Arinsal Andorra

The resort closed at 5pm today, so another season is finally over. The weather and skiing has been great for the last three days after several days of light snow during the first part of the week.

The instructor’s end of season party was poorly attended due to some being on courses and others had left to do whatever instructors do in the summer. Our table consisted of 6 very lively people. Some residents came for the banquet and some friends came for the dancing and drinks. So overall there was a good attendance.

There was plenty of dancing and everyone joined in, except Jan the Swede, who fell asleep sometime after the dessert. Some of the guests sang duets with Trevor, our live musician. The hotel management considered that one of the instructors, who deliberately left his car at home, was unfit to walk and gave him a bed for the night. After the last instructor had left there was an unfortunate incident. A couple who had enjoyed themselves then had a domestic row. The management tried to call the police to diffuse the situation. However he dialled 110 (the correct number for the police) but failed to get an outside line, so he connected with room 110. He asked a very tired and puzzled young lady to come to the Palarine to deal with a disturbance. Eventually the real police arrived and the lady booked into the hotel and the gentleman left in a “taxi” with flashing blue lights.

We have had some great parties in the Palarine this season, New Year’s Eve, Burns’ night, St Patrick’s day and a really great Chinese New Year. All were very lively indeed but I think that I might have to look for another venue for next season instructor’s party. This year’ one was just too eventful.

I hope all of you have had a great winter and that I may see some of you next year. I will write a report as soon as I have some information on next season.

Bye

THE END IS NIGH

I have just finished with my last group of the season. I had a beginners group consisting of 9 very jolly ladies plus the husband of one of them. We all had a very merry time, sometimes meeting in the RED X to watch the video of the days skiing and laugh at the antics of the group. Thank you ANNA, for being a great sport and providing some great footage. There are no British groups in the resort next week, only a few independent travellers taking advantage of the cheap deals on offer and the late snow.

As there will be very little work next week, I am going to Soldeu to do an instructor’s course with the CSIA (Canadian Instructors). My next report may be my last for some time as I do not think that I will have much to say about ARINSAL, whilst in Hampshire. I might try if I can only get some inspiration. The sun is shining and the snow has been good, in spite of a very windy day on Tuesday.

WHEN IS GOING TO STOP SNOWING?

After being asked when is going to snow for the last few weeks, we finally had some snow. A few flurries on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Monday it was snowing heavily. Corinne picked me up in her four wheel drive and complained about the state of the traffic due to the large fall of snow. I asked her when the first skier would ask “When is it going to stop snowing? “ The answer was 3pm going up on the six seater chair, by one of the new arrivals. We have had snow on and off all week. Friday was very warm so perhaps that is the end of this weather system. We now have enough snow to last until the end of the season. Anyone thinking about a late holiday on very quiet slopes should check with the hotels as there are great deals being offered.. For instance the PALARINE is offering Dinner bed and breakfast for 20 euros per person per night.

SMOKERS

Arinsal, Andorra is a great place for smokers. I noticed in the supermarkets, that several well known brands cost about 20 euros for 200 cigarettes. If you do not smoke for pleasure but merely to feed your addiction, consider some of the local brands. They are about half that price. Just think of the damage 400 smokes can cause for about 20 euros! Just remember that we are NOT in the EU, so you are only allowed to take 200 cigarettes back with you. Andorra has not caught up with mainstream Europe yet. They still allow smoking in bars but I have noticed this season, several polite Irish and English smokers going outside to smoke. HOTEL PALARINE bans smoking in the dining room but permits it in the bar.. Andorra usually catches up with the rest of Europe, in its own time. For example women have had the vote since 1970 and in 2005 Andorra admitted 6 asylum seekers. Some may consider both of those developments as retrograde steps. I do not think this is the right place to debate these matters.

Now for the serious stuff, when I left the mountain this afternoon, it had just started to SNOW.

