Dublin Saturday 22 March 2014

After enjoying a good night’s sleep I then enjoy a good breakfast. The breakfast is a buffet with something for everyone and I don’t know what to choose.

In the end I plump for some muesli followed by a delicious homemade scone. A big scone as well! I know it is not your usual breakfast but I couldn’t resist and had to have one! All washed down with a couple of cups of the finest decaf coffee.

We have a guided tour of Dublin this morning starting at 10:00 from the hotel.

Just after nine I stroll over to the coach to clean the inside but it is spotless with only one newspaper to throw away!

I drive to the hotel and manage to pull onto the forecourt as the passengers slowly make their way out. Our guide, Margaret, is waiting there and we have a quick chat about the mornings agenda.

At ten we are off on an entertaining tour of this fair city and Margaret is excellent, both funny and informative, and also in possession of a delightful singing voice as she serenades us with a rendition of Molly Malone, the Tart with the Cart!

The traffic is very light and we manage to navigate this small city with no problems apart from the showers of rain that seem to appear every time Margaret wants to stop and take the group for a walk.

Because of this the tour finishes in the centre, in Kildare Street, where we let the passengers loose on Dublin! I have said I will be back at 16:30 if anybody wants a lift to the hotel which is only a 15 minute walk away.

Mike Haycocks and some of his group have booked a tour of the Jameson’s Whisky Distillery and I have offered to take them there. I ask Margaret about directions and she offers to come with us and show the way. When we arrive I am pleased about this as it is a bit out of the way and the roads around the distillery are narrow and I probably wouldn’t have gone down them if on my own.

Once Mike and his gang have disappeared I give Margaret a lift back to the hotel, where she has left her car, and manage to park in the space next to the hotel.

Chelsea are playing Arsenal this lunchtime and I would like to see it if possible. There is a pub around the corner that is a possible location so will try there first. As I’m walking there (in the sunshine no less) I listen to the commentary on my phone. Chelsea are two up and the game is only ten minutes old!

Walking into the William Searson the first thing I can hear is the footie! Fantastic. As you walk in the bar is very narrow and dark but walk a little further and you enter a massive, brightly lit pub with various big screen televisions on the wall! I very happily sit at a table to watch the game and at the same time enjoy a delicious seafood chowder washed down with soda water. I know how to live!

And so do Chelsea as they win 6 – 0 against the hapless Gooners! Now that is fantastic.

It is still sunny when I come out of the pub but not nearly as sunny as it is in Chelsea!

I then go for a little drive around the block to sort out various ways to and from the hotel as the roads are either one way or you can’t turn left/right at traffic lights and always the way you want is not allowed.

The hotel is located south of the River Liffey in the Georgian area of the city and a very nice area it is too. Some of the houses close to the hotel are magnificent and I learn that Sky Television have their Irish headquarters here as do some of the big banks. I like the location as it is a nice area close enough to the centre with ample coach parking.

Once I have done my recce I drive back to the centre to wait for any passengers who want a lift back.

The coach parking area is in Nassau Street but as it was this morning there are no spaces so I turn right into Kildare Street to wait. Margaret said I shouldn’t have any problems here even though I’m on double yellows as it is a very wide road and is used as an overspill of Nassau Street. The only thing is I will have to stay with the vehicle. That is no problem as I have an hour to kill so can sit here doing some work while watching the world go by. And a lot does go by in this very busy city.

It is sunny one minute, raining the next and at one point we had a hailstorm and I’m sure some sleet as well.

I leave here at 16:30 with only a few passengers and once again back at the hotel manage to park in the space right outside.

I can relax for a couple of hours before venturing out this evening.

Before I go out I pop to reception to see if I can have an early breakfast on Monday as our ferry departs at 08:45 and I want to leave by 07:30. Breakfast doesn’t start until 07:00 so would appreciate an earlier one. This proves a lot more difficult than I thought it would as there are five large groups who all want a similar time for their breakfast. I explain the young lady in charge of the restaurant that I can’t be very flexible as we are tied to our ferry time. She explains that the other groups have booked in advance and that is what I should have done. I didn’t know that and tell her that a hotel of this size, with this many groups, should be able to cater for them all.

