Soll 2015/16

If you're in a small Pension, the chances are ye might be the only ones in there. You'll have to bring a towel to sit on anyway, so you could just leave it wrapped around yourself if there are no natives lurking!

We were in the pool in a hotel in Saalbach & a whole family used to swim nudey every night.

Rew wrote: »

All Austrian saunas are strictly nude (assuming its not a private one just for you guys).

Ah, OK! I didn't know that.

I have horrific memories, of Zell am See, sitting in a tiny sauna with my wife, and in comes a fat, naked Russian bloke, covered in gold jewellery.
Because of the size of the sauna, I went from sitting there, having a nice restful time, to having some blokes wang in my face, and getting whiplash from pulling my head back so quickly, in about half a second.

I still wake up screaming about it.

ONE MORE SLEEPIES TO THE NUDIE SAUNAS!

dzer2 wrote: »

Any room in the bag for one more

We need a ski monkey... you can carry my boots

I was so sad coming home - what an amazing place! It was my first ski trip and I was blown away by the facilities / technology there. The amount of lifts, snow cannons and snow bashers or whatever they're called is incredible. Even without getting snow for a while there was still plenty on the slopes.

The week we went was the busiest of the year I believe due to a school midterm across half of Europe. We kept getting asked if we were school teachers and that was why we chose that week. My instructor told me that they had 80 instructors employed last week and have 40 for this week - they were expecting 40% of the people on the slopes. So the slopes were crowed, but there still seemed to be a good bit of room to be honest. The one difference it made was though was that at the end of the days it was always getting icy and bumpy. Not ideal for a beginner, but all things considered it's really not too much to complain about. Oh, there were also loads of kids there. One of the feckers cut acrooss me and made me fall over on my last day!

But the skiing was just so much fun. I had gone for 3 lessons in Stillorgan beforehand and I was so glad I did. It meant I could jump a group and go to low intermediates and it made such a difference. Even though it was a shock being on snow for the first time (and actually moving!!)I got into the swing of things on day 4 really. There was real improvement every day, but it was day 4 by the time I had some control. Day 5 we got to the igloo bar which was great and we went back on day 6 without the instructors. This was the day I got the only video of me. I thought I was flying across the slopes, but the video told a different story!

I would have absolutely loved another 2 days. In the end I was finally turning without almost completely stopping and if I'd had another couple of days I reckon I'd have been going down the slopes at a respectable speed. I suppose it'll have to wait until next year!

But all 7 of us on the trip had a great time. We were all talking about booking early again for next year which is a good sign. Better start saving now though. Because I added up that the week cost me over 2 grand in total!

AlternateID wrote: »

What did you spend 2k on???? I'm in Söll now. Lots of powder today. On and off piste. Can't see much now. Off to Mayrhofen next week. Will be epic off piste there.

Package (flights / transfers / accomodation) - €636
Ski Pass / Lessons - €425
Equipment Hire - €143
Insurance - €30
Ski Gear purchases (goggles, base layers, socks, etc) €125
3 Lessons in Stillorgan - €90
Spending Money - €578

A total of €2,027.

I'm going to get my own ski suit this year and will hopefully get an end of season one in Ireland this month for about €200. Then hopefully next year I won't need any more equipment. Also if we book earlier we might get a package for €550 or something. And we will also try to be more sensible about food - not ordering a big dinner on the slopes and eating more of the €10 options in the restaurants. So including the ski suit I'm hoping to trim a couple hundred euro from the cost for next year. But you really can fly through the money out there. Especially when you can pay €4.50 for a coffee on the slopes!

I can't remember which one it was, but probably one near the first gondala you get off once you go up. I was a bit taken aback by it. But fairly creep lunches (a bratwurst / half roast chicken, chips and pint of coke would still be about15e. Some of the meals a bit more. A drink after up on the slopes, then a couple in the jam jar or somewhere could be another 20e easily. Then a meal with wine is maybe 25e a head. Then you might have a couple more after or have other little expenses. You're spending €80 per day without going crazy at all.

Haha! Fair point! I remember feeling a bit off one morning and my girlfriend saying i shouldn't since I didn't drink much the night before. Then we added it up and I'd have a gluwein, 2 pints, 3 glasses of wine and another 2 pints. But it's holidays, so it doesn't count!