FOOTBALL

This week I am moaning about football on TV. Arinsal is great for football fans who do not want to miss their team’s games. The QUO VADIS and EL DERBI can each show three games at the same time, on different plasma screens. The HOTEL PALARINE can show freefootie downloaded from the internet, although sometimes the quality is not great. Now on behalf of non football fans, I tried to find a cheerful bar WITHOUT A TV, I failed. Some dull hotel lounges are TV free but not very welcoming. I thought that if I could find a cheerful bar, I could persuade some young ladies from my group to join me for a quiet drink and chat, during the matches. Last season there was an ideal bar. It was the best kept secret in Arinsal.. It seemed that no one went there apart from me. This bar brewed its own beer and should have been very popular with beer drinkers like myself. In spite of my efforts to keep the brewery open. Unfortunately, I failed to drink enough ale and it did not open this season.

I think that there is a niche market for non football drinkers. Are there any bar owners in Arinsal who would like to try this radical approach?

SNOW

It would be impossible to write this week’s report without mentioning snow. Monday was incredibly hot and therefore the snow was very soft and slushy. I was in the Skippy Park with 8 kids. They would go to the top of the rope tow and straight line down to the bottom. No need for a snow plough in such slow conditions. Tuesday was a different matter altogether. The morning was bright and cold. The snow cannons were going full blast, the first time for three weeks. Yesterday’s slush had turned to solid ice after a bitter night. The piste had been groomed so the Skippy Park was lovely and smooth but very firm. My kids were making great snowploughs but were unable to go round the mushrooms, as they just skidded on the ice. The skies darkened and it started to snow. I took the kids to the nearby Refugi for a hot chocolate. By the time we returned, there was a good covering of snow and getting deeper every minute. The going was now so slow that they were back to straight lining down the slope and having great fun with the new snow. It kept snowing all afternoon.

When I got to my hotel down in Erts the police had closed the road to Arinsal, except for 4 wheel drive vehicles and those with snow chains. It snowed all night and in the morning it was blizzard conditions. Sadly the blizzard was so bad that they were unable to open the lifts, so we were stuck in the village for the day. We will all have to work on Saturday to make up the hours in ski school. The QUO VADIS and the BULL were doing a great trade in Full English breakfasts.

It snowed on Thursday night but Friday saw high winds and a lot of people were bussed to Arcalis and Pal. Guests here this week have seen a lot of snow but unprecedented high winds for three days marred their holiday. We try our best to make your visit to ARINSAL as pleasant as possible but we cannot control the weather. It should be great skiing for anyone arriving on Sunday..

WIDE OPEN SPACES

Last Sunday Kevin, Corinne and I enjoyed a great days skiing. This was due to three factors:

1, The wide open spaces. Since the school half term finished the slopes have been very quiet.

2, The snow was in very good condition. However this week has been warm and the conditions could now be described as Spring Snow. (Hard at first, great during the day and slushy in the afternoon)

3. We had a lot of free time as there are not many clients about on a Sunday. Most of the British and Irish clients are on change over on Sundays.

The number of people expected to be skiing for the remainder of the season is less than last year. This means a lot more space for those who come to ARINSAL. All we are waiting for is a fresh fall of snow to make it perfect. It also means that there are great bargains to be had. For instance the HOTEL PALARINE, where I stay is offering, Dinner, Bed and Full English Breakfast for 20 Euros per night per person, from 31st March until the end of the season. That is a lot cheaper than I am paying. Maybe I should check out then take up the offer, if there is room.

Anyone coming here late in the season will find that the all ski shops have great offers on this season’s equipment and clothes. Just be aware that Andorra is not in the E.U. so restrictions do apply. Hope to see some of you soon.

