skiing/snowboarding

[naddan28]

Right Lads,

 

Now I have got a job this year the girlfriend has done what women do best and has already started to make plans for my meager earnings and how to spend them. Unfortunately, this involves the one thing I dislike, a holiday! I can't stand holidays as I am always busy, so laying in the sun is a big no no. As a result we have decided skiing is the best option, as I won't start climbing the walls after 2 days.

 

This is where the problems start, as both of us have never skied and nor has our families. So I have been reading up a fair bit of late and have narrowed the potential locations down to Bulgaria or Yillas in Lapland (Finland). The missus, won't stay in anything less than 4* and me wanting to keep some money for guns means that these are the cheaper end of winter snow.

 

My questions are:

1. Is skiing easier than snowboarding or vice a versa?

2. Has anyone been to the resorts mentioned above and if so whats their exp?

3. Do snowboarders share the same runs as skiers or do each have their own dedicated runs?

4. Is their anything else I need to know/prepare for (p.s. I realise I need to hire skis and spent cash on clothing, plus lessons and a lift pass)?

 

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[Peter_HMR]

Sking is way way easier than snowboarding and is absolutly brilliant fun.

 

One option which might might not suit you is i did it in belgium in and indoor place but its the biggest in europe and is like a big fridge and has "real" snow but its just like snowing down a ski slope means you can do lots of other things as opposed to just going sking for 2 weeks or so. Only something like 10 or 15 euro for an hour and that includes ski's and you dont need all that heavy gear.

 

Or my cousins went to italy (northern) and went sking in the mountains then drove down to the sea which is really warm so get best of bost worlds

[NorfolkBoy]

We ski a fair bit and I can safely say that snow boarding is much harder than conventional skiing. It would be a very good idea to get some tuition before you go if you want to make the most of you trip. Once you get the hang of it and your confidence grows its a good buzz. Also make sure you have plenty of travel insurance THAT COVERS SKIING or you could be in trouble should the worse happen. Its worth investing in some cheap ski wear - when I first went to Vermont I dressed for a cold day's shooting in the UK - sweated my b*lls off within twenty minutes - the tweed did look fantastic though.

 

Most places I've been to the runs are shared between skiiers and boarders - stick to the easy runs cos it can be intimidating when six boarders pass you on either side at Mach 3.........

[naddan28]

Brill thanks lads, Me and the Missus were planning on getting at least 4 hours private lessons at the local dry slopes so when we got out their we at least knew which end of the ski to point in which direction!

[tosspot]

naddan

 

you will find that snowboarders have their own lines on the ski slopes

 

this is to allow for their knuckles dragging the ground behind them in a neanderthalesque sort of way

 

TP

[me and my lad]

boarding is about a billion times easier than skiing

 

just dont try it on a dry slope, it hurts when you fall

 

have been to bulgaria a few times, its getting dearer but you can still have a cheap time.

we ate in a village bar where friends of ours have a house, few snacks, about 8 bottles of beer and a couple of soft drinks for just over £5.00

[naddan28]

boarding is about a billion times easier than skiing

 

just dont try it on a dry slope, it hurts when you fall

 

have been to bulgaria a few times, its getting dearer but you can still have a cheap time.

we ate in a village bar where friends of ours have a house, few snacks, about 8 bottles of beer and a couple of soft drinks for just over £5.00

really, everyone I have spoken to said that boarding was a lot more difficult, unless you were a skateboarder type? Where abouts in Bulgaria did you go if you don't mind me asking? We are considering Bansko, Borovets and Pamporova. Although the missus, likes the grand arena 5 star in Bansko but BB or extra £9 a night for HB.

 

Dan

[Teal]

I'd do a fair bit of both. I gauge which I do on the snow conditions. If there's lots of fresh snow I'd definitely heavily recommend snowboarding, as this is where it comes into its own. It's all about balance, recommend splitting those lessons up over a couple of days, so you have plenty of time to practise, when learning be prepared to end up with sore knees/bum.

 

If the snow isn't amazing then skiing is always good. You might want to also consider the lifts in the resorts, if there are a lot of button lifts rather than chairlifts then skiing is probably more straightforward for a beginner.

[young airgunner]

i snowboard and ski. love them both. most of your questions have already been answered so i wont say alot more. would recommend you doing lessons so you enjoy your trip better. i have been snowboarding and skiing to both switzerland and austria. fairly expensive places to go so wouldnt recommend if your on a budget. anyway hope you have a great time and enjoy which ever discipline you choose.

 

cheers james

[naddan28]

thanks guys, it looks like its going to be learning to ski first at the local dri slops,then off to Bulgaria. Just wondering will 4-6 lessons be enough to get the basics down or would you suggest more? I don't expect to be perfect, but I would quite like to be able to go out and tackle the blue runs without any additional lessons. Or is that aim a tad unrealistic?