In the end we agree to compromise and have breakfast at 06:30 and I will ask if they can be quick as the restaurant want us out by 07:00! I say I will ask but cannot promise as I don’t think it is enough time for elderly folk to eat a breakfast. We shall see!

I am going to walk up the road, close to St Stephens Green, where there are numerous old Irish pubs just waiting to serve me a Guinness! I have only walked for ten minutes when I have reached my first port of call Doheny & Nesbitt, one of Dublin’s most famous pubs. And it doesn’t disappoint! You walk in and there are little snugs as well as partitions along the bar allowing for a quiet drink. It all seems a bit small until I walk through to the next part of the bar and it opens up into a lovely room with another bar at the far end. The atmosphere is great and exactly what you would expect in a good pub like this. There are also places upstairs but I don’t venture that far as I am too comfortable where I am!

You don’t even have to move to get another pint as there are girls walking around all the time clearing tables and asking if you want more to drink!

From here I cross the road to another famous old pub, O’Donogues, for one last Guinness before going for something to eat. It is lively in here as well with two parts of the pub split by a courtyard full of folk having fun. Another pub with great atmosphere but I preferred Doheny & Nesbitt.

A few doors down I spotted an Indian, or rather a Bangladeshi, restaurant that looks good for my dinner.

As I walk in there are only two other couple there and it feels like I have stepped back in time twenty years! The decor and music are from times past. Am not sure about this now!

Oh well here goes!

I order from a laminated menu that looks like it was printed twenty years ago at the same time the decorators were in!

I place my order for food and for a small bottle of red wine.

Some poppadoms turn up followed by a small bottle of white wine! Wrong!

My white is replaced with red as my starter of prawns in batter appears. The prawns are quite tasty but the slice of lemon in the silver lemon squeezer is the smallest slice I have seen! You press the two sides of the squeezer together and they hit each other without touching the lemon!

The main course was supposed to be a hot dish of chicken curry but is so mild it is more like a stew!

I had to use the loo during my meal and that was an experience as well! There is only one sit down toilet for the boys and the last person hadn’t flushed it (I thought the staff may check) and the hand drier on the wall is not working so they have wedged a box of tissues alongside it to dry your hands on. Not nice!

This really is like stepping back in time and I feel I have wasted my evening!

Dublin Friday 21 March 2014

An early start for my drive to Dublin today.

Am up at 02:30!! Why?!

I am in the yard by 03:40 and after sorting the coach out and loading all of my stuff I drive away at 04:00 to Portsmouth for my first pick up.

We don’t normally bring the coach this far to pick up but I have a group of 24 from the local retired police force who have booked as a group with Mike Haycocks. Twenty of them are joining the bus at Farlington Services on the outskirts of Portsmouth.

I have used a local company, Wheeldrive, to do the picks ups which are around Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Stubbington. They may be a bit dearer than a local firm due to all of the dead mileage but at this time of morning I wanted someone I could trust. They have a couple of mini-buses doing the pick ups.

I arrive at Farlington at 04:30 and expect my passengers between now and 05:00. Stuart turns up at 04:45 with the first eight passengers but the second one doesn’t arrive until 05:10. A little late but no problems as I have allowed a bit of time for such things.

The next, and final, pick up is in Petersfield and as I arrive at 05:30 all of the remaining passengers are there waiting for me. I doesn’t take long to load folk and luggage and we are away by 05:40, only ten minutes down.

It is a long drive today up to Holyhead in North Wales where our ferry sails from. The last time I drove this way was about nine years ago and the journey took 6½ hours plus stops.

Seeing as our ferry departs at 14:10 it is best I get a move on!

My first stop is at Chievely services on the A34 north of Newbury. We arrive here at 06:45 and stop for fifteen minutes. I serve a few drinks before we rejoin the A34 north.

It is a boring drive today up the M40, M42 and M6 and seems to drag a bit, probably because I am tired.

