Travel Agent Newlands

Having always wanted to have a white Christmas, I travelled to Verbier in Switzerland for a week of skiing.

Verbier was a fantastic experience and the town with its wooden lodge hotels and chalets were exactly what I expected from the pictures in the brochures.

The trip up the mountain was a daunting one and I was thankful for the Swiss precision the bus drivers had as they navigated the slippery and twisting roads to Verbier. Once at the resort, the picturesque town reminded me of how I imagined Santa's village in the North Pole. The many vast pistes were criss-crossed with ski lifts and tracks made by young and old skiers alike. The Rhodania Hotel where I stayed was quaint and had everything I needed for my stay. The staff were very helpful and arranged skiing gear for me as well as recommending the best starter ski slope best suited to me. I definitely recommend that any aspiring skiers have a few lessons in SA before arriving in Verbier. This will eliminate a frustrating few days as you try to stay dry and upright on the ski's. (It is a lot more difficult than it looks) - But great fun anyway.

Once more confident, I took a ski lift to a higher point and began my careful decent, stopping half way to have a snack at a coffee shop on the slope. The view from here was remarkable with towering snow covered mountains everywhere. This became an everyday stop for me sometimes up and down the mountain.

The days are spent skiing and just enjoying the clear mountain air. For the evenings, there are a multitude of bars, pubs and restaurants which are crammed with tourists trying to keep warm and sharing war stories from the mountain earlier that day. The mood is generally relaxed and calm with a good time being had by all.

Getting to Verbier in my case was by train which originated in Milan. The trip itself is very comfortable and you get to see the wonderful countryside in this part of the world. There are busses from Verbier station which takes you to the resort.

Everything in Switzerland is on time. They are very precise and don't be late for anything. If your bus is scheduled to depart at 08:23, it will depart at exactly that time and you will have to wait for the next one if you are late.

Overall, this is a great place to visit and is good for singles as well as families to enjoy. Snow is guaranteed on the pistes and the best time to go would be December to February. Since my first visit to Verbier I have revisited it twice now and it is on my list for another visit again soon.