A holiday in Austria - Zell Am See. Skiing at Christmas.

A series of interesting events!!!!

Day 1 - The Wood Family, having visited Calais on many occasion, and stopped in the Formule 1 previously, decide to dispense with a map or directions!...The first incident. This involves an hour or more driving around calais, followed by a twenty mile trip down the motorway to Paris to turn around and come back again.

Day 1 - episode two. Formule 1 refuses to accept credit card. After above stress inducing episode, and stood outside in cold at midnight, tempers are beginning to fray. Central office is contacted via speakerphone, and eventually the arrangements are sorted.

Day 2 - The Shaw family, for reasons never fully explained, miss the ferry. This means they will not arrive in France until 11am. After discussion, the woods continue on to the first destination alone to ensure early arrival (some hope). This pattern is oft repeated due to an inability on either party to correctly consult a map of any description!

Day 2 - episode two. An accident on the motorway near stuttgart (not us) means long delay on arrival. M25 style queues delay arrival of both parties to the Hotel Wolfe. However, arrival is made and we finally meet.

Day 3 - Arrive in Zell without further untoward events. However when the time comes to collect the Skis and passes, the fact that we are the first to use the “special price”sytem, and have pre booked via email, proves not to be of such great assistance. This coupled with the fact that the internet is down in the shop, means that no passes are available, and much head scratching and paper shuffling is needed before the day is out. Finally after usual scrum and aerobic workout, skis are put away and we return the following day to collect ski passes.

Day 4 - We get to Ski at last! - Mark and Chris with “Fritz”, and the Shaw familly at the beginners slope, (Malc and Sally stay with the kids, as for some inexplicable reaoning of Austrian intellect, the lessons for the children have a two hour lunch break, and the adults only have one! Hence kids would be left to fend for themselves for an hour. The Zell Am See flu virus is taking its toll by now, and Malc and Lewiss are struggling through. Indianas illnes means she is very weak and cant get up when she falls over, and the exertion of the whole thing makes her condition worse. Liz resumes her “Loop De Loop” skiing style, and is petrified by the instructors constant exhortations to “Follow me” the sun is shining though, and it is a glorious day.

Day 5 - The flu bug has now taken a deadly grip. Lewis is laid up in bed. Indiana has given up the ghost and is also bed ridden. Needless to say, this is not adding a great deal to Malc and Sallys “skiing experience” Lessons have been cancelled, and the first of many refund enquiries are beginning to be made.

Day 6 - Camp Delta. The invalids have colonised at the top of the gondala, taking over a corner of the restaurant. This looks like a scene from “day of the dead” with bodies strewn all over the place.

Day 7 - Sally decides enough is enough - flies home to Coventry with Indiana.!

Day 8 - The bag incident (1). After a full days enjoyable skiing, the boys decide to stop off for a swift Gluhwein and Jaeger Tea at the bar half way down the run home. Much merriment is had and we set off as dusk is falling to ski the final descent. On reaching the bottom, the realisation dawns, that Marks rucksack, containing locker keys and car keys has been left at said bar! Do not fancy walking home in ski boots, and begin to panic. Malc has bright idea - we will drive up and get bag. Mountain road/no barriers/heavyish snow). All is well for the first mile or so, until wheels start to spin, and we begin to head over cliff! luckily stop - and decide to push car into edge for safety. Car is pushed and starts to slip over said edge again. Moment of panic. Car stops in time, and we begin (or rather Malc does) to put on snow chains which fortunately he has with him, and a vague idea of how to fit them. For reasons not entirely clear,(probably to do with Gluhwein) Chris is despatched to walk ahead and see if he can find the bar. He sets off with no coat while evr increasing snow starts to fall.Chains are fitted and we begin to move, only to discover that there is a fork in the road, and now have no idea where Chris is. Much shouting begins. Take wrong direction, realise probably not the right way as road narrows drastically. We turn round and head up again in opposite direction. Finally we reach the bar and see Chris walking out with bag in hand. Much relief ! We head home for much awaited Spag Bog and bottle(s) of wine that Liz has lovingly prepared. Monopoly is played and the rules are augmented to suit certain players!

Day 9 - We lose Chris at the bottom of black run to Zell Am See. Head up to bar for Gluhwein and wait for him. He appears 15 mins later, having been diverted on a blue run. Decide to go to the glacier in the afternoon, as time is fast running out, and there are still many mountains to ski. After waiting for the bus to Kaprun for an eternity, make our way to Kaprun and get off at the wrong bus stop, this proves to be a blessing in disguise though, as find one of best runs at Kaprun, and excellent Apres Ski bar. -

Same day the pole dropping incident (nearly forgot this one!), but was reminded of it by Malcolm over a Jaegermeister in Budapest! To cut a long story short, I dropped my pole, half way up impenetrable run, ice and mud being the main attraction. Much searching ensued.

Day 10 - The journey home - Numerous diversions and missed junctions later we arrive back. Batterered and bruised. All in all though a great holiday (for some anyway!)