Over Easter, a group of excited Lower School students set out to carve the slopes of Sestriere, Italy, accompanied by a group of brave teachers. Please enjoy some of the boy’s accounts of the trip below.
Eliyaan J. (4ths)
Two weeks ago, our school embarked on an incredible ski trip to the town of Sestriere, Italy. Every morning, we hit the slopes at 9 a.m., racing (or snow ploughing) down a variation of slopes, and perfecting our skiing skills. By noon, we were well prepared for a hearty lunch from the hotel kitchen – typically delicious Italian pasta!!
After refuelling, we were back on the slopes from 2 to 4 p.m., haring (or falling) down more slopes and challenging each other to improve. But the fun just started here. In the evenings, we were allowed to explore the town, hunting for souvenirs, enjoying more food, or absorbing the picturesque scene. One night, we were taken to indulge in some gobsmacking Nutella-filled crepes, probably the best thing we ate all week. Afterwards, we embarked on a town trail challenge, searching for hidden landmarks and competing to see who could find everything first!
Later during the week, there was also general knowledge quiz night, testing our brains but also testing to what length we’d go to win some yummy chocolates! The whole trip was an epic mix of adventure, great food, and unforgettable moments with friends. Thanks to all our staff on the trip and our ski rep, who allowed us to create memories that will last a lifetime!
Krish A. (U3rds)
On the 6th of April 10:00 am, forty boys boarded a coach, waving their goodbyes to their parents as they set of for a ski trip of a lifetime. The journey was characterised by buoyant spirits. When we arrived at the airport, we all grouped up with our teacher groups and headed to sign in. Once through security, everybody headed to either Burger King or Costa Coffee to satisfy our hunger.
1 hour 45 minutes later (during which I mostly watched a film), we had landed, ready to embark on a 2 hour and 30 minute coach ride to our hotel. Once checked in, we were allocated our rooms and had our boots fitted and equipment issued before bunkering down for a good night’s sleep.
The next day we headed out to the slopes for our first lesson of the week. There were four groups of skiers 21, 22, 23 and 24. 21 and 22 were for beginners, 23 were for intermediate skiers and 24 was for advanced skiers. I found myself in 23, led by Andrea and accompanied by Ms. Scott. We all completed a test Blue run to assess our ability. I was quite rusty during this time! It had been a year since I had last skied, but at least I got down!
We then took on a larger slope via a ski lift and by the end of our first session of the day, we had all accomplished something. After lunch (mouthwatering tomato pasta and a tiramisu for me), we headed straight back to the mountains. As our last slope of the day, we decided to do a free ski where we could ski straight down without stopping at any point on the mountain.
That evening, we headed to the town to see what was in there. Some friends and I bought food from Market 2035 and enjoyed a small snowball fight in the park, before heading to bed.
The next day was an early start – we were tackling a Red! It was quite steep and icy in the morning, but most of us sped down (with a few falls here and there). From here, we tackled a new mountain for the day. That evening, pizza was on the menu before heading out to town where the teachers took us to a creperie to have a taste of the crepes before embarking on a scavenger hunt. Our team started off strong, finding many answers. Alas, we did not win.
On the third day we took on our first Black. Some people thought it was Red because of how easy it was, but our coach said that it was easier because of how much we have learnt. We all felt proud for doing a Black that day. The following day saw us taking a new gondola to a new mountain. This mountain had quite a few Red runs, which were rapid and exhilarating when powdery, but quite nerve-racking when icy.
On the fifth day, we took on quite a few Blacks and many, many Reds. Our instructor had taught us well and fast! When we arrived back dinner was prepared and I was so tired, I went straight to bed!
Waking up wasn’t a problem for me – I had quite a lot of energy, so I geared up and headed for breakfast. We went to the other side of the mountain, which was quite steep and powdery. Our last session had to be the best one yet – we took a long chairlift to the top of a Black, which we were able to slowly make it down with controlled movements. At the bottom, we said our goodbyes and farewells before heading to the hotel. Dinner was delicious as usual, and after that we then had a general knowledge quiz, which in the end Mr. Talboys and Ms. Rittey won.