Our next stop is 2¼ from Chievely at Stafford services. I am pleased to have got this far as we have passed the possible traffic congestion of Birmingham and are well on our way now.

I chose to use the toll road at Birmingham to avoid any traffic problems but was a little surprised to find it costing me £11.00! Last year I paid £6.70. It must be dearer at rush hour times!

We carry on north on the M6 before joining the M56 towards Chester and North Wales. An hour after leaving Stafford I have one last comfort stop at Chester services. I stop here because the motorway is about to end and we then drive the rest of the way on A roads and I’m not sure if there are suitable places to stop with a group of 43.

It is a pretty ride from Chester passing alongside the sea and through some lovely scenery. The last time I came this way once we crossed onto the Isle of Anglesey the road was mainly single lane so I am pleasantly surprised to find they have made the whole road up to Holyhead dual carriageway.

When I set off this morning my aim was to reach Holyhead at 13:00 and we arrive on the dot.

I am pleased to be here as am feeling quite tired now and am looking forward to a kip on the boat.

There are a couple of other busses here and a few cars and trucks but is not going to be a busy crossing. It might be a little bumpy though as the wind has been very strong driving here.

We are sailing on Irish Ferries ship Ulysses which is an enormous ferry.

We are loaded next to the lift, as we have a wheelchair on board,  and close to Ruby stairs. It shouldn’t be hard to find the coach when we arrive in Dublin as the massive car deck is mostly empty on our side save a few lorries and the two other coaches.

Once on board I make my way to reception to claim my free cabin key and the to one of the cafes for my free sandwich! I could have anything to eat but don’t want too much as I shall enjoy a nice meal later.

My cabin is light and airy and is on the outside so I have a good view of the choppy sea!

I end up sleeping a good couple of hours before waking with a start at 17:10. The ferry is due to dock at 17:25!

I have been to our hotel, The Mespil, a couple of times before but can’t remember the way so will rely on my good old sat nav to help me. It should only take me 20 minutes.

We drive off the boat at 17:40 and once we weave our way out of the docks head for the city centre.

Once out of the docks I come to a junction with the sat nav telling me to go straight on down a residential street for about 200 yards. There is a sign as I enter the road saying no lorries over 7.5 tons but as it has no mention of coaches/busses I drive down there. About half way down there is a tight squeeze between a couple of cars that are parked on yellow lines. If they were parked correctly I would sail through. Anyway I can get through but have to take it slow. As I’m doing this and old man crosses the road ahead of me shaking his hand in the air and saying something to me. I wind down my window thinking he may be about to give me some helpful information about where I’m going.

“It’s seven and a half tons you fooking arsehole!!”

“Oh! Sorry but it said lorries”

“It’s seven and a half tons you fooking arsehole!” As he wanders away trying to bang his hand on the side of the bus!  I think he may of had a long lunch in the pub.

Welcome to Dublin!

So back following the sat nav and we are two minutes from the hotel when I come across a very low bridge that I will definitely not be able to drive under! Bum!

Luckily I can turn around and go back the way I came. As I pull back onto the road after turning a lady is walking along the pavement looking at me with a wry smile on her face. I smile back and give her a little nod as if to say “I know, I cocked up”.

It is now raining very heavily as I revert to my Dublin map to see where we are. We are never far away but a mixture of one way streets and low bridges has put us off course a little. In the end we arrive at the hotel at 18:20.

It doesn’t take long to unload everyone and their luggage and then my next problem is parking the coach as the one space by the hotel has already been taken.

I am a little concerned as I had this problem once before and it took ages to find somewhere and today I need to be off the tacho by 19:00 when my fifteen hour day will be up. Add into it a wet Friday evening and it could take a while.

I ask at reception and am told there is another bay by the hotel and also a couple along the road outside by the river. I quickly walk by where the other bus is parked but cannot find the other bay so drive off to find somewhere else. As I’m driving around the block and alongside the river on the other side to the hotel I come across a bay which could fit three coaches in. That will do for me as it is only a short walk back to the hotel and is also nearly seven o’clock.

We are staying on a bed and breakfast basis so there is no rushing about organising everyone for dinner.

