hotel and put some of the saved £££ into entertainment, whether a taxi to somewhere or whatever. I had a mental image of some of my wifes relatives coming skiing with us, not a pretty sight. 
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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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Free drinks with dinner would swing it for me!
Ski season is too short to have to please other people!
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Tell them what you're doing and ask if they'd like to join you. If they don't, fine.
I don't think there's much apres at Sportina though. Just the one hotel isn't it?
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Depends how often you get to go. If this is your only holiday of the year, do what you want, lifes too short to spend it pleasing other people! If you go more than once you could compromise on this one.
Having said that I've just come back from Sauze and I'd rather stay there than Sestriere any day!
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Michael B, Nadenoodlee, & homphomp, Thanks folks, you seem to be coming up with the same arguments as me for doing our own thing. ie, it's our holiday (& therefore our money), life's too short etc etc
They don't want to stay with us in Sportinia for practical reasons; one of their number is a non skier, so being stuck up the mountain is not really appropriate for her.
marc gledhill, you're right about 1 hotel up at Sportinia, so it's hardly a throbbing hive of apres ski, but I was more thinking of socialising with the rest of the family rather than going out raving all night - it is Christmas afterall! (Christmas = pressies  )
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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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Lucie Axford, Sportinia wouldn't be too bad for a non-skier (except that they'd have to buy a pedestrian only pass - I assume they sell one), the chairlift down to Sauze takes peds up and down all day.....and if they fancy giving skiing a try then the Ski School and nursery slopes are just outside your hotel door! I'd have thought Sauze would have much more to interest a non-skier during the day than Sestriere (but I've not stayed there so I can't be sure).
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I just thought of something- If its a ski trip your going on - why are you putting the non-skiers needs first? Pedestrians must learn their place! 
SO go for sauze- you know you want to!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Could you not all compromise go to a ski resort?
The milky way is sold as a linked ski resort with 400km of piste but the chances of you covering that ground is non existent as the links between resorts are crap and the uplift is antiquated.
If it must be that area, I'd go for Sestriere. The skiing is better but I've no idea about the night life. W.R.T Sauze D, how do you get to/from the Sportina hotel, with all your stuff, on check-in/out days? As I recall there are no roads and only 1 chair lift to access this area.
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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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Nadenoodlee, Ah, now you've made me think I'm a selfish cow for not respecting my elders etc etc!! It's my Aunt's mother, who comes with us to avoid being left at home on her own at Christmas, but most definately does not ski (she's heading towards 80, albeit a very spritely 80)
PS - My user name has changed, just to confuse you all even further 
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| Boardski wrote: |
The milky way is sold as a linked ski resort with 400km of piste but the chances of you covering that ground is non existent as the links between resorts are crap and the uplift is antiquated.
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Too true, but they are updating some of it in time for 2006. Still, it took us two hours to get from Sauze to Claviere riding cranky chairs up and down the mountains! Montgenevre would be just impossible! The links to Sestriere & Sansicario aren't too bad though if you're happy with a smaller area....and staying in Sportinia gives you a head start as you can be up and away before the queues start.
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You know it makes sense.
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homphomp, I've skiied to Montgenevre and back in a day. Didn't have time for exploring much, but it is doable.
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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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| Boardski wrote: |
| W.R.T Sauze D, how do you get to/from the Sportina hotel, with all your stuff, on check-in/out days? As I recall there are no roads and only 1 chair lift to access this area. |
AFAIA They bring all your luggage on a skidoo & you go up on the chair. The brochure says wrap up warm for arrival in resort!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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marc gledhill, The run down to the bottom on Sansicario was closed so we had to ride the chair down, then up and down on chairs for ages to get to Claviere....taking skis off/putting them on/taking them off...it took forever! I suppose in good conditions we'd have got right over!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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homphomp, Aaah, I see. To be honest it's an odd run anyway, pretty flat and through what appear to be sports fields at one point.
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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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marc gledhill, It was quite interesting riding the chair - they're building the Olympic Bob Sleigh run at the bottom of Sansicario - fascinating to see how they're fitting it into the mountain!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well if shes 80 she wont be walking around the icy resort centre on her own anyway - get her a pack of cards and a jigsaw ( all old people love it) and stick her in the hotel bar 9-6 - she'll be fine!
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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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Ski Bunny, I suspect you haven't quite decided whether you want a skiing holiday or a family holiday.
You say you "started going skiing at Christmas to get away from the family hassles", but then say "last Christmas we went skiing with my Aunt & Uncle plus other assorted relatives & hangers-on". You like your family really.
