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If you were born in 1969 or 1959 we want you to come and celebrate with us in Aspen & Las Vegas!
Lianne, Ben, Claire, Julie, Graeme, Mark, Steve, Angie, Louise, Flick, Alison, Mark & Rachael are celebrating…we have decided what better place to do this than in Aspen, with a few nights in Las Vegas on they way home - come & join us! 

When:   March 2009 - dates to be advised
Where:  Aspen & Las Vegas
Why:      1969 & 1959 Birthdays!

Are you IN?

Keep an eye on the Ski Traveller Website and here in the blog - we will post the dates soon!

Is Alaska on your list of “must ski” places….why join Sarah from Ski Traveller as she explores Alyeska Ski Resort in March 2009.  Experience skiing / riding at this hidden gem, Alyeska, in the Alaskan wilderness but just 45 minutes from Anchorage Airport.  Experience all this resort can offer: cat-skiing, heli skiing with the Chugach Powder Guides or just a half day on the slopes with the afternoon in the spa…the choice is yours! 

Oh & make sure you book your “Northern Lights” wake-up call, the Alyeska Hotel staff will call you when the light show starts so you don’t miss this amazing natural phenomenon…only in Alaska !

Does this sound like you?

Give Sarah a call, from New Zealand 0800 11 22 99 / from Australia 1800 15 95 25 to book your Northern Exposure Alaska Experience.

My first ever ski holiday would you believe; Wengen.
Antoine and I decided to go on a 4 day vacation . We were thinking about going to somewhere warm but in the end thought a ski holiday would be just what we needed…We went to Wengen, Switzerland. A very old , laid back but fancy ski town. no cars , just trams and trains . You leave your car down in the valley and take a 30 min train ride up to Wengen, already an experience of its own I must say. I almost got the giggles and thought any minute I would see Heidi wave from the distance….
We stayed in hotel Regina , one of the oldest Hotels, still family run and know for their cuisine. a french chef would you believe who on the last evening allowed us to eat in the kitchen while he prepared a magnificent meal , well I stopped counting the dishes and just enjoyed the amazing food . I couldn’t believe how organised all the cooks were and how calm the atmosphere was. When you think about how many people they cook for and not just cook , it is more like art if you catch my drift. Definitely the place to go in Wengen for tradition, outstanding food, amazing rooms or at least we stayed in one but we might have been lucky as it was newly renovated and the bath was sooo cool. I wanted to take it home but you know , its not something you can smuggle out of the hotel that easily… 
Here are a few shots from the 4 days, great skiing, relaxing lunches and simply amazing times and yes I went back home rejuvenated but just that little bit more chubby… oh well ! 
Claudia

The Verbier High 5  Best event of the year…. Beginning of  April, fresh snow and excellent snow conditions and most of all blue sky all day long!
 

The Carlsberg Verbier HIgh 5  is a very prestigious event for some of the best racers and ex racers in the world.  It’s all abot having fun and celebrating the end of the season with the public through a very special and fun event.

All day there are different competitions and mots of all the  carlsber apres ski in the evening of the event…

This year it was fantastic, amazing competitors, great atmosphere, awesome parties etc  

The public can sign up and race as well in the different discilines while watching the best of the world, The events were a GS to start with, a speed track, skiercross, dual slalom and a fun race with toboggans and running up a short hill and a final sprint with an elastic cord around the hips to finally reach the well deserved Carlsberg beer, what a laugh.
They also had 2 large wooden jacuzzis up on the deck of the Carlsberg hutt which some of the competitors used to cool down or warm up, depends, we were definetely all a happy crowd  as you can imagine; Just to mention some of the competitors who were present that day, Julia Mancuso, Lindsay Vonn, Marco Büchel, Didier Cuche, Antoine Dneriaz, Franzi Aufdenblatten, Chimmey Alcott, Didier Defago, Axel Lund Svindal, Daniel Albrecht and a funny looking retired kiwi girl called Claudia….
You can check out the link on http://www.verbierhighfivebycarlsberg.com 

If you are in Verbier next year around that time, sign up. its a real fun day for everybody!!See you there next year…

Claudia

Let me tell you if you have never been on one…. You have definitely missed out. This year Antoine will be doing the camps with us for the first time so the ladies will be very happy…all that french charm! 