RETURNING GUESTS

On the chair lift, I met a lady on her seventh visit to ARINSAL. I had taught her daughter to ski some years ago.. This had me thinking about returning guests. Last Sunday evening, in the RED X bar I met three lovely young ladies, ALEX, MICHELLE and VICKI, all from CANNOCK. I remembered them from my beginners’ class two years ago. I recall that they did like to party but never missed their class. MATT (Dingo) had helped them last season and he joined us for a drink. During the conversation, they told me that they were not keen on the 10 am start, so we arranged that they would be in the 12 noon class and were placed in the class of my good friend, SEAN, a fun loving instructor. They very much enjoyed their week and MICHELLE came first in the class race. The last time I saw them, they were in the ORIENTAL XPRESS, an excellent Chinese restaurant beneath the RED X bar. They were surrounded by plates of Thai Crayfish Tails, Spicy King Prawns, Spring Rolls and three instructors.

STEVE and KRYSTYNA, whom I had mentioned in earlier reports are returning on the 16th of March. This will be her sixth and his second visit to Arinsal.

If anyone reading this is a returning guest, why not add a comment? I am sure that people would be interested in your views.

SKIING HOLIDAY. That phrase consists of two words. The first word “Skiing” is very important but the second word is also important. I believe that the whole holiday should be enjoyed. However sometimes over indulgence during the holiday can ruin your skiing.

Two of my clients did not turn up for the beginners class on Tuesday, due to get overcooked on the Monday Night Pub Crawl.. When they turned up for their lesson the following day, they found that the class had all progressed so much, that they could not keep up with the others in the group. Obviously it is not fair to hold up the whole class because some people have over indulged so they left the class. Sometimes, we are able to find a very slow group with room to take these people, but it is not always possible.

Progress during the first three days of lessons is so fast, with a very steep learning curve. So when clients miss a day, they cannot rejoin their class, unless we can find another group with a suitable level and space. It means that they have virtually left ski school. They can book private lessons if they want to catch up with their group or just do their own thing. So be warned, be sensible with your evening entertainment if you want to enjoy your skiing. Even better skiers cannot ski well with a hangover, I should know!

I am not against having a drink, after all it is YOUR holiday and you should enjoy it which ever way you choose without being lectured to by a boring old fart. I am only trying to explain the consequences of missing lessons during the first three days of your holiday.

I have had three really great nights in my hotel: THE PALARINE, New Year’s Eve, Burns’ Night and the Chinese New Year. Living in the hotel meant that I only had a very short distance to stagger to bed. Now they are talking about hiring an Irish band for St Patrick’s Day. Instructors have to be fit not only for skiing but for the après ski as well. I do a lot of training, to be able to enjoy the evening and still ski the next day. After all it is a working day for me but it is YOUR holiday. ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY AND THE SKIING.

VILLAGE PEOPLE

This week I thought I would mention some of the Village People that you may meet during your stay in ARINSAL. At the top of the hill is the SAN ANDREU, famous for it’s ”Curryoke” (sic) night, run by two ex ski instructors, SIMON and the much more lovely KIRSTY. If you are ever in the QUO VADIS, you will be served a shot by KEVIN, a very hospitable South African from Scottburgh. His very attractive team includes a very vivacious blonde, CHLOE. Across the road is EL CAU, famous for the Friday Seventies Night. CARLOS runs a very effective team which includes the long serving ALICIA.

EL DERBI, which attracts a lot of Irish guests, is run by South African twins, DEAN and DARREN. After knowing them for about ten years I still get confused when I meet them separately, but can correctly identify them when they are together.

Behind the bar of THE RED X, a bar popular with ski instructors, is TIGGER, who is from Hartlepool. He has a monkey above the bar. For those who are unaware, a monkey is the mascot of Hartlepool F.C. and in a typical piece of English eccentricity, the guy who plays the monkey was elected as Mayor of Hartlepool. What makes the story even better, he was re-elected for a second term.

Down at the bottom of the hill in Erts is the HOTEL PALARINE, where I stay. GRAHAM and STUART run a very friendly team which includes the vibrant and curvaceous TINA, who is from Argentina, and looks absolutely fabulous when she wears her Chinese outfit when serving in the BAMBU restaurant.

I apologise to the many other friendly staff in ARINSAL that I have failed to mention but they all know that I love them all