You are also bringing your aunt's mother along (spritely 80 yrs, but non-skier) "to avoid being left at home on her own at Christmas". You are a caring person. (I have never been to Sauze or Sestriere, but wonder if either is right for a non-skiing 80 yr old, spritely or not.)
I think you are very fond of your family, but don't like their style of skiing.
I offer one solution. Christmas is often not great for skiing. Make the Christmas trip a good family get-together (remember last year a "great time was had by all") with some skiing. Accept the skiing will be secondary. And then organise another proper skiing trip later in the season for just you two. Best of both worlds.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Christmas is not for families, go and enjoy yourselves regardless of the resort, there are plenty of boring Sundays during the year to pander to them.
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Jonpim,
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Don't bother with Sestriere, was there this January, although the skiing was fantastic couldn't fault it, the nightlife was non existant.
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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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Made the choice - we're off to Sportinia, they're off to Sestriere. We've promised to meet up & ski together whilst we're there, so now feel less guilty about "abandoning" them.
Would have liked to spend the week with them because we have had a good laugh whenever we've been with them before, but this time choice of resort won.
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Sounds like you've very nearly got the best of both worlds!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| masopa wrote: |
| Sounds like you've very nearly got the best of both worlds! |
Certainly better than staying in the UK & being bored by family (the rest of 'em), crap TV & turkey!
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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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Come on now, who can say that the thought of the Queen's Speech, The Great Escape/Ben Hurr and roast turkey that's dry and tough on the outside and raw in the middle isn't appealing?!?
Yeah, give me the white stuff anytime!
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Aaah....Xmas dinner on last years skiing holiday....pre-packed salad, pasties, french patisserie, scoffed sitting on the bed in our hotel room and washed down with a glass of wine! Memories are made of this....
Staying B&B in a French town away from the tourist route....all the restaurants were closed for two days! Good old Geant came up trumps with some lovely picnic food!
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You know it makes sense.
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My best Christmas Day was one where I woke up at 5am in a rather nice spa hotel on the edge of the Sahara. We all went outside, met up with our camels and rode into the desert as the sun rose above the dunes. Amazing - just before sunrise, the stars were sooo bright, only to be replaced by a magnificent sunrise. Bloody cold though (glad I had my gloves and heavy coat on!)
Perhaps I should have taken skis and tried sand surfing? Might have knackered the edges though!
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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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I think I'm the only person left who looks forward to Christmas day.
Last time there were 14 at our house from about midday to eight (IIRC). Aged from three to sixty one, great laugh.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We were in Sauze just last Decemeber, very early 5th December for 5 days. Pistes were empty but tons of snow!!
We have booked to go again and are going back over New Year from the 27th Dec to 2nd Jan, staying in Sauze. I had looked at staying in Sportina and the price was pretty good but being away from a few different bars etc put me off + the idea of dangling off the back of the skidoo taxi - although that could be quite fun!! Sportinia is a great place for having lunch, in fact i think we went there every day!
Just a note to say about meeting up.......sorry but it may not happen. The cable car from Sauze to Sestriere is often closed (as are quite a few of the lifts  )as the area is very prone to high winds. That said, if there is a decent snow cover then you could get over the Sestriere from Sauze by sk=ng down the Sestriere side of the mountain (which is good fun!), but you may not be able to get back. A cab fare from Sestriere to Sauze will be about 50 euros + the skidoo taxi up to your hotel at Sportinia.
I'm also hoping the Torino 2006 winter olympics means some upgrading of the lifts, as some are painfully slow and very vulnerable to the wind. Being a boarder i'd love to get rid of the right angled drag lift over to sportina!!!
If you've got any questions.........just fire away, i'm sure someone can answer them!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cheers for that Dan, - I have heard quite a few reports about the cable car link from Sauze to Sestriere being closed, but the arrangement to meet up is more to appease my conscience than anything else! At least I know we had planned to see them & if circumstances dictate that we can't, then at least I tried!!
Don't expect the pistes to yourself this time over New Year - in my experience that is peak Italian holiday period. Christmas is fairly quiet & then *wham* they all turn up at once & the slopes are packed. I've been to Italy for Christmas the last 2 years & it happened both times.
Glad to hear good reports about the Sportinia hotel - the remoteness from Sauze is one of it's attractions for me!
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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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re: the right angled lift, i meant the one over to san sicario up the side of the icey black run.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ski Bunny,
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Don't expect the pistes to yourself this time over New Year - in my experience that is peak Italian holiday period
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Unless it's bad weather! Fair weather skiers, the Italians 
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