The Advice Thread

[PuntsWolf]

Thanks for that.

Have been thinking of winging it but the wife definitely wants to have lessons, so I’ll book in for one morning sessions at least, I think she’s keen to go two.

Cost is 85 euro per 3 hour session in a group, 150 for 2 sessions. Looks like around 80 euros per HOUR, EACH, if booking privately .

Thanks for the insight though, good to read that with a bit of common sense and good fortune I’ll be able to get up and running fairly quickly without the cost and time restraints of ski school eating away too heavily.

I’d say the private lessons would be better. Group sessions particularly if your starting from scratch doesn’t seem like a good idea because how are you going to get 1 to 1 at the start when it’s most essential?

As for knees. I went after an ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair and was fine (although snapped the other side the second time I went, but that wasn’t really from “skiing”.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Don't skimp on lessons - they're vital. A private group session is a very good idea, rather than your typical ski school class. I'm a good skier, but I'd be absolutely hopeless at teaching a friend!

My knees are borked, but I don't tend to have too much of a problem. Thighs, calves and shoulders take the brunt usually. That said, snow-ploughing is harder on your knees, so the quicker you can get away from it, other than where essential, the better - private lessons will help with this for sure.

What hotel are you staying at? We've done Mayrhofen numerous time, it is a superb resort, if not the most picturesque. The Zillertal valley is spectacular though. Try and use the valley train to visit Kaltenbach which is rammed full of brilliant mountain restaurants or Zell - the route over towards Gerlos is absolutely magnificent.

Staying at the Elisabeth Hotel. Bit tricky navigating the whole skiing mullarkey first time out and the group thing provides a bit of a comfort blanket, but naturally you’re then at the mercy of their resort and chosen hotel. Does seem like a very nice hotel though with spa etc, so bases should be covered for a good time in the (hopefully unlikely) event the skiiing itself doesn’t go according to plan.

Thanks for the lesson thoughts too - I suppose in the end it’s a big risk minimising them but haemorrhaging a few hundred Euros on top of everything else does start to make you wince a bit. Brings home pretty quickly why I didn’t go when younger but everyone says once you start you’ll never look back.

Like the sound of the Zilletal valley and Kaltenbach, might well be the odd day we just fancy a hike or something different, thanks for the heads up

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Mayrhoffen is brilliant, you'll have a ball.
Knees are knees, once they're fucked not much you can do, so as someone said earlier, get past the snow plough break as soon as you can and you'll be fine, until the crazy feeling takes over, then watch them trees.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Make sure you have the right jacket.
You'll need one that has a pull tight or zippered, elasticated internal waist.
If you only have an 'ordinary quilted jacket', all the snow dust will whip up inside your jacket and you quickly get cold then wet as your body melts it.
You'll also need a clear plastic pocket at the bottom so you can just unzip from the bottom up, to reveal your pass for that particular slope etc. instead of unzipping all the way down.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

You just put your lift pass in your pocket and scan it - like a contactless card. No need for anything like that at all.

Different day. I bought my jacket about 10 years ago.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

Skiing is mikes easier to learn now than it was 30 years ago. Skis now are shorter and fatter meaning you can parallel ski quite quickly now by just shifting your wait. I’m still an old school skier with my feet locked together and I think it’s still the ‘right’ way but my kids ski parallel with feet at shoulder width and are much better than me now.

Avoid dry slopes as others have said. Unrealistic and falling hurts. Chill Factor or Tamworth snow dome are decent though.

 

[lemonjelly]

yet another boiler question, though consumer law related...

about 2 years ago our boiler packed up. got a trader to come and fit a new one. he supplied a worcester boiler. he recommended it, collected and bought it, and came round and fitted it.
The thermostat has packed up. it isn't batteries, as we have tried 3 sets of batteries, including new ones. so we can turn the heating on/off manually. we can't set timers or anything. display is simply blank.
phoned the fitter who says go to worcester, as it is covered by warranty.
however I thought as he supplied it, our contract is with him to ensure what he has supplied is up to standard.
I am going to locate all the worcester paperwork this evening. I suspect worcester may say "go back to your fitter" but wonder a) if others have had similar (and how customer friendly worcester are) and b) who is responsible here - the fitter, or manufacturer?

 

[Kenny]

Warranty should be with Worcester.

Daughter had a washing machine recently that broke within 2 months of it being installed. She spoke to the company she purchased it off and did the installation and she was told to speak with Hotpoint directly. She did and they sorted it out.

 

[The Bear]

Yep, when my boiler packed in the other week the fitter said contact Worcester. They came out and fixed it under warranty with no charge. Though be aware that you have to have it serviced every year to maintain the Guarantee (what they call the warranty), and have the service section signed (like you do with a car service) which should be at the back of the Maintenence book.

The fitter should have registered the install on their system so you phone and give your postcode/name and they'll book you in. The remote Thermostat unit not working should be covered I'd imagine if it's dead.

 

[North Shropshire Lad]

I had a new Worcester Bosch boiler 15 years ago and for the first five it caused me no end of issues. WB were brilliant from a CS perspective and as a result when I needed new appliances in the kitchen I went with Bosch on that basis.

Thankfully the boiler, since out of the five year warranty, has been pretty reliable since and Bosch customer services, on the one occasion I needed to contact them, were terrible. It's a reminder that Worcester Bosch and Bosch may have something in common, but not everything. It also shows that you can be lucky or unlucky with appliances and who answers the phone at a call centre.

 

[lemonjelly]

Appreciate all the replies folks. We do service annually & have the records so will contact Worcester.

 

[UKYankieWWFC]

We'll be back home in a few weeks, looking for day trip ideas, any website recommendations for trains to London from Stafford?
Thx all

 

[leedswolf]

Trainline app.

 

[Tredman]

We'll be back home in a few weeks, looking for day trip ideas, any website recommendations for trains to London from Stafford?
Thx all

If you want the fast trains book direct on Avanti - you’ll get your compensation automatically when they are late / cancelled

 

[Tony Towner]

Avoid all Xmas markets like the plague. Numerous stalls all selling the same tat with overpriced food and booze

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Sounds like London in general

 

[UKYankieWWFC]

Avoid all Xmas markets like the plague. Numerous stalls all selling the same tat with overpriced food and booze

Probably gonna swing by Chinatown and do a few touristy things with the kids as it's been a few years since we been down that way. Bit as you mentioned we'll stay clear of the Christmas markets for sure

 

[Boozad]

Like Tredders said, you can get an Avanti direct from Stafford to Euston, takes just over two hours. But, and it’s a big but, be totally prepared for it to be late or cancelled as Tredders also said. This happens quite a lot.

 

[Tredman]

Like Tredders said, you can get an Avanti direct from Stafford to Euston, takes just over two hours. But, and it’s a big but, be totally prepared for it to be late or cancelled as Tredders also said. This happens quite a lot.

It’s 1hr 17 if you get the direct one. And if you get very lucky on the delays..

 

[Boozad]

It’s 1hr 17 if you get the direct one. And if you get very lucky on the delays..

Oh right OK, I always get off at Watford Junction so have the delights of sitting in New Street for fucking ages. I don’t mind them being twenty minutes late if it takes that wait out.