Odd to have a skiing and boarding training session on a warm August day, but in travel we always have to be thinking of the season ahead.
Ski Independence has been a preferred suppliers of ours for several years, they are based in Edinburgh, so opportunities for focused training have been elusive.
When their representative, Julie Geyer, said she would be in London, the stars aligned so we welcomed her to the office for a chance to meet and update us on products and resorts.
The team at Ski Independence are all boarders and skiers, who spend time visiting their resort partners and experiencing facilities first hand. This is why we love working with them - they always go that bit extra to ensure the best deals and service.
They provide tailor-made itineraries with all add-ons taken care of, and bespoke self-catering chalets offering more flexibility and great care has gone into providing options for all guests including those that may not be partaking in ski related activities.
They offer 25 resorts in France alone including one of our family favourites at Les Arcs. Switzerland, Austria and Italy make up the Europe portfolio with luxury, boutique and family options a plenty.
Those wanting to explore further afield can try the North American portfolio. Canada (including Whistler) offers 5-star value and several stopover options. There are also 17 US resorts primarily with a more luxury feel. The new London Heathrow to Salt Lake City direct flight has opened up some great new options. For those experienced skiers for whom it is “all about the snow”, Japan is a great option and catered for.
As is necessary with daytime training sessions, we split into two groups and I was able to fulfil another ambition when given the opportunity to compete in a game of bingo with Shelley.
Julie rounded the session off with an 'eyes down' game relating to what we had covered. Shelley triumphed over our Julie and I and Sophie likewise over Carly, both being the recipients of a lovely box of chocs. Nice touch.
Thanks to Julie for an informative session and coming to visit us and we will bring you more from our partnership with Ski Independence in our next Experience Of The Month.
Danny