You didn’t wish hard enough. I never did get he wireless going. I also couldn’t hack into the wall-mounted system that provides the charged wireless as they’d changed the default password. Worth a shot, though.

IT-wards, there was little to do so I spent the time keeping stranded people company and crushing cardboard boxes. The snow started to come down last night and averaged around 40cm at a guess. Some of the exterior door locks were frozen shut which caused some problems, and all trips back and forth to other resorts were – at best – delayed. There was an accident at Les Arcs 1600 which closed the road for almost 2 hours.

After the road re-opened, I had to drive down to collect a girl who’d been taken to hospital earlier on. Nothing too serious, just a bad viral attack as it turned out, but safety first when you have 800 people sharing accommodation! It was the first time I’d used snow-chains, so I was a little over-cautious to start with, but fine on the way back up the hill. It still surprised me how fast some people were whizzing up and down – and not necessarily in 4x4s. Loonies.

The winter driving course was postponed from 5pm to 9:30pm as the drivers were all later arriving due to the winter weather! That’s later this evening, so hopefully it will be fun. Theory tonight, practical tomorrow.

Dinner was with a bunch of people due to work in – I think – Mirabel. The admin folk are alloted a place to eat each night, spreading them around all the new staff. These staff live and work together during training as they will when they go to their resorts – resort managers overseeing chalet managers overseeing chalet staff and hosts.

I’m surprised nobody has really given us the third degree about the food other than the staff themselves as it would be a good way to test the quality. Having said that, it’s good that the chefs themselves do ask, as do their immediate “bosses”. It’s when you see the group of them messing about, kidding each other and working together that you realise exactly why this is such a good industry to work in regardless of the very poor pay.

Your costs are covered, you get to live somewhere fantastic and you’re working with people you – hopefully – become good friends with. The closest I remember back home was when I worked in the Exchange Ale House in Bradford. I was being paid money to hang out with my friends and help other people (paying customers, guests, whatever) have a good time. Only I didn’t live somewhere fantastic, but you can’t have everything.

** later **

The theory part was pretty good fun though didn’t really tell me a lot I didn’t already know. In fairness, I’ve been driving for maybe 10-14 years longer than almost anyone else in the room. One advantage of being such an old dodderer.

It ran on quite late so I went straight to bed afterwards as I had to be up early for the practical.