Months ago I booked a ski trip because this year nothing would stop me. Normally I arrange my trip and transfers through the same company, but this year I found out they didn’t offer transfers. That was the first red flag. Since the trip had already been paid for, I searched the web for shared transfer companies and eventually found one that could bring me to Flaine in France. A week and a half before my departure I thought it was curious I hadn’t heard from them. I called and found out the transfer had been cancelled, only they didn’t find it necessary to inform me. Let the drama begin. Happy new year!
With about a week until departure I looked all over the place again, trying to find transportation. It quickly became clear that it would have a price tag. My flight time had been changed to an evening arrival, which only left me with options for private transportation with a €150 minimum price. For the way back I found a bus-train connection that could bring me to Geneva. I would pay double what I’d expected, but I made my peace with it and made the bookings. I could finally relax! That was, until I opened my email 3 days before departure.
The trip I had booked was cancelled because there weren’t enough participants! I freaked out. Why couldn’t they have informed me of this earlier! I tried to call the company but nobody answered. I looked for other options in different resorts and figured out if and how I could get there. My Saturday night arrival was impossible, but I could stay a night in Geneva and get to a different resort on Sunday. So the next day, 2 days before departure, I tried to call, and call again and again and again. Finally someone answered.
“I thought I’d call because my departure is pretty soon, so then we can figure out the options. It may be a bit easier than emailing back and forth.”
“Ah yes, February is indeed pretty soon.”
“February? No. I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. January 8th!”
*silence, presumably confusion*
It’s quiet for a while and my stress level rises. Then I hear something: “Oh, you’re right. It’s correct in the system, but I don’t know why we thought you’d leave in February.” When I’d finally made clear that the situation was a bit urgent, we started looking for solutions. I had to pick a different destination for my ski holiday and decided on Val Thorens. It looked like there was still a free spot, but they couldn’t confirm until the next day. I couldn’t believe it!
The next morning passed and I still hadn’t heard back, so in the afternoon I picked up the phone again. I heard: “France sent the wrong confirmation, but I can let you know there is a place, so I’m just waiting for the paperwork.” What a relief! In the meantime I’d been on the phone with bus companies, double checking the buses were actually going. All I had to do was book the tickets. So at 7PM, the night before my holiday, I had finally arranged where I was going and how I was going to get there.
It wasn’t until Sunday afternoon, when I’d successfully entered Switzerland, crossed the border into France and checked in to the UCPA centre in Val Thorens, that I breathed a sigh of relief. I had made it. Now all I had to do was enjoy being back on the slopes! And nothing would stop me!