Then, it was the last day, and after a last head count, we were all walking to the coach. As we finally took off back to London, I took a glance out of the window and there I could see the mountains sprinkled with snow.
The ski trip was so fun and incredibly memorable! Thank you to all the teachers who helped – I will never forget it!
Jayron S. (U3rds)
The ski trip to Italy was filled with lots of fun and memorable times. The trip schedule involved five hours of skiing per day for a full six days, which worked very well. I was a newcomer to skiing at the start, but now I feel very comfortable and can manage a Black run thanks to the brilliant instructors and their teaching!After skiing on the first day, we went to the local town to familiarise ourselves. Most days (after skiing), we were free to go to town before dinner; memorably on our third day, we all went to get crepes at a local shop as a cohort, before completing a town trail, finding places on the map and answering the questions.
It was a really fun trip and every day was full with fun and adventure. Thanks to the staff who made it possible!
Felix N-R. (U3rds)
On the 6th April, we met at the relaxed hour of 10am, tired but ready for an adventure. After meticulous bag checking, we waved goodbye and our coach set off towards Stanstead Airport. Once through the airport check-in, everyone was pleased they no longer had the burden of heavy luggage weighing us down. Our troop of boys sprinted for McDonald’s with speed and clamour; it was lunchtime. Fortunately, there was no chance of losing an MTS Boy as we were dressed identically and easy to recognize!
We boarded the airplane and soared into the sky, flying high above the English coastline. It was wonderful to see miles of land below, including the Netherlands and France; many boys were in awe at the uninterrupted view of the snow-capped Alps. After a slightly bumpy landing, we arrived in Milan, Italy – but the journey was not over yet, as we still had to travel hours on a coach to a town called Sestriere. Having ascended the twisting mountainous roads, we arrived at Hotel Uappala, and everyone rejoiced, as we had travelled for a full day.
The next day, we awoke bright and early and gathered for a full day of skiing. The experienced boys pushed on up to the advanced slopes, while the novices, never having skied before, were given excellent tuition and an introduction to basic skills. With hard work (after some unintended somersaults) the beginner group became comfortable on the snow and made rapid progress to a red run and later a black run! In the middle of each day, the ravenous boys of the Lower School returned to the hotel to enjoy appetizing Italian food, including pasta and pizza. Delicious!
Every day we were allowed to walk into the town, which although small in size, had a lot on offer: souvenir shops, restaurants, a local cinema, and a park, perfectly placed for snowball fights.
Nobody could deny the beauty of the panoramic views from the mountain peaks; the snow-covered mountains were like a thick blanket as far as the eye could see. On Wednesday, after skiing, we were taken by surprise. It was announced that we would be visiting the best Crêperie in town! Afterwards, fueled and ready to go, we embarked on a town walking trail, eager to spot monuments dedicated to the 2006 Sestriere Winter Olympics. Other apres-ski activities included a general knowledge quiz.
The final day rolled around quickly, and soon we had to pack our bags to leave. The weather was not favourable, and we travelled in cold and fog with aching limbs. In our last free hour, we had time to visit the souvenir shop, frantically searching for gifts or something to bring back to our families. Afterward, we took a coach down the mountains onto Turin airport, where we wandered the duty-free area; I bought an Italian to English dictionary, in hindsight, too late, and not much use at the end of the trip! Finally, onto the plane, we soared through the sky, the view of the world obstructed by clouds.
All good things must come to an end, and our trip did so when the plane descended back under the clouds into the UK’s cloudy weather. With a smooth landing, we were back in Blighty.
Thank you to all who made the trip possible, including Mr Firestone, Mr Anderson, Ms Rittey, Mr Talboys, Ms Scott, and the instructors at Sestriere, as well as the managing team who made the trip back at MTS.