Once in my room I unpack, shower and dress before going for a stroll and that much anticipated Guinness. The sleep on the boat has done me good as I feel wide awake now.

I have a walk around the block and pass a couple of pubs (aren’t they the best in Ireland) but they are packed so decide to go back to the hotel bar for a drink. The Guinness really is delicious and definitely tastes better in Ireland. Mind you it should be good at €5.00 a pint!

A couple of these bad boys later I make my way into the hotel restaurant for a meal.

I start with a type of scotch egg served with bacon and small tomatoes which was delicious and follow that with a superb Thai curry. Handsome.

I go to bed a contented chap!

Mystery Weekend Friday 07 - Monday 10 March 2014

Friday 07 March 2014
Off on one of our popular Mystery Tours today but where to?!
I only have two pick up points, Liphook and Petersfield, and then I’m away. A coffee stop at Clackett Lane services shouldn’t give too much away!
As I pull into the service area there is a VOSA man sitting in his van. As soon as I stop he is out and walking over to me to check either the vehicle or me or both!
He has a look at my license in the windscreen and as the last people are getting off I tell him we only had the coach MOT’d on Monday so everything should be okay.
“You’re one of the good guys” He said “I don’t need to check anything today. I know who I want to look out for!” And with that he walked back to his van.
It is nice to know our record with VOSA is good and we must have a green light. They operate on a traffic light system with red being bad and green good. Every time you fail an MOT or are pulled over or checked and problems are found then that would count against you.
Half an hour later we are on our way towards Dartford and the Thames crossing.
When we set out this morning I asked for everybody to have a guess on where we are going and to write their guess down on a piece of paper and hand it to me at our morning stop.
I have all manner of destinations but unfortunately none are correct! At least the way I am going some will have a run for their money!
We drive through the Dartford Tunnel and into Essex stopping for lunch in the surprisingly good town of Romford. And the sun comes out for us as I drop them in the centre and drive around the corner to park.
I go for a stroll and some lunch in a pie and mash shop I know. I am not really hungry enough for a full meal but cannot resist some pie, mash and liquor! Dot would be proud!
After eating too much I go off in search of a Next where I need to buy some shoes and end up buying shoes and trousers.
I pick them up at 14:00 and drive back over the Dartford Bridge! That confuses them!
We head into Kent and I go to Folkestone, driving right through the town and onto The Leas high above the sea.
At The Leas I stop outside of a hotel and tell them about the food and entertainment. As I hear the click of seat belts releasing and some have even stood up I tell them that if they ever came here they would know the score and promptly drive off!
Driving along the coast we reach the town of Hythe and our home for the next three nights, the Imperial Hythe Hotel.
Located on the seafront this is an imposing and swish looking hotel. The hotel is in its own grounds and has its very own golf course! How good is that!
We are greeted by a member of staff who explains about meal times etc and then takes them all into a lounge for tea/coffee while their cases are being taken to their rooms.
The hotel is lovely inside and has been recently decorated judging by the smell of the place. New carpets that’s what I can smell!
In my room I have a couple of hours to kill before dinner so decide to go for a walk along the seafront and through the town. It is a bit windy now but a pleasant stroll nonetheless. The town is lovely and only a ten minute walk from the hotel.
As I walk through the town I am on the lookout for two things. A pub that will show the Chelsea/Tottenham game tomorrow and an Indian for dinner afterwards! I found a pub in between the sea and town that shows football and am spoilt for choice in the town with four Indian restaurants that I found!
Dinner is at 19:00 and the service is very good, I have never seen so many staff serving! The menu is nice but the portions are a little small although extremely tasty and are displayed on the plate very nicely.
I had a glass of wine with my dinner and was a little surprised to see it cost £8.50!

