Bulgaria Ski discussion board

We can't really say whether she needs lessons or not. We don't know how good she is. She has done dry slope ( that is all i ever did) Personally i think lessons are a waste of valuable holiday time. In borovets people where queing for 30mins to get onto the drag lift, but the queue started at the top of drag lift. So they were walking down in queue, going up skiing down, walking back up to top of queue and going back down. The Only type of lessons i can think are valuable when actually on holiday are lessons for intermediate-advanced skiers. To hone their skills. I want to have every possible minute out there skiing time. not sitting in queues and waiting for hours. i tell you what though 6 days of 8hrs constant skiing and late nights, when you return you have to sleep for 72hrs to recover. You can tell approximately how difficult the slopes are from the gondola. But even the map on ski-pass is ok to work out how difficult the slopes are. And you can always get a big map to see more detail. If you go down a slope that is too difficult, you can just snow plough it. I went with a real beginner and he managed to get down the more difficult runs. Not always gracefully, but got down. Just stay away from the blacks. The reds are possible to get down as a beginner. Most slopes are red anyway. I don't understand how they say this is a beginners resort. Id say it was more intermediate.

And I totally dissagree (as usual)

Lessons in this sport are vital if you are to progress and be safe.

An instructor will teach you how to stop in control, how to turn (and there are many ways to do that) and generally build your confidence in this wonderful sport.

I had lessons for the first 8 years and can now ski black runs with confidence. Without the assistance of an instructor I doubt if I would ever have progressed as I have.

Plus it's great fun being in a group and meeting new friends.

To say 'lessons are not for us' as a complete novice is an accident waiting to happen, and I would strongly advise you to reconsider.

PP

Thanks everyone, I didn't really want to start a mass debate so sorry about that.

Wronguns thanks for your words. I am learning on the dry slopes and I can snow plough and use lifts and I'm also going to learn turning and other things so I'm hoping in the next 4 weeks I will learn enough.

Pete, as always I appreciate your comments too honey. I'm not heading out there in the hope of hitting the difficutl slopes and I wll be able to to the things you mention that instructors teach you. Thanks babes.

Tanjette, Thank again for yoru comments. On that topic we decided that if we struggle on the first day we would perhaps book some private tuition. I was merely wanting to know how difficult the maps are to follow. And is it really on 33 sleeps how exciting I can't wait

Thanks everyone

Love Mel x

Im sure after 1 or 2 lessons on dry slope you can stop easily. You had lessons for 8 years, you must be brilliant! I didn't say don't have any lessons and just jump on a black that would be unsafe and stupid. But in my opinion when learning to ski. Dry slopes are better than snow. Once you make the transition, because snow is much easier, you are much better. I had about 5 lessons on dry slope and after that i could stop/parrellel turn. I also practiced by myself several times on dry slope. My first holiday in italy. I was a beginner and started of on easier slopes, but by the end of that i could go down blacks, not completely confidently or with style, but i could make it down without falling. On subsequent ski holidays i got better and better. And now i can ski blacks easily. Once you are a competent skier you want to be skiing as much a possible. I am glad i only ever spent time learning on dry slopes. It's so much cheaper. Theres no way id say someone who has never skied before at all should just go skiing down slopes without and tuition. It's all down to peoples choices i guess. I just felt people where making out she was being irresponsible by not having lessons on snow. Debate is great, people should debate more, there would be less fighting.