Arinsal Andorra

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

We had a big snow fall at the beginning of November and again during the first week of December, so we had great expectations for a great season. Most of that snow disappear during a warm spell but for the last week it has been very cold, so the snow cannons have been on and the pistes are now in good condition. On the night of Friday 19th we had a small dusting of snow. It was just enough to brighten up things. However there was just about enough to bring London to a complete stand still.

We are all expecting an increase of number of guests this season. Last year, like most other resorts, we had few visitors due to the world financial situation. Tomorrow, Sunday 20th December, we will see the arrival of our first British groups of the season. Some instructors may be in the bars, observing the new arrivals, looking out for the fit ones. It is not good if you have some unfit ones in their group. They are more prone to hurt themselves and find it difficult keeping up with the rest of the group.

Skiing is a physically demanding sport. I must admit that after my first few days of skiing this season, my poor little Scottish legs had very stiff and tender thighs. I did try to get as much exercise as I could before the start of the season. Even then I felt slight discomfort in the evenings.

I have found that guest who are reasonably fit tend to enjoy their skiing more. I realise that not everyone has the time or inclination to visit one of the many gyms that have sprung up all over towns. Those who go should consult the professional trainers, for advice on suitable exercises for skiers. For the rest of you, who will be the vast majority, I would suggest taking part in any exercise that you enjoy will improve your skiing. One of the simplest exercises is just walking up stairs. I really do believe that any extra activity will benefit your safety and comfort.

I hope to meet lots of you,+ fit or not, in the near future and feel sure that you will thoroughly enjoy Arinsal.

Saturday 12th December and I have just had my first run of the season. I arrived in Arinsal on Thursday night and received my usual friendly welcome from Maria and Graham at the Palarine Hotel. Stuart (Best Barman in Andorra) was not his usual cheerful self, he supports Liverpool therefore it is understandable. On Friday I started my bureaucratic paper chase to get my work permit.

Saturday was cold, bright and clear, so I went up to the ski station. The air was cold and the snow canons were making snow until after lunch. The sky was that deep intense blue that we do not get at home, so everything looked great. There had been good snowfalls earlier, but these were followed by a warm spell, therefore lot of the earlier snow had gone, leaving a good firm base. There were a few bare patches but with such good visibility they were easy to spot.

It is quite usual for me to fall on my first run. I am so keen to have my first run that I often forget to tighten my ski bindings. (It is a good practice to loosen the springs for the summer.) I have often sprung out of my bindings on the first sharp turn. I am certain that all my readers are delighted to hear, that this did not happen this year. I tightened the bindings before going on the fast six seat chairlift. However without my glasses, my degenerating eyes could not see on what level I had set them. The consequence was that my first run was a very slow tentative one. Just as well that I was not in uniform but wearing an old nondescript jacket. Eventually, when I felt that my skis were not going to fall off, I had a very enjoyable day.

We have another week to play before the first arrival of British groups. The weather has turned colder and there is a rumour that we may have snow this week.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, OR HAS IT?

We have been enjoying three weeks of glorious weather. It is typical spring skiing, firm first thing in the morning, then great skiing until mid afternoon when the snow becomes heavy and slushy. This is the time of year when we keep skiing until it is time to have a late lunch n the sun. EL MOLI had a barbeque outside the bar and had tables and chairs outside on the pavement. The Poblado has a lovely sunny terrace as do the QUO VADIS. Most of the diners were local people as there are very few visitors. The few that are here are having a great time.

On my walk down to Erts I found some clumps of white hepaticas and some hellebores. These were on the bank beside the roadway that I use on my way back to the hotel. I have not seen any crocus yet. One can usually see them on sunny banks next to the ski slopes but with all the snow the few bare patches have not had the sun for long, maybe we will see some soon.

I started writing this report on Friday 27th. Saturday is my day off and I walked down to the small town of La Massana, before I walked home it started to rain, so I caught the bus back to Erts. I could see that it was snowing in the mountains. Later in the afternoon it was snowing down in the village. As the old saying goes; “The weather can change rapidly in the mountains.”

On Sunday we had some cloud and bright periods and some great skiing. On Monday we were back to bright blue skies with perfect snow. We all had a wonderful day of fast skiing. The slopes were deserted as we had NO English groups. No work and all play. It was great. The only slight problem is, as instructors we only get paid whilst actually working. No work means no pay, so by the time the resort closes some of us may have starved to death. But at least we will have had unforgettable skiing before we went.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR?

My group gave the ski school race on Friday 20th March a real international flavour. Five countries were represented by my ten clients; England, Ireland, Portugal, New Zeeland and Malaysia. Like the Grand Slam on Saturday, the race was won by Ireland. In my class were three lovely ladies from SPICE. Well done girls! One of the men in the SPICE party asked me the question,”How do you become a ski instructor?” I thought that others may be interested, so here is how it is done.