Saturday 08 March
Breakfast is an excellent buffet and all passengers seem happy. No not seem but are happy!
We have another beautiful sunny day ahead of us as we depart the hotel at 09:45.
I have arranged a visit to the Battle of Britain memorial between Folkestone and Dover but don’t tell anyone until we are here!
This is a fantastic memorial that will be even better in the summer when the new visitor centre will be open. I really like it here and think the lost airmen of the Battle of Britain would be proud of their memorial. We stay here for an hour before driving to Canterbury. On the way I drove up to Dover Castle and then beyond to the National Trust area at the top of the White Cliffs. I only wanted to stop for a photo of the ferries in the harbour beneath us but baulked at paying £7.50 for the privilege!
From here we made our way to Canterbury and its famous cathedral.
We arrive here at midday and I decide to drop and park in the coach park as opposed to the drop off point in the centre. It is only a short, easy walk from the coach park and there are toilets here, and I can walk them to the centre.
I walk them the five minutes to the beginning of the centre and then let them loose! I have a stroll, buy a paper and then walk back to the bus and have my lunch in the Sainsbury’s adjacent to the coach park.
Most of the group are back before our 15:00 departure time and after serving a few drinks on the coach we are away and back in Hythe by 15:40. Plenty of time for a stroll into town or along the promenade in the still very warm sun. The hotel is busy when we return with a wedding on but there is plenty of space for me to park in the lower car park by the golf course.
After a quick wash and change I go for a stroll to watch the football at the pub (The Hope Inn) I passed yesterday.

Chelsea beat Spurs easily four nil and would love to have a bit of banter on the phone but there is no signal here!
The game is on Sky but the Sky in the Hope is not your usual Sky, it is Italian! All the adverts at half time are Italian and Gary Neville is nowhere to be seen!
After the game I walk into town but cannot make my mind up on where to eat. I’m also very tired so end up having fish and chips as I walk back to the hotel. Delicious.

Sunday 09 March
We are going on a steam train ride today. A little steam train!
From Hythe runs the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway a miniature steam railway that crosses Romney Marsh through some pretty lonely countryside that is home to some great wildlife.
We leave the hotel at 10:00 and five minutes later I’m at the station. We have some time in the shop before our 10:30 departure.
It is another hot sunny day which has brought many people out and our train has to have some extra carriages put on to cope.
I take pictures as the passengers squeeze into the tiny carriages and with a whistle and puff of smoke Hercules pulls the carriages on their way to Dungeness.
Once the train has left I drive to Dungeness to await my folk. When I arrive it is very busy with lots of walkers and families enjoying the sunshine. As well as the many cars there are also two vintage busses.
Dungeness is a little isolated and is well known for its power station, lighthouse and railway. We are in the shadow of the enormous power station and surrounded by unusual fishermen’s cottages and small fishing boats. The lighthouse isn’t open but the cafe by the station is so when the train arrives at 11:37 I give them all plenty of time to grab a coffee before we depart.
The road in and out of Dungeness has some of the biggest potholes I have seen so it is a slow journey until the main road.
From here I drive across this pretty county to the market town of Tenterden where we stop for our lunch. It is still very sunny as I park in the coach park and give them all a couple of hours to enjoy this charming little town and have some lunch. I go for a stroll to buy a paper and then return to the lovely tea rooms by the coach where I enjoy tea and homemade scone.
Leaving at 15:00 we once again drive across country to Hythe arriving back at the hotel fifty minutes later, still bathed in sunshine.
Dinner is at 19:00 and the fish I had is excellent.
After dinner I ask about porterage in the morning and the young receptionist writes down the times I want the cases brought down to the coach.

Monday 10 March
I want to load the cases at 08:00 so have the coach outside the hotel entrance at 07:30. The passengers have been asked to put their cases outside of their rooms by 07:30.
The idea is to load all of the cases before my breakfast. I normally ask people to bring their cases down as it is a lot quicker and easier but thought it would okay here as the staff have been excellent.
Wrong!
At 07:50 I ask the girls at reception if everything is okay because some of the cases should be here by now. No porter!
I am a little annoyed as they have seen me sitting about waiting with coach right outside the door but nobody said anything. In the end they collar a young lad from the restaurant who hasn’t collected luggage before!!
He does a good job but it all comes down in dribs and drabs and seems to take an age. I finally have the cases loaded at 08:40 so it is a quick breakfast before departing at 09:00.
I am not going on any motorways today as we drive along the coast road first stopping for an hour in a very quiet Hastings and then onto a busier Brighton for lunch.
It has been a good day again (apart from cases!) and everyone has enjoyed today and the whole weekend.
I am back in the local area by 17:00.
I have really enjoyed this weekend and was impressed with the Hythe Imperial Hotel. We are coming back here in May for a five day holiday and would be more than happy to return.

