Warrell's World

Jenny, Sophie and I have had a great week in Chamonix. Perhaps because we changed plans at the last minute everything turned out great. We have rented a bijou apartment overlooking the Aiguille du Midi lift, and three days of sun followed by some fresh snow. The girls are even agreeable to doing some off-piste work if the weather is nice. Sophie and I went up the highest cable car in the World and we both enjoyed it. I had been up in '98 but that was to do the Vallee Blanche and I had more pressing concerns. The last bit where the car is hoisted in is quite terrifying. We have skiied hard evry day and with the journey we are exhausted. I've suffered with credit card fraud (again) but hope that it will all be sorted when I get home. I read the Mark Hanson book, 'The strange case of the Dog in the nighttime', and thought it quite superb. His previous, 'A spot of Bother' is very entertaining too. Anyway we had nice meal at a creperie overlooking the river.

From a relative low-point of the previous entry things took a meteoric rise. I went skiing with the ski club and took lunch in the company of an esteemed Australian businessman and family. We had a lot of fun together and it looks like a long term association might grow out of it. Having enjoyed the best powder conditions in years I was exhausted after 11 days solid skiing. I left tired but happy only to have my Zurich flight cancelled. By the time the dust had settled there was little choice but to spend the night in the airport. My niche was already occupied by an unemployed Brit who had missed his flight to Malaga. There was so much that didn't make sense about his predicament that I couldn't drag myself away. Charlie was a lovely guy, over-fond of his booze and dope but engaging nonetheless. He was delighted to be speaking English again and this was un-fathomable to me. What was a Belfast-born Mancunian accented Bricklayer doing living on the dole in Basle for the last yea

Wow, it's been too long away. There is so much to tell :- Jenny starting at Christs Hospital The Ventoux trip The Val Thorens trip The Engadin trip Christmas, the new car and Martin and Jana's visit but for now I will describe my trip in Verbier. I'm in the Kings Hotel Bar using their facilities having forked out for a glass of the local red. It has been the best day of the season with the opening of the Tortin itinerary. The media furore over the avalanche death gave me the chance to rubberneck a local TV interview. More snow in prospect and I'm making the most of my time here. Knowledge is powder and something to pursue in the evening. I'm trying to find work for a ski instructor in the chalet, selling his services direct but it's not easy to make any sort of living here. I behave as an uber ski bum and I'm on vacation while those here act like they are on holiday and they are supposed to be working. It can be lonely and very territorial though. I'm n