J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by dgou

Forgot to say, we were there when it was Fasching (Shrove Tuesday) and the whole of the slopes were mental with everyone in fancy dress - 5 lads from our hotel were boarding as a bear, tiger, gorilla, chicken and something else, and they were hilarious, but I shared several chairs with a Bart Simpson, bees, assorted vikings, waiters and men dressed as Austrian ladies with plaits and dirndls - hilarious fun watching the slopes to see who was coming down. I understand it is Feb 24th this year, so if you are there then, please go prepared as no-one told us. Unless you have no desire to join in of course!

Also something else I forgot, certainly on one of the runs there is a 6 man HEATED chair lift, which slows down to let you get on and off - and is the most civilised piece of kit ever (see my post about On the Piste and you will see that Kevin's class could have done with it!)

Most of the stretch of the valley from Saalbach to Hinteglemm is full of bars, hotels and restaurants, with the occasional field you are able to ski back to your hotel to (a bit like the Las Vegas strip really!) A lot of the lads at our hotel frequented Bobby's Bar in Saalbach (not sure if the owner is called Bobby or because it is opposite the Police Station). Hard to suggest the best, as a lot depends on what you want but Saalbach is definitely the party end! The night skiing/boarding is also good fun to watch - although it seemed you had to meet the following criteria - be 17, of Dutch origin and be out of your head - because it didn't hurt when you crashed!! There was a good but crowded bar at the bottom of the slopes. Definitely lots going on if you want it, but you can also have a nice evening in your hotel too (ours the Hotel Austria had a good bar in the basement).

The runs are both sides of the valley in S-H, so you can ski as much as you want and to some degree the blues and red seem to merge with each other sometimes, which was great for us as hubby is a far more competent skier than me, so we were both happy and could easily meet up for a drink or lunch.

Wouldn't rave about the Intersport ski hire shop in Saalbach, had a lot of probs with boots and the fitter had a tough s**t attitude, so had to get the rep involved. However it is always a lottery who you get!

Have fun, I would be happy to go back!

We had some friends round last night, the guy is a good skier, his wife avoids it at all costs - and after seeing Brenda, Maureen and Kevin she is vowing NEVER to go on skis!!! Got through a few tissues howling at it once again!!

The documentary is so good, to be fair the Youtube clip does show all the funny stuff that I laugh about every year.
[snipped - Admin]

TK Maxx is always good, I have a 4 year old jacket which cost me £20 and should have been over £100 according to the label. Always a good selection of makes and sizes - oh and the most important... colour!!

Adelboden is very chocolate boxey, a nice Alpine village, with all the shops a skier needs (supermarket, cheese shop, several ski shops and the ski hire shop right at the bottom of the gondola, fab cafes, little church, museum and an hour and a half walk to a wood carver if you cannot ski because of (a) bad visibility up top (b) injury (c) just fancy doing something else because you are having a pants day skiing! (and just occasionally there is such a thing!) Also VERY nice cake shops!!

www.adelboden.ch is the website. You can see webcams and also see the piste maps of the skiing areas - for a ski website it is good.

I am there mid Feb again. Fly into Berne, get the minibus to Berne Railway Station (having bought your ticket via Rail Europe) and then a stunning journey through to Frutigen, and then connecting bus to Adelboden, all with the usual Swiss efficiency (i.e. everything works and connects!)

3 weeks today! Yodelaayyyooooooo! :D :D :D

Tony I don't think I made myself clear in my post - as I was booking my 'jigsaw' holiday this year, I was also trawling around looking for new ski boots at the same time, weighing up (that is a good term) whether to buy new or hire in resort again - when the Inghams info came through it was different to Flybe's conditions, but by then I had got my boots and was starting the 20 hours of breaking them in, but had I known before I may not have bought perhaps. Budget airlines crack down so much on weight, and the price you see is not necessarily the price you pay after check in, and they have fleeced you for anything and everything.

If you have your own boots already then obviously take them (even if like me you can only manage one ski holiday a year!)

PS I am English, never had anything pinched - other than my bum! ha ha! didn't see anything offensive in the post myself but each to their own.

Adelboden in Switzerland is very nice, and you can get flights into Berne with Flybe and then a minibus to Berne Railway Station and then the train and bus - if you think this sounds hideous, it is no worse than some transfers with lots of drop offs and some lovely scenery to travel through. Adelboden is a nice working alpine village, where you will see cows with bells on, goats and a very nice atmosphere with no one nationality dominating (as you find in some resorts).

The skiing is quite varied over different areas and you can also ski Lenk and other places with your pass, but a lot depends on what you want, what level you are and whether you want the occasional sit in the sunshine with a mug/glass of something. Have a look at the Adelboden website and see for yourself - and you can see webcams too.

I am fortunate to have a very nice place to stay through my Guiding connections but there are lots of hotels and B&Bs. Did the same trip two years ago and going back again this Feb.

Counting down the days ....

Try Direct Travel, I am insured with them and they do levels of premium depending on your health conditions, I have the Premium Plus for my conditions and you have winter sports cover - worth a look.

I know the feeling of not going skiing, years ago I was diagnosed with gastric flu, it started on the Wednesday and on the Saturday I went to the doc's emergency clinic and he asked if I had thought of cancelling because of what I had? (words a skier going the next day does not want to hear)!! I was so determined to go, I went to bed, got up at 4 am ready to go to BHX. All the way over I could feel my body shutting down which was a very strange feeling, we got to BHX and I could not get out the car, I was so poorly. Hubby then had to go to check in to tell them we would not be going and then phone our friends who were flying out from BRS - the tannoy message made them wonder if something suspicious had been found in their luggage. Thankfully I made a good recovery, some 3 weeks later after being in bed full time and losing 2 stone in weight. We managed to get our insurance claim through and managed to book very late in the season, and I just had an easy week on the nursery slopes - but I was happy, recovered and in the mountains (although I have been asthmatic ever since - but hey!). this is a very good reason for having winter sports insurance, otherwise the loss of £800 would have not been funny!

My best wishes to your husband for a full recovery, I will raise a hot chocolate to him when I am on the slopes in 3 weeks, the mountains will still be there for him and he just has to take it steady. I am sure all J2ski peeps are with me on this.