Grenoble : Les Deux Alpes!

Grenoble : Les Deux Alpes!

Thursday (10th April), Steve and I got up bright and early and caught a scheduled bus up to the slopes at Les Deux Alpes! The first thing I thought to myself was "OMG, bus trip....up a windy and steep incline.... I am probably going to be sick". So I promptly took my nausea medication and jumped on the bus!

The scenery up the mountain side was indescribable - the reality of actually being in the middle of the French Alps just had seemed a dream or a crazy idea we once had... AND TODAY it was actually for real! I at some point almost passed out because my medication had kicked in and was making me really dopey..LOL That and Steve had been kind enough to donate the cold he had the week before to me and my body was battling a sore throat. One thing about being a couple.. you tend to share EVERYTHING, even colds and flu's whether you want it or NOT!

When we got on the mountain, we found it to be almost an entire town. Probably not surprising since the population like triples during the high ski season. With chalet's and apartments at the actual resort visitors need to be able to get everything they need up on the mountain and not have to worry about getting down if they need supplies of any kind. Actually, when we got there the snow looked a bit thin on the bottom part of the slope...and much fuller and fluffier on the top of the mountain. I looked at Steve and said "There is NO WAY in hell I am going UP THERE!" I know, no sense of adventure, but I didn't want to break my neck either....thoroughly disappointed it looked suspiciously like we were NOT going to get any skiing done.

Completely unprepared, Steve and I wandered around contemplating what to do with ourselves in the event of not being able to ski. Eventually, we came across a Ski School with British instructors... "Thankgod, someone that speaks English"... was probably the first thing that came to mind to the both of us. We had also discovered by ducking into some of the Ski Hire places that we could hire ski's, poles, snowboards and boots, but they didn't know of any such thing to hire jackets, goggles, gloves and waterproof pants. Mmmm, going to be a problem we thought. Still, after chatting to a nice British guy we decided to have a go on what snow was left. Totally enough for a beginners level for both of us anyway. Steve hired me a personal spunkerific Italian ski instructor called "Matteo" all for myself for a couple of hours in the afternoon. The guy at the ski school was nice enough to lend us a couple of jackets, and a pair of waterproof gloves for the afternoon and sent us off to a Ski Hire man to which we could communicate to.

Geared up, we slapped on our snow travelling equipment and headed half way up the beginners slope to make sure I could still SNOW PLOUGH from my lessons at Mt Buller about a million years ago and Steve could still handle his snow board. Convinced I could at least stay upright and brake adequately, I took my ski's and poles to the little drag lift (the type you stick in between ya legs and it drags you up) to the top of the beginners slope. We had a couple of hours to practice at least before I went one on one with Matteo, so I decided to make the most of my time to polish up my balance and skills so my Italian friend could teach me a few more tricks and ski tactics. What I didn't realise was just how much energy it was going to require and how much the muscles in my legs were going to get a work out! Well if you don't SKI much you don't know I guess... After 3 stacks off my ski's and with a very wet behind by 1:30pm my legs were stuffed. I thought that I had better give it a rest until my 2 hour skiing lesson beginning at 2pm that afternoon.

While I was having my lesson with the very charming Matteo, I observed Steve occasionally to find that he was getting braver and conquering the slightly higher slopes. By the time my lesson finished with Matteo, he had conquered the highest part of the beginners slopes with enthusiasm and perfection... well almost! In the meantime I was finding my Italian friend annoying because the first thing he did was take away my ski poles! I thought to myself.. don't I need those to balance? Turns out I didn't... "Big BAD SKI INSTRUCTOR knows best!"... I actually found it much easier to plough without them. What I also learnt that afternoon after some bizarre and suspicious teaching technique... that in order to turn right I had to lean to the left....and to turn left I had to lean to the right.... It made absolutely NO logical sense to me.. but it worked.... so I figured Matteo knew what he was talking about. I think at some point he was making fun of my nervousness...because on leaning to the left and right he made me pretend I was bouncing a basketball....

The other thing I did learn that as my muscles got more tired, I was starting to lose control and found it harder and harder to brake. In the end, my legs felt like complete jelly and after a sensational stack told my ski instructor I had truly had enough. I am sure he was snickering under that smug grin of his...

I noticed that when Steve came back off the mountain around 4 pm he was wet all over too. At least I wasn't the only one that had stacked onto my backside..... Thoroughly hungry and exhausted the both of us sat down in the small cafe area to chow down a crepe for a small afternoon tea. Before we knew it it was time for our bus ride back down to Grenoble, so Steve and I raced back to our ski hire place returned our equipment and then swung by the ski school to return our jackets and stuff and to say a polite thankyou for helping us out that day. Actually, by the time we left the sun had come out blazing and what snow was left on the beginners slope was turning to slush... just in the knick of time!

Our ride back down on the bus was surely a blur in the end, because we were both so tired. Still, even though the snow was not as spectacular as it should have been we had an awesome afternoon. Steve had conquered the slopes on the snow board and I had mastered my skills as a potential skiier a little more....

Thoroughly stuffed, Steve and I really don't even remember our heads hitting our pillows.... We had one more day left in Grenoble and wanted to get a good night's rest so we could make the most of it.... or so we thought!.....

For photo's of Ella and Steve's skiing day : http://picasaweb.google.com/hillsj/LesDeuxAlpes

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