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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ski snobs

152 replies

DuchessofCuntbridge · 27/01/2015 13:43

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?

OP posts:
StarsOfTrackAndField · 27/01/2015 16:10

God, the type of people who endlessly bang on about their skiing holidays ... christ alight the prospect of spending a week in their company fills me with horror. The actual skiing I might enjoy. The Skiers put me off though.

sparechange · 27/01/2015 16:11

Sports Direct are doing Nevica ski gear (top brand in the 90s!) at the moment for less than Tesco charge for their ski gear!

kittykarate · 27/01/2015 16:12

There is a skiing forum here on Mumsnet (under travel) so if you've got any questions about clothing and stuff like that they are very friendly.

Original poster
DuchessofCuntbridge · 27/01/2015 16:13

wobblyweebles - good point! I am disgusting myself!

OP posts:
kittykarate · 27/01/2015 16:13

Revealall: I am really scared of heights!

That's why I do cross country, the idea of my feet dangling in one of those chairlifts fills me with terror! Plus when you have to ski up a hill to go down it, they generally aren't too steep.

QTPie · 27/01/2015 16:14

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Theboodythatrocked · 27/01/2015 16:17

Lying on a sun bed, drink in hand, good book/music, dipping and out of true blue blue sea.

Bikini and solitude.

No layers, no rush, no energetic competatuve bores and best of all no bloody snow! Grin

MummyLuce · 27/01/2015 16:19

You will be totes joining in with their ski chat by the end Of your hols!
Skiing is not really a super expensive elitist sport anymore either so I think you're being a bit inverted snobby. Tignes and the French alps in general is quite spenny/elitist though! If you love it ten next time you could go to Andorra, Bulgaria, northern Spain even

wobblyweebles · 27/01/2015 16:23

I like an OP with a sense of humour :-)

Eastwickwitch · 27/01/2015 17:18

I think your 1st ever week is often your best. You arrive not being able to put your boots on and spend the first few hours on the nursery slopes with 3 year olds whizzing past you, but by the end of the week you're skiing down the mountain like a pro.

Keep this thread op to remind you in a fortnight what you were feeling

OllyBJolly · 27/01/2015 17:30

I'm neither rich nor a snob (imho) but I love skiing. It is expensive but I'd rather just have a ski holiday every few years and forgo other holidays. It's so destressing and peaceful. I find I sleep so well because I've been out in the cold air all day. I really think it is the perfect family holiday.

Just love it - I am rubbish though. Don't seem to have got any better but now at the stage I'm quite happy pottering about the reds and blues whilst my DDs whizz past.

Have a great time, OP.

Greyhound · 27/01/2015 17:34

Ha ha - I've hardly ever skied. I know lots of ra ra public school ski bores who being skiing since toddlerhood. They can all fuck off - smug, braying cuntbags.

Ketchuphidestheburntbits · 27/01/2015 17:51

I went skiing once and bunked off ski lessons after the first 10 minutes as it seemed like far too much effort. I think most people either love skiing or just can't see the point of it. My idea of a holiday involves not skiing a few shopping and cultural excursions thrown in with doing as little as possible the rest of the time.

Pokeymum · 27/01/2015 17:59

I'm a bit confused. I went to Tignes for my first ski holiday and had the normal ski lessons they offer. It was cheap as anything. Why are you booking private lessons with one other person? That is probably why it is insanely expensive. When I went it was a very cheap holiday - as holidays go obviously, not everyone can afford them - but we paid £400 for a week and that included flights and all our food. We just had to pay for ski pass and equipment hire on top of that.

PickleSarnie · 27/01/2015 18:04

I'm not a snob, I didn't go to a posh public school, I learnt as a child on crappy dry slopes in Scotland and then endured the ice, sleet, wind and mud on the Scottish resorts. I didn't get abroad until my early 20's. I am a total ski-bore though. Only because I bloody love it and am so jealous when anyone gets to go. I haven't been in 5 years (which coincides with arrival of children). Going next Easter though and am already boring on about it to everyone who will listen/pretend to listen. Again, not because I'm a snob but because i am so ridiculously excited. I'll be gutted if my children hate it.

