We couldn’t be happier when it’s finally time to pack up and head to the slopes for a ski holiday. Bracing mountain air, freshly groomed slopes and a cold pint on a mountain terrace... life doesn’t get any better! But non-skiers and snowboarders might be vaguely shocked to learn about some of the antics we get up to when we get to the ski resort. From plastering ourselves with sunscreen in the middle of winter, to hitting the pub in full ski attire, I suppose we do have a few weird quirks that non-skiers and snowboarders will have trouble relating to. How many of these are you guilty of????
With hold luggage fees shooting sky-high these days, the only practical solution is to try to beat the system. That’s why you’ll see us staggering around in airports wearing three base layers, mittens, a beanie, puffy ski pants and a ski jacket whose pockets are stuffed with other random articles.
Retro ski gear and other 80’s fashion gems will never be out of place at a ski resort, as evidenced by the wild popularity of the 2010 flick, Hot Tub Time Machine. Something about all that neon just seems to bring out the best in people.
Multiple pairs of socks are for amateurs. If you’re taking a budget flight to the Alps for a week-long ski holiday, there’s no room for a sock party in your bag. It doesn’t matter how many litres you sweat out on the slopes, your socks can handle it! That’s what merino wool is for, right?
You might get better street cred with a goggle tan, but the wisest option if you don’t want skin cancer is to use lots and lots of sunscreen. You can leave the makeup at home: white lips and greasy skin are the order of the week.
The fresh air and intense workout of a ski holiday earns you the right to indulge, guilt-free, in a few cold pints, accompanied by a hearty cheese fondue or a delicious schnitzel. You wouldn’t want to faint of hunger halfway down that black piste, would you?
The mercury keeps dropping as you ascend the mountain, but that’s no problem for you, because you’re a Child of the Mountains! -10° C, -20° C, you can handle everything in your fancy ski outfit. Plus, the colder it gets, the better the snow.
Après-ski is the only kind of party you’re allowed to attend as a sweaty mess. As soon as the last lifts close, it’s off with the skis – but not the boots – and into the umbrella huts. Once the après-ski hits start blaring, nobody notices the stench!
When you’re skiing or snowboarding every day, it’s impossible to get tired of the sauna. It’s the only way to soothe those aching muscles so you can face up to another day on the slopes. So, day-in, day-out, we’re to be found relaxing in this sumptuous alpine luxury.
Skiing, check. Après-ski, check. Sauna, check. Looks like there’s nothing left to do but recharge your batteries so you’re at the top of your ski game tomorrow! If you need us after 10pm, you’ll find us passed out in bed, dreaming of powder.
It might be a holiday, but that’s no excuse for frittering away the day in bed. True skiers and snowboarders jump out of bed at the crack of dawn and have their ski outfits all laid out and ready to go so they can hit the slopes first thing in the morning! The sleep deprivation is all worth it when you earn yourself first tracks on virgin snow.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
