Skiing in Val Thorens and hypnotherapy

I'm back from m'hols!! We went en famille to Val Thorens in France for a week's skiing, staying at Le Tikal apartments and it has been lovely!! We were last there about 25 years ago, which I find hard to believe!! In that time the place has probably doubled in size and although in places is rather like "beyond the Thunder Dome" in its bleakness, there are some great places to stay, fab restaurants and, above all, some of the most fabulous skiing in the world.

My husband introduced me to skiing about 25 years ago and it is a sport I love. As with most of my sporting endeavours I am not great at it!! My style is slow and elegant rather than fast and wild and my best skiing is usually done in my head or before I actually start moving!

I can get down any run you plonk me on, but I may well cry if its too icy...

Fortunately this year I can announce that I did not cry once. Yippeeee!!! This is a magnificent result for me as I generally spend about 30% of my ski holidays sobbing into a vin chaud, full of fear and totally lacking in self confidence.Over the last few years in particular I have developed a huge fear of skiing in white outs or flat light. This year though I seized the bull by the horns and decided to attack the problem. I went to see an acquaintance who is a hypnotherapist. The results of that session were amazing...

Having spent the last few years in dread, absolute dread of skiing in the fog I awoke last Wednesday to see the cloud on the mountain and yet I was fine. My levels of fear  remained low and as I started to ski they, if anything, diminished. I found myself singing as I skied and the voice of my therapist echoed in my head, telling me that I could get safely down the mountain, that it didn't matter if I was slower than my family, that they were ok and so was I. I actually enjoyed that day so much.

It has made me consider training in hypnotherapy. My dad, who was a GP, was a great believer in hypnotherapy and I really think it would be a satisfying and worthwhile career. We will see...

In the meantime .... this is the view from our apartment. We haven't stayed in self catering before, but I really enjoyed Le Tikal. It was 3 star and not the newest or most glamorous of places, but it was warm, clean and, best of all, ski in ski out. Our apartment was a one bedroom place with 2 twin beds and a sofa bed. The kitchen had a dishwasher, microwave, and generally everything you would need.

At the end of the day when you are skiing you don't spend much time in your room. What you need is a place that's close to the slopes and this one is ...

This is my husband at the top of the path down to the village. The apartment building back door is round to the right and we could ski right to and from that door as runs went above and below the building. 

I think that if you wanted luxury then this isn't the place for you, but if you're there to ski and don't mind simplicity this place was great.