There is no-one quicker than me to denounce the french as a

[Burney]

I restrict my own skiing soujorns to a maximum of three days, late March and never, never never during a school holiday.

That sounds reasonable. People who go for two weeks, though - surely they must get mind-numbingly bored?

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Skiing improved greatly, as with most blokes, when the wife finally admitted she was rubbish at it, didn't really enjoy it, and didn't mind it being a quick lads only break.

Not having to go in school holidays transforms the trip completely. No queues and no being totally rinsed (300% increase) on apartment rentals. It's become with me, rather like tearing around on a powerful motorbike, a litmus to indicate that although I am getting old, I am not yet elderly