With my trip accompanying Kings Priory School to Wagrain, Austria, being my first time as a courier with Rayburn Tours, and my first time skiing at Easter, I landed in Munich with many questions requiring answers. However, the one question I wasn’t already asking, was ‘why haven’t I done this before?!’
Although escorting a group of 45 teenagers for a week in the Austrian Alps may sound like a logistical nightmare, I’m happy to report that it ended more like a daydream.
Will it ever end?
After a shaky start, with check in, ski hire and ski school to contend with, then 2 injuries in as many days, I started to ask myself what I’d let myself in for, but I soon forgot the teething period and set to enjoy the fantastic snow, scenery and surprisingly, sunbathing that Wagrain had to offer.
How hard can it be?
Throughout the trip, life was made infinitely easier by the welcoming and helpful locals. From Andre, of the Jugendhotel Oberwimm, who was always happy to help in setting up evening activities and give advice and directions for us daily, to the enigmatic instructors of Ski & Snowboardschule Wagrain, who went the extra mile to travel to the hotel to meet us on the first morning, and again on the last night to hand out their handpicked winners in our awards presentation.
Will there be any snow?
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that skiing earlier in the season certainly has its merits, with the guarantee of regular fresh snow being the main attraction, however, Easter provided a brilliant balance of price, conditions and lovely quiet pistes making it a perfect recipe for a school with a vast range of abilities within the party.
I certainly didn’t expect us to be skiing powder in the morning, carving down black runs in the afternoon, followed by basking in the sun before dinner!
Why me?!
I do unfortunately have one grievance to report, as the last thing I wanted after a few days skiing was to be not so gently woken from my slumber by party leader Mr Smith’s early morning rendition of Neil Diamonds ‘Sweet Caroline’ much to the kids and teachers dismay, this was not a one-time occurrence!