Crookhorn College Ski-ing Thursday/ Friday 20/21 February 2014

Thursday/Friday 20/21 February

Our last day in Austria today.

All of the children have to pack their cases/bags and bring them down to the luggage room before they go ski-ing today. Us grown ups can keep our rooms until later.

We depart the hotel at 08:00 and go to Alpendorf where we were on the first day. At the end of ski-ing today they can leave all of their ski equipment at the hire shop here. All of their shoes are in a bags at the hire shop.

As soon as they have gone off we drive back to Golling, top up the fuel, and return to the hotel for our break before driving home this evening.

A quick clean of the coach and we are done for the day.

I take a few pictures from the hotel before having a sleep and relaxing for the rest of the day.

We are supposed to be leaving at 19:00 this evening for the drive home.

We load all the cases before dinner and then are off soon after.

We retrace our route back through Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and France to Calais and our morning shuttle to Folkestone.

Once back in England we drive the couple of miles to Folkestone services where Wendy and Roger are waiting for us. 

Roger drives the coach home while Wendy drives Brian and myself home.

Crookhorn College Ski-ing Wednesday 19 February 2014

Wednesday 19 February

Wendy’s birthday today! Happy Birthday!

No ski-ing for me today as we leave to go home tomorrow and not the day to be breaking bones!!

We are going back to Zauchensee and it is fairly bright with high clouds as we arrive, and unusually mild. Snow is forecast later this afternoon.

I sit on the bus writing this blog and after an hour my battery goes again!

Time for a stroll to stretch my aching legs and walk the stiffness away. Ask Brian if he fancies a walk but he really doesn’t do walking!

As I’m out it starts to snow and within a

few minutes is snowing heavily with the mist/cloud closing in.

I go into one of the cafes where I can plug in and connect to the internet to carry on with this blog and am soon joined by Brian.

We go upstairs for our lunch in the main restaurant which is normally a very fast and efficient service, especially with a lot of skiers coming off the slopes but today we sit at the wrong table as our lunch takes an hour and a half!

It is snowing very heavy still.

By the time we depart at 15:00 the snow has turned to rain as we drive down through the valley to the town of Altenmarkt. Here we stop for half an hour for everyone to visit the Spar supermarket so they can top up with goodies for tomorrows journey home.

We are back at the hotel by 16:40 allowing us all an hour to wash and change before going into Golling for a Pizza dinner.

I haven’t been into Golling before and am pleasantly surprised by the very attractive High Street running through the centre. Our Pizzeria is along this main street and after turning the bus around we manage to park in a lay by close to the restaurant.

We have all chosen our pizzas in advance and it doesn’t take long to make and cook them. Also they are a little smaller than a true Italian pizza, the ones served to individual guests! I thought the adults at least could have had a larger pizza but then again it is all about the children so maybe not.

They all seemed to go down well.

We were back at the hotel by 19:00 and immediately the children had their presentation evening where they receive a booklet showing their prowess and the standard they are at as well as a small badge.

I have a couple of drinks before calling it a night.

Crookhorn College Ski-ing Austria Tuesday 18 February 2014

Tuesday 18 February

I am up at 06:10 feeling knackered and stiff!

We once again are away at 07:45 but today are going Flachauwinkl, the resort on the other side of Zauchensee. The coach park and lift are immediately as we pull off the motorway and as soon as we stop I go to the cash desk and update my pass so I can ski again today.

There is a coach from Blakes in Devon and I know one of the drivers, Mike, who I first met in Portugal about 17/18 years ago.

Off we go through the mist in search of the promised sun and as we come out of the gloom it is stunning with clear blue sky and lovely bashed slopes.

