Reformed Character

Doggo's halti snaps and he doesn’t seem to notice. Either that or after thirteen years he’s finally learnt to walk on the lead without pulling. All the same I think I’ll get him a new one, just in case he’s not the reformed character he currently appears to be.

The weather is foul and I have visions of sliding about on my already dodgy legs at dog training tonight. Thankfully they cancel it. Although yesterday’s horrifically painful calf is already feeling much better. Must plan my next race...

I go for a swim instead.

The last time a motor racing Grand Prix was held in Russia was 1914. Now racing has returned there exactly 100 years on. It was held yesterday in Sochi where we were for the Winter Olympics and they’ve actually built the track in between the stadiums.

It’s still raining later when I pick L up from her book club’s Booker Prize evening, although she does keep me waiting for half an hour. Doggo and I amuse ourselves watching a constant stream of folk attempting to park their oversized people carriers outside the community hall across the road and mostly failing. Usually they then resorted to abandoning said vehicle in the middle of the road and tottering in to the hall on their equally oversized high heels (applies generally only to the women) before emerging later dragging their offspring out from whatever event is on there. MD sleeps through everything.

(Monday 13^th October)

The Smallest Shower Known To Man

L takes the dogs for their walk as usual in an attempt to make it seems like a normal day. Although they may have smelt a rat as they get a longer walk than what they are accustomed to. I load the car up whilst they’re gone.

We all hop in and then a few miles down the road the dogs are dispatched to kennels, where we have to queue (at a safe distance) as lots of dogs seem to be being dumped today. They go like lambs, sort of. MD does ‘quiver’ a bit, whether this is terror or excitement I’m not sure.

We drive down to Luton Airport, which is a surprisingly traffic free journey. We park in the on-site car park, which has again turned out to be cheaper with a last minute booking than the supposedly cheaper off-site parking.

We are on an Easyjet flight for the first time in a long long time. Last time we queued forever and getting on board was a real free for all. Now they seem to have the best seat booking system of the lot and you check in when you book, not the day before you fly. Still don’t understand why it costs a fiver thought.

In fact there’s nothing cheap about the overall price. It would have been cheaper to fly Swissair from Heathrow but Luton is in theory easier. We’re had to pay £30 to put a bag in the hold and £60 to take our skis. The first bit really grates when everyone else takes a suitcase on board for free. Meaning if you did want to put your coat in the locker above your seat you’d be out of luck because they’d be a couple of Samsonites in there already.

You don’t get any snacks on board of course, not that they’re necessary but it doesn’t seem to make the flight any cheaper.

Once in Geneva we head to the car hire desk at Budget. I groan when they offer me a free upgrade. I resist the urge to tell them they mean a downgrade. My requested Astra/Golf size vehicle has morphed into an Opel Mokka. This turns out to be a people carrier thing that has space for a five a side team but only if they bring one bag between them. As well as the really tiny boot, it handles like a brick with a wheel at each corner on the mountain roads.

After negotiating Geneva rush hour, the Swiss-French border (such a thing still exists) and a contra flow (they exist aboard too) we arrive in the village of Les Carroz. The hotel Les Airelles looks great, the room is great, the food is great, the food is expensive and we have the smallest shower known to man.

Look forward to the skiing tomorrow.

(Friday 11^th April)