I'd take a ski holiday over a summer holiday anyday.

editthis · 27/01/2015 18:07

OP, private lessons are a great way to get a head start; I'm sure you won't regret spending money on them.

So whilst I loved the idea of skiing on the nursey slopes, I was terrified on the top of a normal run looking at a vertical drop.
Absolutely no shame in doing runs you enjoy! It's your holiday, do what you like. Especially if that involves a vat of vin chaud at lunchtime on day three

PetraDelphiki · 27/01/2015 18:14

Private (ish) lessons is a really good idea.... You will come on much quicker!! At risk of being a ski bore... Spend a bit more money on proper ski socks not tube socks... They really are a lot more comfortable. And if your boots fell bad at the end of day 1 don't be afraid to go and change them!!!

I hope you really enjoy it - if you are a skater you should be fine! Just don't try to do outside edge on one foot... Although if you can do a 2 foot slalom and a hockey stop those both translate pretty well onto the slope as parallel turns and parallel stop. Snowploughs are the same as on ice!

Pokeymum · 27/01/2015 18:22

Well, private lessons are brilliant but if OP thinks that skiing is insanely expensive, then they are a bit of a luxury. If you are quite sporty, the normal group lessons will have you skiing on your own within a couple of days. I am not very sporty, but I could ski out the chalet onto a blue run and into the centre on the fourth day and I was 39 so it seems an achievable aim to set.

flashheartscanoe · 27/01/2015 18:25

I think you have just proved with this thread that people love talking about skiing and love giving advice- combine the 2 and bingo.
Personally i am going skiing in 2 weeks and am completely obsessed with it because I love it so much and am so excited. - I try not to go on about it if someone says they are going but its hard!

Cornberry · 27/01/2015 18:37

Please don't let idiots ruin this for you. Skiing is amazing. When I was a kid my parents took us skiing on the cheap because my dad is a sports enthusiast and wanted us to have the experience. We stayed in self catered flats or did last minute package deals and didn't eat out but it was still wonderful. Those twats who say they love skiing but just want to eat fondue are so annoying. Enjoy it. And persevere - it's tough to pick it up and it can be very frustrating but you can beat it :)

ToysRLuv · 27/01/2015 18:45

Having grown up in Scandinavia I generally just tell these kinds of people how boring I find skiing. It's one way to get down a hill or move on the horizontal. Meh. Nothing special about it. I'd rather spend my money seeing something historically significant or culturally rich.. But I suppose they just think I'm a weirdie foreigner Wink

trixymalixy · 27/01/2015 19:17

Ditto pickle, I learnt on Scottish dry slopes and day trips to glenshee etc. I have fond memories of being soaked through to my pants from the driving rain!

First time I skied abroad I struggled to get used to skiing on proper snow rather than the sheet ice of Scotland Grin.

I love skiing, but YANBU, your colleagues sound like a nightmare.

I really hope you enjoy it, I kind of wish I didn't love it so much as it is very expensive!

trixymalixy · 27/01/2015 19:18

And private lessons are probably well worth it for your first trip, you'll get going. Much more quickly than in a group lesson.

BolshierAyraStark · 27/01/2015 19:25

Skiing is quite simply my idea of holiday hell, my friend who loves it assures me I would think it great if I tried it-I think not, all that money to put on endless layers to then excercise & only get a sun tan on my face? Just no.

NormaLeeSane · 27/01/2015 19:30

"Everyone seems to fancy themselves a ski champion - even those who have only been once"

You got that right, op. My dd is a ski/snowboard instructor and is constantly having to deal with people who refuse to believe they are beginner skiers and sign themselves up for intermediate lessons. No-one wants to admit to having never hit the slopes before, they seem embarrassed to need to be taught. Baffling.