Take to the slopes...
Join the Olympians and try a winter sport holiday
From 7- 23 February, we will be gripped with Olympic fever once again as the 2014 Winter Olympics take place in Sochi, Russia. Thousands of competitors will don their thermals to take part in 15 different winter sports. If you’ve ever fancied having a go yourself, the variety of resorts and activities now available means that there’s never been a better time to start.
Skiing has been a favourite winter sport for many years, but snowboarding is rapidly gaining in popularity. Which is best for the beginner? It’s easier to get started with skiing, but it will take you longer to get to a high standard. With snowboarding, you need a lot of practice to stay balanced and link your turns together, but once you’ve mastered that, you’re away.
Planning your holiday requires careful research. Depending on how far you want to travel, it is possible to ski all year round. The season in Europe and North America runs from December to March/April, depending on the altitude of the resort. If you want to ski during the summer, you should head for the highest Alpine or American peaks, or Southern Hemisphere locations like Argentina, Chile, Australia or New Zealand.
Look at a range of resorts and compare their facilities. You’ll need to consider the ability level of everyone in your party and make sure that there are ski runs to match. This is
particularly important if you are travelling with children. Some resorts provide a ski- school for children as young as two, otherwise you may want to investigate childcare options. If you’ve never skied before, you will need to organise lessons, which can be taken either in a group or individually.
Don’t forget to check out the other activities on offer – both on and off the slopes.
For
example, you could try night skiing, bobsleigh, ice climbing, dog sledding or snowmobiling. And of course there’s the après ski – make sure there are plenty of restaurants and bars if this is an important part of your holiday.
Your choice of accommodation can have a big effect on the price of your holiday. Options include luxurious hotels, B&Bs, chalets, apartments, and low-budget hostels.
Another cost to consider is your clothing and equipment. You will need a base-layer, mid- layer, jacket, gloves, goggles and helmet. Unless you are a frequent skier, it makes sense to hire your boots and skis/board. That way you don’t need to worry about transporting, damaging or losing expensive kit.
And finally, remember that if you’re desperate to ski and funds are tight, there are several indoor snow centres and dry ski
slopes
around the UK. So everyone can share the Olympic spirit!
Please mention thewire when responding to adverts 17
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