Writes Krish A. (4ths) and Kiran D. (Divs)
On a very early Sunday morning, tired but excited chatter filled the air. In just a few hours we would be arriving in El Pas de la Casa, a village high in the mountains of Andorra. All 80 students, from Upper Thirds to Sixth Form, piled into two coaches, said our goodbyes and set off for Stansted Airport.
After about an hour we arrived, unloaded our luggage and made our way to check-in. With 80 students, it took a while, but eventually everyone was through security and waiting for our 7:40am flight. Some explored the shops, others played games, and before long our gate opened and we boarded.
A few people were nervous, but soon the cabin doors closed, the engines started and we taxied to the runway. After what felt like a long wait, we lined up, accelerated and lifted off. It was a two-hour flight; I slept for most of it, and before long we landed in Barcelona.
From there, we boarded a coach to Andorra. The journey was long but lively, and we stopped halfway for food and a break. Crossing the Spain–Andorra border was exciting – everyone cheered, knowing we were close. The scenery gradually changed from green hills to snow-covered mountains and icy peaks. I could see ski runs cutting through forests, chairlifts climbing slopes and skiers making their way down. It looked incredible.
As we approached the hotel, the coach stopped. We needed a police escort to drive up the narrow mountain road – otherwise we would have had to carry our luggage up ourselves. Luckily, the escort arrived quickly and we reached the hotel without trouble. After collecting our room keys, we headed straight to ski rental.
The shop was crowded, but we were soon fitted with boots, skis and helmets. I shared a room with Xavi and Saavan – they took the beds and I had a sofa bed, which was actually pretty comfortable. Dinner at 7:30 was excellent – fish, pork, pasta, tiramisu and much more. After Mr Shirley gave us a briefing for the next day, we headed to bed, ready for our first ski session.
Day 2 – Monday
We woke at 7:00am, collected our phones and had breakfast at 7:30am. I had a croissant, scrambled eggs, bacon and yoghurt before heading downstairs to put on my ski boots and helmet. Once everyone was ready, we walked to the slopes and met our instructors.
I was placed in Lower Intermediate with Alexandro. To assess our level, he took us down a blue run. It felt strange at first – I hadn’t skied in a year – but soon the technique of parallel skiing came back to me. We progressed to harder blues before lunch, with a few falls along the way.
After lunch back at the hotel, we returned to the slopes and attempted a red run. Many people fell. I didn’t. By the end of the day, I felt much more confident. We returned to the hotel, changed, had dinner and headed to bed.
Day 3 – Tuesday
The routine was already familiar: wake up, breakfast, boots on, slopes. That morning we skied a long, scenic blue run that curved around the mountain with forests on both sides. It was fast and smooth – one of my favourites of the week.
In the afternoon, we tried a short but steep red run, which we handled well. Back at the hotel, some friends and I noticed a hill outside covered in powdery snow, so we built a slide from top to bottom. It was surprisingly successful and just as fun as skiing.
Day 4 – Wednesday
Midweek brought a big change – I moved up to the Intermediate group. My new instructor, Raul, took us to the opposite side of the mountain where the slopes were steeper and more challenging. The conditions were icier, which made control harder.
We tackled several red runs and even attempted a black run called Mirador. It was steep, long and seriously fast. It definitely pushed me, but I enjoyed the challenge. That evening was pizza night, which everyone had been looking forward to. After a full day on difficult slopes, it tasted even better.
Day 5 – Thursday
This was one of the best days. We visited the ski park, which had jumps. At first, I wasn’t keen on trying them, but after my first jump I realised how fun they were. I kept going back, trying to jump higher each time.
Later, we took a button lift up to a red run that cut through dense forest. There were off-piste routes, powdery sections and natural jumps. It felt adventurous and different from the open slopes.
That evening we took part in a selfie treasure hunt around town, working in teams to find and photograph specific locations and objects. The Upper Thirds were extremely competitive, running everywhere to score as many points as possible.
Day 6 – Friday
Our final day arrived too quickly. We skied a mixture of reds and blacks, including one last off-piste section. It felt strange knowing it was our final session. After lunch, we handed back our skis and helmets.
That evening we had an awards ceremony. Everyone received certificates, and I was proud to be named most improved. Mr Shirley gave a final briefing before we packed and prepared to leave.
Overall, it was an incredible week. I improved my skiing, challenged myself on steeper slopes, learned to enjoy jumps and off-piste runs, and made friendships across year groups. The balance between hard skiing, team activities and time with friends made it unforgettable.
I am extremely grateful to all the teachers who organised and supported the trip. It was an amazing opportunity, and one I will remember for a long time.
Below is another account written by Kiran D. (Divs).
Very early on Sunday the 15th of February, 80 boys were lucky enough to leave for the MTS ski trip to Andorra. Our excitement made the coach to Stanstead feel short and energy was at a high despite the early time. Our flight to Barcelona then led to a longer 4-hour drive to Andorra. As we drove and took in the views of the rural Spanish countryside, we soon entered Andorra and its mountainous terrain. It wasn’t long as we drove up the windy roads that we arrived at the ski resort and small town Grandvalira (Pas De La Casa).
We were met immediately by perfect snow conditions and clear blue skies. The snow pillowy and so thick cars were submerged. After fitting into ski equipment, checking into the hotel and a good night’s rest: our first morning of skiing was upon us.
Throughout the week, our skiing certainly improved. From the first day with comedic tumbles more often than not, to the last where all groups (including the beginners) were racing down the harder red and black slopes, trying their hand in jumps in the ski park and weaving between trees and rocks in off piste sections of the slopes. We were incredibly lucky with fresh snow falling every night, but we all faced natural adversity with the weather as well with a lowest temperature of -15 degrees Celsius (feels like) and wind speeds of 70kmph.
When the week came to an end, it’s fair to say not only the skiing will be missed, but also the beautiful town, snow and the pool table (which must have taken at least 50 of our 2 Euro coins during the week).
Many thanks have to go to Mr Firestone (who led the trip) and the 9 other teachers who went and made this incredible trip possible.