I am qualified under the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (B.A.S.I.) and the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance (C.S.I.A.), both hold training courses in Andorra and elsewhere in the world. However I shall only deal with the B.A.S.I. in this report.

Firstly, you have to be a good recreational skier. You must be able to make controlled parallel turns on a prepared piste. (You do not have to be instructor standard at he start of the course, it is the trainer’s job to get you to that level during the course)

The next stage is to book a level 1 course, this will be of one week’s duration. There will be modules on teaching and personal performance. You must pass BOTH modules. Pass or fail you will be given a written report highlighting your strengths and weaknesses and advice on your future training.

If you pas,you will receive your level one qualification ONLY AFTER you have attended a Child protection module. And hold a current first aid certificate. And obtain a Criminal Record Disclosure, under the Child Protection Act. And obtained 35 hours experience at a recognised dry slope or indoor snow dome.

Now having completed all the above and considered your trainer’s advice on when to take your level 2 course, you can now do the Level 2. This is a two week course and you will be tested on teaching skills and your technical skiing. If you pass one but not the other you may retake that module at a later date.

When you have passed both you will be issued with a licence to teach skiing in most but not all countries. PROVIDED that you hold a current first aid certificate, have an in date C.R.D. and have attend a BASI course or attended a refresher within the last three years.

After you have worked for at least 200 hours in a ski school, you can do further courses (level 3 & 4) this will get you a better rate of pay.

Taking into account all the expenses, I think it will cost about £3,000 to become a level 2 instructor and legally work in the mountains. Now what to do with your new qualification?. Some people just want the personal satisfaction of qualifying and do not intend to work. Others may have a proper job and would like to work part time during the peak season. One company that will take qualified instructors for a couple of weeks each season is, INTERSKI from Mansfield.. They take school and college parties to Italy. .For those who want to work a full season, you must find a ski school who will offer you a contract.

France does not recognise foreign licences without a speed test. To pass this, you must complete a race within a percentage of a racer who has obtained a certain amount of F,I.S. points . This is like asking a driving instructor to complete a lap of a F.1 circuit a few seconds behind David Coultard or someone similar. Michael Schumaker is a brilliant driver, but is he the best person to teach Aunt Ethel to drive the Fiesta that she is getting for her 50th birthday? Personally I think patience is more important than speed when teaching.

Andorra. Before you can instruct here, you must attend an additional four day course. Other countries may have their own rules, you must find out before applying to go there.

The weather here is still great; we have plenty of snow left and very few skiers, so we are all enjoying great skiing

RETURNING FRIENDS

Last week three of my intermediate group said that they would be returning to ARINSAL next year. They all thought that this resort was far friendlier than the ones that they had previously visited. This week 8th to15th March) we had several old friends in the resort; Steve, Colin and Janet, Jake and Krystyna. They all have been here several times before. When I mentioned this to other instructors, all the English instructors with an intermediate group, said that they had someone in their group who had visited Arinsal before, this endorses the fact that Arinsal is a friendly resort, where people wish to return to.

What makes it such a friendly place? I suspect that it is the size of the resort and the compactness of the village. Arinsal is a smallish resort with more than enough runs and lifts for the majority of clients. Usually you meet someone in the bars or restaurants that you met on the mountain. Most of the bars are within 5 minutes walk of the main lift in the village centre. So if you do not know anyone in the first bar, is very easy to walk to the next one. You sometimes meet some of the bar staff on the mountain or on one of the lifts. Most of the bars show videos of that day’s lessons. This is a great way to see yourself ski or even have a laugh at your friends' misfortune.

For the better skiers there is a short cable car trip to the lower but picturesque resort of PAL. This resort has several challenging runs and a long easy green and is mostly below the tree line, making it very scenic. There is a free bus to the remote and rugged resort of Arcalis, which is very popular with the locals and does not get many tourist as it is some distance from the nearest hotel.

The weather this week started sunny and warm, ideal holiday weather. The pistes are uncrowded due to us having very few visitors. However the bars are still busy, I lost two of my beginners on Tuesday morning, due to the Monday night pub crawl.

Last night was St. Patrick's day and the HOTEL PALARINE prepared a great Irish dinner, followed with music by the BORDERLNE BOILERs and a little dancing .The evening finished just before 3 am.. I have mentioned how quiet the resort is, to endorse this, I would like to point out that I am the only guest in the Palarine. In spite of this, STUART (The Iceman) had prepared a full English breakfast for me on the Wednesday morning. The band did not make it home and so stayed the night. I was joined at breakfast by the glamorous two thirds of the group. (TREVOR, guitar and vocals) was not quite up to solids at that time of the morning. A great time was had by all.