Packing the Suitcase

This suitcase floats on water even when I get inside! I'm off to Greenland in July and I'm busy getting a kayak prepared to be shipped out there.

The great thing is that I can get some kit and a few goodies packed into it so I don't have to carry everything with me on the flight in July.

Big Cliffs and Cafes

Sea kayaking is more regularly done in the summer months when the weather is warm and choice of sustenance includes ice cream and cold fizzy pop. Stealing a day of paddling on a brisk winter's day is really special but you have to remember to wrap up warm and bring your thermos flask.

I was joined by several good folk from North West Sea Kayakers for a breezy 20 mile paddle round the Ormes  These are towering headlands of limestone on the north wales coast.

This kiosk cum promenade cafe was to become our bolt hole. I was amazed to hear people ordering ice cream. We mostly ordered something with chips and a hot drink before heading back west.

With wind against tide, the return journey became a little tougher but curious cloud formations offshore created dramatic skies making it all worthwhile.

The sky burst into a blaze of glory as we reached the final headland. A perfect end to a proper day out on the sea.

It's All Downhill From Here

...and that is the whole problem! I am not a natural at downhill skiing but having had some lessons before this holiday, I felt that it would be rude not to give it a go. The thing I find really scary is when I'm overtaken by a herd of skiers doing light speed.



I have Kirstine to thank for some encouragement and moral support. Apart from practicing on the local slopes with free lifts, we managed to get to 'Signal', which is one of the higher lift stations with excellent views towards Mont Blanc. More importantly we managed to get back down again via some green and easy blue runs. Scary but fun at the same time.

Ski Nordique

Kirstine and I are on holiday in Courchevel. There is over a metre and a half of snow and the sun is shining. Over the last three days the conditions have been perfect for all kinds of skiing although with daytime temperatures rarely getting above -5 Celsius we have had to really wrap up.



We haven't seen much in the way of wildlife, I guess it's just too cold! But every morning we see small flocks of Alpine Choughs sunning themselves or huddled round warm chimneys.



Today have worked our way from Courchevel 1850 to Meribel Alitport. We then had a brief pic-nic lunch in the sunshine before heading back via a trail that took us to La Tania.



From there we took a short bus ride back to Courchevel 1650 where we are staying.