I am in the same group today but we are being guided by Steve instead of Chris.

The ski-ing today is everything it wasn’t yesterday and is absolutely delightful. Steve is another excellent guide who is a superb skier.

The morning flashes by with lots of better ski-ing and I manage to stay on my skis without any wipe outs today!

We stop for an early lunch and sit out in the sun overlooking the spectacular  mountains enjoying Goulash soup mit brot!

As with anything in Austria you are either going up or going down and the toilets are the same, they are always downstairs! Not easy in ski boots and tired legs!

It is a good shout having an early lunch as the restaurants aren’t too busy and it doesn’t take too long to be served.

We are just starting our first run after lunch when we meet Chris who says one of the girls, Storm, has skied into a tree and knocked herself out as well as hurting her shoulder and knee. It is all very concerning as three of the groups meet and wait to see what is happening.

Storm is going to have to go to hospital and is being flown there by helicopter. We can see the helicopter higher up the mountain. Steve asks us all to wait while he sorts it out. With that he takes his skis off, puts them  on his shoulder and proceeds to walk up the mountain to the helicopter! It is quite a way up and not something I would fancy. He is quite an impressive man!

Steve soon returns to update everybody ski-ing with Storms boots and poles in his hands.

Steve says that the short helicopter flight to the hospital will cost about €8,000!! Now you know why insurance is so important!

Three of the groups meet and wait for news on what to do as Chris and Libby ski to the bottom to the car and drive to the hospital.

Simon has sorted the medical people out and settled Storm into the helicopter and then skis down effortlessly with Storms skis on his back.

Roy takes his group off soon followed by Simon’s group.

Steve skis us down to the top of the first chairlift where we have a break. It is from here that I decide to go back down the mountain as I am a little tired and don’t want to risk any kind of injury. I offer to take storm’s boots and poles back to the coach as I don’t need a lot of persuading to take the chairlift down!

At the bottom I walk to the coach but it is locked and Brian has gone off for lunch! I can see my keys the other side of the windscreen on the dashboard!!

I dump my stuff by the door and go and have a chat with Mike from the Blakes coach. He is off to Russia later this year and as envious as I am of him am glad to help with timings and mileages from one of my previous trips. He knew I had been before and asked if I could help. This is not the first time I have helped somebody with Russian information and am only too pleased to. I just wish other companies had helped me when I asked before my first trip but received zero help from the big boys who had been a few times.

I then go back to the chairlift and the little bar next door for a water and coffee before walking up the slope (not easy in ski boots!) in the snow to the nearest restaurant to see if Brian is in there. He isn’t so I stroll back to the bus and he is there having walked back a different way!

Once back on the bus I sit down to do some work but my laptop loses all of its power in an hour! Not good as it used to stay powered for 2½ hours. Must get and I-Pad!

I drive back this evening as Brian sits in the courier seat and then proceeds to fetch a can of cider and drink it!

We arrive back at the hotel at 17:00 and once everyone is off I drive back to Golling and the new fuel station to top up with diesel before going back to the hotel for a shower and beer before dinner.

Once downstairs I sit with Brian and Phil and we are soon joined by one of the younger girls Daisy who is fed up with her roommate’s heavy breathing and noisy drinking!! She is quite a character with unusual opinions on many things!

Elliot then joins us and Daisy says he doesn’t look like a teacher (he goes back to teaching next week) as he is a bit small! He is 6’ 1” and bar Steve the tallest here!! She also said he did crazy things and that is probably partially true as he has led an extremely active and exciting life. I could listen to his stories for hours as there is no sense of ego or self important and you know everything he says he has done.

The stories get onto to tattoos and piercings and Brian is proud of his Welsh tattoo.

He then tells us all how he played rugby at international level for Wales all through the schoolboy ranks before a fight in Aldershot that left him cut/stabbed with a razor/knife ended his career.

He was a hooker!!

Dinner at seven included homemade lasagne which was gorgeous. Brian left before dessert to go to his room and I went and sat with the adults for a while before having an early night myself.