Well it finally happened. The season came to an end, and they are sending us home L
The season ended with a bang though, the volcano that erupted in Iceland stopped all flights and on Friday there were crisis talks about how to get our guests home, options discussed were letting them stay in the chalet free of charge till the flights were back on, taking them to the airport and sitting it out, or the option that was finally decided was to organise buses to take them to Calais and ferry over to the UK.
So at 4am Saturday morning we traipsed all 140 guests to the 3 buses that were arranged and waved them off.
During the same week it was also my birthday! I started celebrating on Tuesday night with a night out in 1800 resort, then on Wednesday we skied all day and went for pizza in the evening, then on my actual birthday on Thursday the best present was that we did not have to go shopping! Yippee.
I organised champagne and smoked salmon for breakfast and after feeding the guests and sending them skiing, the other chalet hosts came round and had breakfast with me. Then I went skiing all afternoon, cooked Laksa for evening meal as usual and then went to the Yeti bar where i was made to stand on the bar and drink tequila shots while everyone sang happy birthday, all in all a very good day.
So for the last six days there have been no guests on resort, it is like a ghost town. The supermarket is emptying its shelves, the ski hire shops were clearing out everywhere has sales on and we have been scrubbing again.
On Saturday we had to pack our flat up, clean it out and move in to Arc en Ciel the big 30 bed chalet. Then we set to and cleaned the chalet. I had Liz helping me and we had finished by 4pm, it was odd not chasing the clock waiting for new guests to arrive, and not making chocolate pots or red cabbage in the afternoon, things that have become such habit over the weeks.
That night Gemma made lasagne, it was delicious! And after eating the chalet food for weeks, such a welcome change. It was good all eating together in the Arc in a relaxed atmosphere, not worrying about guests and not clock watching.
Anyway, by Sunday afternoon the whole resort was tidy and we were allowed out to play! Considering a few weeks ago we were worried that the snow would disappear, we have had some massive dumps in the last few weeks and conditions were fantastic. Lots of blue skies, sunshine and white fresh snow. The strangest thing is skiing just in jumpers, not loads and loads of layers, topped with a bulky ski jacket. And getting a suntan. I look really healthy at the moment, all out doorsy and glowing.
I have been continuing with my plan to try something new everyday and as a result this week I managed to jump all 4 green jumps in the park, it was an excellent feeling, so I did it again, and again, and again. Then on another day I met up with Craggs and Hitman and they pushed me into things I never thought I would do, like trying to straight line a red run and off piste in the trees. I definitely like off piste riding better than on piste. The snow is so deep and if you do fall over its a soft landing!. By skiing in the trees it solved some of the problem of me not turning and traversing too much, because if I didn’t turn I was going to hit a tree.
The other week we were skiing over to Vallendry and I was trying my best to try and keep up with everyone and proberly going too fast, and as I turned the corner I hit a bump and went flying. SPALT! I completely wiped out, I thought I had broken something. I was winded, I had bashed my nose on my goggles, pulled my shoulder and both skiis fell off. I was battered and bruised (again) but luckily nothing broken. This fall knocked my confidence a bit, so going back to the park and doing all the jumps was quite a big deal for me.
We had our end of season BBQ and award ceremony. We had all voted on such esteemed titles like Screwed the Most Crew, Best Goggle Tan, Girl I’d most like to Sleep with and Town Drunk!
I won the best Chalet Host, Liz and Dickie won best goggle tan, Tom was the town drunk and Gemma was the girl everyone wanted to sleep with!
In true Brit style, after days of blue sky and hot sunshine, our BBQ was on the only cold, snowy day, and again in true Brit style, we carried on regardless! Me and Bee had races down the street to warm up, everyone was wearing about 5 layers and after we finished we went to the Yeti bar to finish off.
Then on Thursday 22nd April at 15.30 we finally got the bus loaded and headed out of town.
Farewell Les Arcs xxx
