Perse pupils enjoy hitting the slopes on ski trip

10 Mar 2020

Jack McHale and Jessie Zhang (both Year 11) reflect on the Perse half term ski trip to Sestriere, Italy.

Forty-nine Perse pupils from Years 7 to 11, accompanied by six staff members, assembled for the annual ski trip. We soon found ourselves at Luton Airport awaiting our flight with much anticipation and excitement.

We arrived at the Villaggio Olimpico Sestriere and accompanied by a warm welcome, we made our way to the rooms where we would instantly collapse upon our beds, awaiting the early morning ski.

In the morning, we were presented with a huge buffet, which was the perfect start to an adventurous day of skiing. Our first stop was the ski shop, where we picked up our equipment, before heading out to the picture perfect slopes of Sestriere. We were then split into groups based on skill levels and introduced to our ski instructors who would be guiding us for the coming week.

The late night, early morning and overall rustiness of the first day created the perfect potion for some spectacular wipeouts. As the day progressed everyone soon got into the groove and an afternoon ski with the teachers provided a great opportunity to explore more of what the slopes in Sestriere and the neighbouring areas had to offer. Every day ended with a race back to the hotel to secure the first hot shower. The more determined individuals however, stayed out slightly later with Mr Ingram to further push their limits.

The evenings provided a range of activities such as sledging, swimming and multi-sports. A period of free time also allowed us to explore the town and fully familiarise ourselves with our surroundings. Free time was also a great opportunity to get to know new friends and mix between the year groups.

Friday was the golden day to showcase our improvements. The weather was perfect and so was the snow. Making the most of the stunning conditions, a ski across the border into Montgenevre in France was a faultless plan. The challenging and unfamiliar new slopes pushed us to our limits and challenged even the hardiest of skiers. The scenery was jaw-dropping making this day undeniably the highlight of the trip. After exhausting ourselves on the slopes, an unsurprisingly quiet bus journey back recharged our energy-depleted selves.

Saturday presented a questionable but fantastic array of fancy dress costumes. From animal onesies to inflatable jetpack joyriders, there wasn’t a single thing missing. Special mention to Mr Ingram who sported a highly fashionable Spiderman suit. The annual award ceremony was held in the evening, featuring accolades such as most improved skier, best fancy dress and the unmissable – best wipeout. Sunday morning allowed for a comfortable lie-in before checking out and heading to the airport.

Not only did we greatly improve our skiing, we made unforgettable memories and formed new friendships, which is undoubtedly the most special aspect of the ski trip. Being the fourth and final Perse ski trip for us, it was an incredible way to end and we can only hope for this not to be our last time skiing.

Finally on behalf of all the pupils, we would like to say a huge thank you to the staff members who led this trip and kept us safe. They provided great entertainment, cared for us and made us smile when we needed it. We could not be more grateful!