A ski instructor has revealed some of the things that they used to get up to during the season, including receiving tips as high as £800 and ‘prizes for sleeping around’.
Skiing is pretty much a pastime of the elite, unless you’re from a country where you can do it in your back garden, but that doesn’t mean that ordinary folks can't have a go.
Verbier is one of the most prestigious resorts in the world, with the great and good flocking there each year to enjoy the snow on the pistes and the nights on the p**s.
It also attracts people who aren’t multi-millionaires, but want to earn a couple of quid whilst enjoying some of the luxuries enjoyed by those who visit the area.
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That means working, either in hospitality, or looking after accommodation, or even teaching people to ski.
Well, now one young woman who travelled to Switzerland to stay in Verbier for a gap year activity has opened the book on what she and her chums would get up to during their time.
After travelling there aged just 18, she enjoyed a wild and ‘chaotic’ time in the mountains, but ultimately had a lot of fun.
She told the Daily Star: “I was living in an apartment with seven other instructors.
“It was quite a tight squeeze but we were bang smack in the middle of the resort next to the slopes, could even ski in/ski out with enough snow.
“We had a tiny kitchen between eight which was chaotic, rarely did we cook proper meals all together instead we lived off sandwiches from a stall right next to the lift station.”
So far, it’s all fairly normal.
However, there was more to it.
The woman continued: “On the whole everyone becomes friends with everyone, and it becomes a very close knit family.
“Lots of hooking up – one-night stands were a regular occurrence in my flat, more with the seasonaires [seasonal workers] rather than the tourists.
“We even had a chart documenting what everyone was doing, with prizes for the most people kissed or slept with.
“Some people get into relationships, but not so much in my experience.”
Then, there’s the work.
The skier added: “My favourite part was how busy I was all the time.
“I had gone from school and was suddenly dropped into this little alpine bubble full of exciting new people, and so much to explore.
“As seasonaires we got a lot of discounts in pubs and restaurants and also because everyone knew everyone in Verbier outside of all the tourists, we were all friends all going to the same pubs and creating all our own fun.
“It was so far away from my normal life.
“I got some cash tips but nothing ever that huge, mainly around 50 CHF (£44).
“However, a friend of mine got given a 1000 CHF note (£883) once, if you haven't seen one before they are absolutely huge, like an A5 piece of paper.”
Hey, maybe it’s something to look into if you’re able to ski and haven’t got anything planned for next winter.
No £800 tips guaranteed, though.
Topics: Sport, World News, Travel
Tom Wood