Skiing

Even more overdue, but a quick update on Iran. I got really lucky, as there was a slight snowfall the night I landed, so they kept the slopes open for the last weekend of the season. I went to Dizin, a couple of hours from Tehran airport. Earlier in the season, you can go to the top of the Tehran tube line and jump on a cable car and be on the slopes in half an hour - imagine Aviemore at Watford Junction.

All the lower slopes were closed as the snow had already gone, but there was enough for a couple of days of skiing on the upper slopes. Slopes were not marked in colour, but seemed mainly a mix of blue with a few bits of red. All of the cable cars/lifts are a bit old, but perfectly functional, with notices inside insisting on Islamic dress codes at all times. Some women took off their headscarves in the café, the hussies.

It was the weekend, so probably as busy as it gets, but still quieter than any day in Chamonix. Those that were there were all in very swish kit with swanky gear - clearly the in thing for the rich of Tehran. There were no other westerners and there is, obviously, no apres.

Everything is cheap as chips - £25 day pass, £30 for two days ski hire. The place I stayed had free transfers to the slopes. It was a hostel, but I was the only guest (I was the only guest in the whole town, I think).

Iranians are the most ridiculously friendly, helpful, kind people you could ever hope to meet. Overall, great experience, wish I'd been a few weeks earlier to get better snow.

That sounds really cool. How much were flights?

Really cheap, considering - was less than £300 return, going via Vienna with Austrian Airlines.

Super jealous. How did you get a visa for this?

By being Irish - we can pick one up at the airport in Tehran.

jesus christ how steep is that first one!

quite steep - one of the team had a slope angle measuring thing and reckoned it topped out at 43 degrees. The bit of the slope in the picture would have been a touch less than that

Just booked flights for Feb Half Term next year for another "cheap as possible" family trip to the Pyrenees.

Woo!

Pyrenees

We typically go to the Alps, reckon we should try something new?

Depends what you want, this is all to keep the price down (4 adults and 4 children for about £5.5k all in, which is cheap for half term prices.)

It's a small resort (500m is the largest elevation drop available), 3h self-drive transfer, basic self catering accommodation, 400m walk to the telecabine each morning. This will probably be the last year it is big enough for the children (11, 9, 8 and 7).

2020 we'll probably end up paying a lot more in the Alps (even if we avoid the big obvious resorts).

And a 3.5 day boys trip booked for late March in Flims ($witzerland). Woo.

I'd also give thought to Georgia if you're looking for somewhere different - I ended up in a ski resort there last year - out of season, but had loads to recommend it:

• direct flights from Ldn, c.2hr drive from airport to resort
  
• no visas
  
• absolutely stunning mountains, think they have 20-30km of slopes
  
• great beer and wine (Georgia's got really good vineyards)
  
• Tbilisi is a great city to visit while you're there
  
• everything is just silly cheap
  

https://youtu.be/KQ4gccDuho0

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/18/brexit-thousands-ski-resort-jobs-at-risk

What’s a decent helmet for skiing?

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-843522-ski-helmets

Pick your budget. Don't go for a built-in visor though, just my opinion on looks!

definitely no built in visors unless you are a GS pro.

whatever feels comfy and fits your goggles well (no gap between helmet and goggles please).

Also being able to close the front vents while leaving the rear open or vice versa is a nice touch though not too important.

Bright neon colours definitely make you go faster and ski better

So go to a shop with my (new) bins?

I'm I'm Whistler. It's awesome. Slope gradings are a bit odd (green<blue<black<double black) which should translate to european colours but been down a fair few blues thinking they are a bit steeper than expected. Bit busy this weekend as it's Pride weekend but nothing like I've seen it in France on occasion.

As a counter argument, in built visors are super practical and much easier to keep defogged than goggles. They also offer a slightly improved field of vision. Especially if you wear glasses. Buy one if you don't care what the style police think.

All very fair points of course. My tongue was in my cheek, some of my best friends wear built in visors etc.

Also on helmets, make sure your hood can fit over them. Just had a super windy and snowy day today in Chamonix and was very happy that my hood fitted over my helmet

Figured out the American piste grading system and things make a bit more sense. Today was, I think, the best day skiing I've ever had. Great snow conditions and I'm properly carving consistently. Being fitter definitely helping.
Plus everyone is so friendly - I was stood checking the piste map and a ski guide asks if I'm ok. I tell him I'm just checking the way to a certain piste, follow me he says and leads me right there, checks I'm staying in the right place (so I'm not stranded an hour's walk from the other village) and wishes me well. The lift staff put your skis in the outside of the gondolas for you. At the top someone takes them out and hands them to you. Little things but makes the whole atmosphere so friendly.

One that fits!

I'm also in the market for a new helmet after foolishly going into a halfpipe and airing 15ft straight to my face on Saturday. Put a nice big dent in the front of my 1yr old POC Fornix. Helmet did the job though and came away with no concussion from a very big hit. Would buy POC again.

Go big or go home!