The camps are great for everybody really from a social point o view, very tiring after all that hard work on the mountains some of the campers manage to have margarithas before 5.30 just to get a light relief from all the pain we have caused during the day…

Actually I have really enjoyed the camps because fun loving people get together who are passionate about skiing and who love to improve, push themselves a bit and most of all love to have fun in the mountains and on the dance floor… Both being crucial in being a good camper…

We try to teach everybody skills to improve their own style , give them tips about the right equipment and boot set up, technical advice of course and a lot of it is learning how to manage certain situations and how to manage oneself in those tricky, difficult situations. Some of the campers get out of their comfort zone and learn how to deal with the situation and others realise that they are actually capable of doing a lot more than they thought . After 4 days of hard work and fun I can honestly say that everybody goes home happy and feeling like they have accomplished something….and for Fiona and myself. We are happy to go to the pillow show early the last day.

JOIN us this year at Cornet Peak or Treble Cone

Claudia

The Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden….can you believe this was a work trip!!! What an experience.

Everything from raindeer sled races, lasso throwing, the freezing cold, very red cheeks, amazing food, the icehotel, helicopter rides , the Northern Lights, great company and all in all a successful event.

Organised by the ISPO and Recco the company I work for was one of the partners…

It is definitely worth a trip, far north , bloody cold but simply amazing and yes I do believe that father xmas lives there but I didn’t see Rudolph in the end even though I did have a race raindeer, well before it decided to stop in the middle of the track to let everyone pass, probably because once again I got the giggles as you have to yell in a high pitch voice “hey hey” or “ho ho” ….I am not kidding, well I think it is quite natural to burst out into laughter… anyway, to cut a long story short in the final sprint it did get going again and it was close but I dont think we won, what a laugh. They are wonderful creatures and very special so are the huskies, wow they make such a noise, its unbelievable…

It was a simply fantastic and braeathtaking experience, an experience of its own. check out www.icehotel.com
Claudia

Ciao,

My favourite run this year was defineietly in Champery, Port au soleil, Suisse, in March.  
Check out www.champery.com

It was just after Easter and it had snowed for 3 days straight. Amazing powder above the knees everywhere and not a soul out and about off piste.

I hadn’t skied powder like that for a while and had such a blast. The weather was kind of shocking but once out there it doesn’t really matter as long as you have the right gear… Can never be well enough equipped these days, it makes all the difference. Well I was equipped with great skis, clothing, a nice Merino neckwarmer which I pulled up to my nose and most importantly a big smile on my face which of course nobody could see …but definitely feel. What a blast!!

We had too much fun and were in a hurry to get in just one more run before the lifts closed so unfortunately I have no pictures of that day, only in my mind.  

See you there,

Claudia

Yes you may have heard you can use your RAL season pass to get free skiing or boarding at Copper Mountain and Winter Park ski resorts in Colorado,USA.It does’nt just stop there you can also get 50% off day lift passes at Kickinghorse Mountain,BC ,Canada.Some money saved on lift pass expenses can go further to having the ultimate holiday experience.

What great incentives at some excellent resorts,we have just recently come back from visiting all three resorts so if you have a question contact us or drop by our store at 333 Remuera Rd,Remuera,Auckland as we have been lucky enough to stay at all three resorts and can tell you all about the accomodation and the layout of the resorts.

I was talking to a friend in Queenstown on Friday….he reported the snow falling, even settling on the ground….winter is definitely on it’s way as the next day my sister text me from Wellington to say she could see snow on the mountains at the top of the South Island.  Time to start looking for flights south, Ski Traveller has some great hotel, apartment, rental car & lift pass deals for Queenstown, Wanaka and Methven this year….come in and see us or give us a call to book your South Island winter getaway.  

Talk to Lianne about the South Island.

PS - make sure you check out the amazing BlackonWhite Ski Camps we have for July & August (under UNIQUE Holidays on our site).  The camps operate from Mt Hutt, Coronet Peak and Treble Cone - very limited numbers, take your skiing to another level - you will be coached by former Olympic & World Cup skiers, the BONUS for this year is Antoine Deneriaz the 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist will be attending two of the camps!!!

If you can believe it, I’m 28 and have lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, almost all of my life - (literally minutes from the slopes…)  I tried skiing this year for the first time ever!  Yes, I know even little kids go skiing all the time, but I’ve never been.. and being 198cm tall, when I fall, it’s a BIG fall compared to a little kid.  I was surprised how quickly I picked it up on my first try - and really surprised how fast one can get going!  I’m sure I was in the braking position the entire day… The snow was so soft though, it was beautiful.  I can’t wait to try again!

Darrell, Utah, USA