St Gervais Christmas Eve - 2nd January 2011

The first home cooked group meal in the Chalet. Bottom of the ski field - Le Bettex - Josh before his boarding lesson Going up in the Gondola, our Chalet is the roof in the bottom left! - Very good location so not far to carry the ski's/board! Going up in the Ski lift to the bottom of the ski runs St Gervais Christmas Kids Playground! All of us a the top of the mountain: Laura, Kate, Sarah Kirsty, Simon, Tony, Josh, Steve, Mayank, Janki, Mitch, Larissa (Left to Right, Front to Back) There had been snow here all week so we where watching our flight departures closely before we departed for a week's skiing in St Gervais over the festive period. All was going according to plan we even left early, checked in, went through security - all still good - we even had enough time to sit down and had dinner. Then came time to go to our gate so we waited for the gate to come up on the departures board and we waited and we waited and we got some free vouchers for food (no alcohol could be brought with them - disappointing) and we waited and then we took over 2.5hrs late! But at least we took off! We flew into Geneva airport and luckily our transfer waited for us and took us out to St Gervais ( in France in the Mont Blanc region). We joined, Steve, Larissa, Simon and his girlfriend Kirsty at a beautiful hotel, where we had a fantastic view of the mountain and the village. We where here for a week of skiing but spent Christmas day with Steve and Larissa walking around the town, playing pool and then had a lovely evening meal joined by Simon, Kirsty and her cousin. On boxing day we moved from the hotel to a Chalet that we had rented for the week and where joined by some other friends of the others, Mick, Tony, Laura and Kate. In total 12 of us stayed in the Chalet for the week. The others went skiing boxing day but Josh and I hired skies and got lift passes etc as our lessons started on the Monday. Josh took snowboarding lessons for the week and I took private Ski lessons and was joined in these lesson by Mayank who arrived with Janaki on the Monday night. The week was great but exhausting and we had sore legs! On NYE we went over to Chamonix for a nice dinner and a street party for the count down although for the record it felt more like a street riot!!! We had a dance in an overly packed bar until we finally got home about 3.30am. Only a few of the very best made it out skiing/boarding on NY Day! We left on the 2nd and headed back to London. We have a day to unwind then 4 days of work before we head off for NZ.

Pre-Christmas Lunch Sunday 19th December

The snow fight! The photos we wanted outside! Mike and our really small Christmas tree that has been with us for 3 years! Lunch Our place (us inside getting ready to eat) and the street. This weekend it really snowed - check out the photo's of our street. So much snow they shut down the bus service and Josh and I walked in the snow 'blizzard' as Josh called it - to Brent Cross, only to find they shut the shopping centre, so we walked to Staples Corner and back again! We where well equipped in our snow boots and jackets! All this effort as Josh and I where having 'Christmas' on Sunday as we will spend Christmas day in Saint Gervais (well hopefully as they have been shutting the airports)! I mean seriously it's snow, it happens every year!! Anyway all that walking so I could get the gift for Josh to give him on Sunday!

On Sunday Matt, Browyn, Malcom, Corny, Mike and Dave all came around for a Christmas Lunch - we then went outside for a photo in the garden which ended up in a snow fight and we wiping people down as they came back inside!

Snowing in Autumn!

That's right - it is snowing all across the UK and now finally in London - sending all the transport up the shoot (rail anyway). This is just outside our house at 8am on Tuesday morning. Our place is the grey one on the end right hand side of the photo next to the green fence - we are staying on the ground floor only.

Snow Dome: Saturday 27th November

This weekend Janaki and Mayank picked us up and we went to the snow dome in Hemel Hampstead. Check out my nice hired orange helmet!

Lou's Last night in the UK - Sat 20th Nov

For Lou's last night in the UK we all went out for dinner in the Wharf and for Lou whose first night in the UK was on a mattress on the floor - her last night will be also a mattress on the floor! Bye Lou!

Lou's Leaving Party - Saturday 13th Nov

My favourite photo! Josh and Matt Josh, Matt and Browyn Me and Malcom Janaki, Mayank, Josh and Me Malcom, Josh, Me, Mike, Lou T and Steph down the front Last Saturday Lou had her leaving party at an 80's nightclub - they gave us free party gear to dress up in - check out the photos!

Marz's Hen's Weekend 6-7th November

This Saturday morning Louise and I caught a train up to Huddersfield (30min from Leeds) at met Marz to enjoy - and it was enjoyable - a spa weekend. We arrived and where issued with robes - which we where instructed to put and where to lunch (a little bit odd if you ask us but relaxing none the less). No cellphones and watches allowed. We had lunch, a massage &/or facial followed by 'heat experiences' including - steam room, sauna, aromatherapy room, turkish bath and an ice room - that was chilled to 15 - a little old for me but Lou liked it. Once we had finished we had some cosmopolitans and then went down for dinner. On Sunday we headed back to London. Really nice and relaxing - I hoped it would solve my cough but to no avail - I am coughing and not sleeping and so Monday saw the day off work. There are some photo's coming that Lou took - however, she has packed her camera cord in her boxes today - which are due to arrive in NZ in 3 months!!!!

Josh went to rugby and whilst I was away and watched the All Blacks beat England and when I got home he had done the housework and was cooking a roast!