MILLY VOICE

Day 1 We arrive to beautiful green mountain terrain, stunning scenery…. wait, GREEN? Where’s the snow? Lifts look shut, place is very quiet. Uh oh….Would this be the closest we would get to skiing?

No fear – by the end of the day the snow is fallin’. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and day of skiing planned ahead. Not enough here for skiing – but tomorrow we aim for Verbier.

Day 2

Today we are up relatively early for Verbier. Bit of a drive to get there but good to be out on the snow! Conditions were not great though – visibility at an all time low + rain! Spent more time with goggles off than on while skiing! At least we are getting to ski though, which somehow didn't quite seem possible yesterday.

Day 3

Today we went to Cervinia, Italy. The relatively sudden high altitude provided a bit of a challenge, however the weather was fantastic, as were the views! Some good piste runs and some great banter with the guys skiing until the setting sun. A brilliant day! Pretty psyched to catch up with Nikki Barnard tomorrow for a winter trail run.

Day 4

The boys set off for Verbier again, but I stayed put. Caught up with running soul mate Nikki Barnard (barnardsadventures) and went for a potter. Quick bowl of pasta and headed out again on the trail for some ‘me time’. I can’t explain how these trails make me feel, but they give me a peace there I cannot replicate so far anywhere else. The light was perfect through the trees, weather calm. You just cannot find trails like this in many other places.

Day 5

Today was a big adventure, and a bit of a test for me. This was my first ski tour, onto the Argentiere Glacier. I am so grateful to the boys who took me, helping and guiding me the whole way. This was out of my comfort zone – I love the mountains, but feel most at ease in a pair of trainers on the mountain trail, never mind dealing with crevassed, glacial landscape. I have loved skiing since I was a child, but normally play it safe, enjoying the comfort of the pistes. I am now beginning to venture a bit off piste, to see the real beauty of the mountains, and today was the biggest off piste adventure. The nerves were not helped by the fact I had a binding problem with my skis, popping off at random on turns in a russian roulette fashion: not something you want to have to contend with in the heart of the mountains. The team were awesome though, and I felt in safe hands even in a cold and somewhat unnerving environment. This was real ‘type 2’ fun : scary, required strategy, felt difficult and overwhelming. But who could regret scenes like this?

Day 6

Today is the last day, and a chilled one. The snow isn’t amazing so we felt like having a reflective day in Chamonix. What a trip! Thoroughly enjoyable and a beautiful way to spend those days before Christmas. I will always feel most myself amongst the mountains.