Ski snobs

[DuchessofCuntbridge]

I am going skiing next week for the first time in my life (I am late 20s). It is insanely expensive and I am still wanting to vomit at the cost, but I can finally just about afford it so am having a go. I haven't even so much as touched the tip of a ski before so it's a whole new experience.

I work in the city with a lot of very posh public school educated people who, whilst generally lovely, do often have warped views of the world.

So far at work, I have had to endure weeks of shocked faces and chants of "oh HOW have you never been before" from people at work. The same people then launch into seemingly endless diatribes about various resorts and asking me where I am staying, all of which is generally incomprehensible to me because its full of names of places I don't know and glaciers I have never heard of or descriptions of slopes/runs I will never be able to understand until I have seen one. When I do get a word in edgeways and tell them I am going to Tignes, I then have to listen to a lot of drivel about when THEY went there and how "it wasn't as good as X other place but it's better than Y place, and you should absolutely go to this insanely overpriced bar because it's just AMAZING for après ski... etc etc.

Even if I make it through all of this, I then have to endure hours of advice (often involving lengthy explanations of turning tips and "pizza and chips" demonstrations) as everyone seems to fancy themselves a ski champion - even those who have only been once.

What is it about skiing that brings out the snob in people? Why oh why can't people just say "oh that's nice, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. have a lovely time!? AIBU to tell them to shut up?

[HowCanIMissYouIfYouWontGoAway]

Just tell people you are going on holiday rather than going on a "skiing holiday" which of course leads to all that shit.

[wobblyweebles]

They're just being friendly and engaging with you in a conversation about something they love.

[DuchessofCuntbridge]

But every ingle person does this. Does EVERYONE love skiing that much? Have I missed out all these years because I've been poor?

[Innocuoususername]

YANBU. I first went skiing in my early 20s, and this is one of the many reasons I don't ski anymore. They only get worse once in resort you know

Have a good time though!

[squoosh]

If you really want to shock them tell them that you're going to Butlin's for your summer holidays.

[Innocuoususername]

Not everybody loves skiing, it's the Emperors new clothes. I know several people who go every year and would rave about it, but on further questioning seem to ski for about an hour everyday then have a long lunch and a spa treatment (this would be me if it wasn't such a phenomenal waste of an expensive lift pass)

[DuchessofCuntbridge]

VertdeTerre - that's really interesting. I do actually have to ski as am paying for lessons, and DH is really into it so will make me... but it sounds like I could be the only one! haha

[squoosh]

Après ski appeals to me, pre ski and during ski not so much.

[yellowdinosauragain]

I love skiing and have been lots although not in the last few years because it's so expensive. Despite this I did the people you are describing a massive pita. And yes, the will be more of them there!

Tignes is fab and there is a massive variety of slopes suitable for everyone. And (assuming it's still open) there is a fab hotel where you can pay to go in their huge outdoor hot tub if you get fed up of the skiing.

Hope you have fun!

[Taz1212]

I don't understand it either. I grew up in New England and everyone skied. It was just part of winter and you went to whatever ski slope was closest to you and maybe to one a bit further away during the Feb school break. Here it seems to be this massively big deal to go skiing. I know it's expensive to do it from here, but my God, it seems to be a thing not just something you do because you like winter sports.

Rant over. YANBU .You will have fun and that's all that matters.

[Nancy66]

I hate skiing.
Any holiday that centres around exercise isn't for me. Plus you come back with a suntan from the neck up.

[hellsbellsmelons]

Well you certainly don't have to be rich.
We used to go to Bulgaria.
You can get flights, half board, transfers, ski hire, lift passes for around £350-400 and there are no ski snobs there
We used to love it.
I didn't ski until I was mid 30's.
It just never appealed to me at all.
But...... it's fantastic fun. You will love it. Especially the first holiday where you have to lean everything. Seriously hilarious.
Haven't been for 5 years since I split with ExH.

Just smile and nod and ohhhh and aahhhhh in the right places.
It'll be over before you know it and you'll be booking next year as soon as you get back.
Enjoy it!

[DuchessofCuntbridge]

Taz - glad to hear it's such a thing for others too. It's driving me mad. But I am sure it'll be really good fun. I love sports so I have wanted to have a go for ages, but it's so often prohibitively expensive if you've never been just because of the cost of lessons!

[CatThiefKeith]

The only time I've ever been skiing I was unutterably shit at it.

I spent 2 days being shown up by toddlers on the nursery slopes and retired to the bar for the rest of the week.

Hope you have a better time than I did op.

stay away from the French school children, nasty little show offs

[Noodledoodledoo]

Or really wind them up when you get back and say it was ok but nothing that great and you didn't bother skiing for the last day but spent the day at the hot spring spa instead .... watch them get all indignant about what a waste that was.

Also when I was online dating everyone was an avid skiier - put me off more than one profile!

Enjoy your holiday - I personally have been once and am happy to leave it there!

[Innocuoususername]

Don't get me wrong, there are many people who genuinely enjoy it (my DH is one), but there are also a significant number of people in the social class you describe who go every year because it is What One Does. Which resort you go to seems to be a bizarre extension of the British class system that as a commoner I do not understand. Just go and enjoy yourself and ignore all the crap.

[DinoMight]

Austria has lovely scenery and it's not all that cold.

Make sure your shoulders face down the slope, it will improve your style.

And I'm sure you'll have a lovely time

and don't forget to pizza!

[Theboodythatrocked]

Can't imagine anything worse than having to wrap up and exercise on my holiday! That's what i do here.

Fucking boring. We sent our kids on the school ski trips to avoid us having to go. Dss love it. Dds find it tedious so not interested.

Is apre ski just getting pissed in the pub?

If so much rather do that in a warm country outside in a sun dress.

My sil is a ski bore. Saying 'Shut up'works well op.

[Innocuoususername]

And I agree with hellsbellsmelons, you get far less of this crap if you ski outside the French and Swiss Alps.

[Madagascanparadise]

You'll be hooked OP once you've been!

I love skiing with all my heart but damn it's expensive so don't go very often. I would spend from dawn until dusk on the slopes, the idea of a spa is just bleugh. A nice lunch and lots of gluwein is lovely though

[lovetoski]

I lovetoski (hence my name) but don't go and on about it as it's boring for most people, I hope you do enjoy it. I think people are just being friendly giving you advice that's all. Wait until you get the ski bug yourself.

[kittykarate]

I don't do downhill, I do cross country. It's amazing how many people go "Oh :( " when they hear that in the middle of their skiing thing

It's a bit dispiriting when you are being burned off by little school kids and 70 year old grannies but you have to remember that they've been doing this for weeks and weeks every winter and if you live in the UK you can probably only afford to do a week every year.

I hope in amongst it all they have given you some good advice. E.g. Know your height/weight/shoesize in metric not imperial. Do lots of squats and lunges to build up your leg strength.

[cozietoesie]

I've never been skiiing and now I doubt I ever will. (Physically not up to it.) That doesn't bother me because I can just add that to the list of things I'll not manage in this life - if anyone were to ask, I would just say 'No, I haven't done that.....'

Just have a great time and enjoy yourself - ignore those who make a song and dance about it.

[ApprenticeViper]

YWNBU to smile and nod during your colleagues' monologues

I love skiing but haven't been abroad to do it for over 20 years, because the funds just won't stretch that far. If I won the Euromillions tonight, I'd definitely be booking up to go this winter though!

My brother goes, and some of his mates fit into the same mould as your colleagues so I know exactly where you're coming from. Just let it wash over you, and I hope you have an amazing time