Learning to snowboard

So, despite what I told Adrian when we first met, I am not actually the world’s most amazing snowboarder… Jeff L and Bas witnessed my efforts last year which saw my knees swell up to football size as a result of coming into far too much contact with the sheet ice at Turoa! So I got me a snowboard here in Megève and took it out after about a week here to see how much work I needed to do before I could learn how to turn etc. Actually putting on the bloody thing was the first mission because it had completely different bindings (what holds the board to your feet) than what I was used to back in NZ! But once that small milestone had been achieved I was raring to go. And go I did…right towards the ground! I won’t go into the (embarrassing and painful) detail, but after several days of “I hate this, I’m never going to like it!” and other minor tantrums directed at the ever patient Adrian, I finally managed to learn how to turn. It was a big day! In the interim I was forced to wear a helmet because I was coming close to concussion with the amount of times I was falling over…


But once that had passed and I was (more or less) whizzing down the green runs (I was allowed to say that I was a snowboarder once I completed a run without falling), I became a bit more adventurous. Bring on the blue runs! (In France they go from green, to blue, to red, to black). We had a big day out on the mountain (Adrian, Lauren and I) and I was heading down Les Mandarines run which is a big green run (green number 30 on this map where it says Mt d'Arbois) and I had nearly got to the end when I took a big tumble and banged up my knee. The gory results are below…

Needless to say that now I wear kneepads as well! But after about a week’s rest I was back up there full of enthusiasm (and only succumbing to very seldom tantrums – like when Adrian takes me down the world’s steepest red run…but that’s another story!)

Our apartment in Megeve

Measuring at just over a whisker by a snippet, our apartment in Megève is the picture of spacious grandeur. With a handy basement location, it means that the lack of windows avoids pesky natural light and the need to be constantly opening and closing curtains (The saved time allowing for one more push of the snooze button). The Lockwood pine finish on not one but two feature walls (plus a feature wall insert, and the bathroom) really gives the room it’s own ‘natural glow’, as does the lack of smoke alarms…

The opulent kitchen has not one but two electric hobs, although the fact that turning the front hob on trips the electrics for the entire apartment means our cooking has taken a spartan, one pot turn. (Not that we cook here much, I think two dinners over a month have been eaten here – it’s hard to turn down three cooked meals a day at the chalet – even though you do have to do more dishes!)

The storage facilities are also excellent, just check out this purpose made snowboard space in between the shower and the toilet...

However, the piece de resistance is clearly the fold out double sofa bed in a stunning shade of faded red. It is available to all and sundry to come and visit (thanks to Dom and Nicky for being our inaugural guests) and we will ply you with chalet leftovers until you’re too fat to even zip up those snow pants or do up that jacket (a state that Amelia is not far from reaching, hence the new rule of croissants only once a week…).

So, roll up, roll up to casa Megève and pay us a visit. Available weeknights, weekdays, weekends and every conceivable time in between until 16 April 2008!

Bienvenue!

Hey everyone, kia ora, bonjour, ciao and welcome to our brand spanking new travel blog. Instead of being slavishly tied to the laptop (or dodgy internet café) writing indivdualised and highly personal emails with lots of love and attention in them to each and every single one of you, we thought we’d take the lazy route and just create a blog. So here you can read about the exciting (and mundane) things that we’re getting up to on our big Europe OE and leave comments to your hearts’ desire.

At the moment we’re in Megève, France, doing a ski season. Adrian’s a ski guide/driver and is dominating the mountain with his daredevil off-piste skills, and Amelia’s a chalet host (i.e. maid) getting to grips with snowboarding and modeling the latest in bruises to show for it.

Here are a few photos of Megève to whet your appetite – for more click here. There will always be more photos on Amelia’s Facebook page – if we don’t put in a link to them and you want to know if there are more photos just ask in the comments section or send an email :-) PS I’m a nerd (Thanks for that input Adrian).

Powder! The Church of Jean Baptiste in the centre of town.

The Aallard store and the town square Christmas tree (in Megève it's Christmas all winter long...)

Tulip Sunday at the Botanic Gardens

Tulip Sunday happens once a year in the Botanic Gardens in Wellington. All the tulips are in bloom, there are lots of new sculptures, and a whole Dutch-themed thing as well. Al, Danny, Mary-Jane, and Anna-Marie and I spent a lovely day in the sun.

In the hot-house.

All the tulips! Tulip close-up

Karaka flowers

Checking out the NZ section

Snowdrop - symbol of spring! (and believe it or not, this is only a tiny sample of the number of photos I took - digital cameras are genius...)

Night out in Auckland-town

Headed out to dinner in Ponsonby with Caroline, Lisa, Kelly, and a friend of Caroline's. Much wine was consumed, random photos were taken and texts were sent, and a good time was had by all!


Mwah!