Travel updates (Flight delay 1 hr 40 min)

15:00 GMT  Just leaving Gatwick in 2 LJ Edwards coaches.  All being well we should arrive at around 15:45.

13:26 GMT  We have bounced down and are taxiing.

13:15 GMT  On our descent to Gatwick.

13:20 (Swiss time):  We are airborne but have been delayed by about 1 hr 40 min.

12:40 (Swiss time):  Engines will be starting at 12:50.  TOM4609 if you want to track the flight.

12:13 (Swiss time)  Boarded plane, expecting to leave at 12:30.

10:35 (Swiss time):  We are at Geneva airport and the flight has been delayed by an hour.  Will post updates.

Sartorial elegance on the slopes?

Some of our skiers dressed up a little for the last day on the slopes, but then the morning's skiing was cancelled owing to 108km/h winds and blizzards.  We are waiting to hear about the afternoon session.

Waiting for a weather update:

Beginners no more.

Sun, snow and slopes 

Wonderful Wednesday

Alpe d’huez

Pizza with Year 9

The Year 10 and Year 11 pupils went ice skating on Tuesday evening whilst Mr Knowelden and I took all the Year 9s out for an excellent pizza.  It was a restaurant we hadn't tried before and we were really impressed; the service was very rapid and the pizzas were excellent.

More advanced skiing

Whilst I was out with the beginners groups, Mr Shambrook was off up the mountains with one of our more advanced groups and sent me these photos.

Civilised skiing

This afternoon I went for a very civilised gentle but productive skiing session with Ben, Joseph and Jos.  Bernard, the excellent instructor helped the boys with their snowplough technique and Jos and I practised our parallel turns.  The sun was shining and the pistes were not at all busy.

Quiz time

We had a quiz after supper, won by a team of Year 11 boys.  The staff team came third.

Photos from Miss Kendrick & Mr Shambrook

Miss Kendrick took some shots whilst out with some beginners this afternoon and Mr Shambrook took a shot of our top pro skiers, Ralph and Max on the chairlift.  Great conditions and fantastic snow once again.

Today with the beginners

We have a very large group of around 20 beginners this year, which is great to see.  They made great progress this morning and by the end of the afternoon were using a button lift and doing a slalom down a real piste.  Keen to see what tomorrow brings.

On the piste!

A lovely morning out on the mountain, excellent snow conditions.  These are the beginners doing their first exercise.

Snow

Thick snow in Alpe d'Huez.  This is the view from the hotel window

All safely arrived and fed.  Ski fit after supper.

On our way to the resort

Despite over 20 flights being diverted and school parties ending up at loads of random places, we ploughed through the "interesting" turbulence and landed as expected and the right way up in Geneva.  We are now on the coach to Alpe d'Huez.

All running to schedule so far.

Baggage checked and the sea of pink has successfully negotiated all the security checks.  Currently in the departure lounge.  Half an hour for snacks etc.