 

Dan

[markm]

thanks guys, it looks like its going to be learning to ski first at the local dri slops,then off to Bulgaria. Just wondering will 4-6 lessons be enough to get the basics down or would you suggest more? I don't expect to be perfect, but I would quite like to be able to go out and tackle the blue runs without any additional lessons. Or is that aim a tad unrealistic?

 

Dan

 

I would go to 'pamps' if I was you mate, it is much more geared towards beginners to intermediates and is quiet relaxed, the majority of hotels there are nice, I would check out balkan holidays web page, I go every year and have stopped in the 'shezhanka' hotel which is nice, especially the family rooms, it has also just been gutted for last season. The food in the hotels is ok espcially if you like stuff just off being cold (thats the way bulgarians like it) but there is a number of new pubs aimed at UK travellers who sell UK food dead cheap.

 

Just remember in Bulgaria shaking your head means yes and nodding means no!!!

 

I am going again in Feb (can't wait) if you want any more help or advice just PM me, if you want private accomodation I also have a few contacts but it normally does not work out any cheaper than stopping in a hotel by the time you buy ski passes etc etc. Oh and the Balkan Hoiliday ski lessons in the package are normally very very good.

[chunk]

When i first started i just had a week in ski school rather than a few hours. Its more structured, but if you find yourself improving at a faster rate ask to move up a group. We always go to Austria and they have 2 hour breaks for lunch. This is the time to get up the slopes and practice if you really want to get on.

My daughter snowboards but it looks more difficult, and not something to start off on.

I found this year with so many snowboarders about it was best to get up the mountain early when it was fresh cos by about 11 the snowboarders had pushed the snow into big heaps like moguls on all the slopes, exposing ice and generally making it a bit unpleasant. The snowfall was **** this year anyway so this probably has something to do with it.

 

Enjoy.Andy.

[markm]

good point mate, the ski lessons at pamps start at 9.30 and finish at 3.00 with about an hours break, when I first started I quickly moved up skill wise (shame I don't with shooting) and just moved to a higher ability group. The lessons are on for all the 7 days you are there.

 

Also when my son was 3 he was to small to ski on his own and I was not confident enough to take him myself, but we wanted him to expereince what we were talking about, we hired a private coach for 2 hours who took him down slopes between his legs (he was on dinky skis) and me and my wife had a struggle keeping up with them, the point I am getting at is it cost less than £15 for the coach and his skis etc etc for 2 hours 1 2 1, and he came from one of the most expensive places in pamps.

[flash]

dont be a gay on a tray, deffo go skying, dont spend most of your time on your **** that way.

[chunk]

good point mate, the ski lessons at pamps start at 9.30 and finish at 3.00 with about an hours break, when I first started I quickly moved up skill wise (shame I don't with shooting) and just moved to a higher ability group. The lessons are on for all the 7 days you are there.

 

Also when my son was 3 he was to small to ski on his own and I was not confident enough to take him myself, but we wanted him to expereince what we were talking about, we hired a private coach for 2 hours who took him down slopes between his legs (he was on dinky skis) and me and my wife had a struggle keeping up with them, the point I am getting at is it cost less than £15 for the coach and his skis etc etc for 2 hours 1 2 1, and he came from one of the most expensive places in pamps.

 

Kids just come on so quick dont they. This was the first time in a few years we had been skiing cos the wifes not a sporty type. It was my lads first time, so we booked him a week in ski school. A couple of days later he shouted me as we were going down a red. The class had already progressed a huge amount.

[Hewey]

Hi,

 

Went Skiing for the first time last year myself, I ended up going to Andora, it's very much geared towards beginners with plenty of easier runs and is cheap compared to most other locations.

 

One thing I would say is book individual lessons if you can stretch to it, the ski schools often have too many people in and you don't come on nearly as quick as you would with private tuition. It is worth the extra no doubt about it.

 

Anyway good luck, sure you will enjoy it.

 

Wayne

[naddan28]

thanks for all the replies guys!

 

We will be going to Bulgaria, probably Bansko as the missus likes the hotel (unless the student travel company can give us any other cheap gems!) As for lessons, we will have at least 4-8 in england, on a ski slope privately. By that stage we should be able to ski alone on the practice slopes to get some basic practice in and prepare for the real slopes. As it seems to be almost as cheap, we will probably book a 'learn to ski' type package so we can do a couple of hours of ski school in the morning and then spend the rest of the day on the slopes. I would love by the end of everything after lessons in england and Bulgaria to ski unaided on easy red runs.

 

thanks again lads,

Dan

[me and my lad]

if you dont book lessons before you go make sure you book a lift pass, they are dearer if you pay over there.