One hell of a brain overload

Woo, what a nights sleep, apprehensive, but real deep. Up early and out onto the balcony we were faced with a huge towering backdrop, a vast rock face forming the mass that is the Réserve Naturelle de la Bailletaz. At this moment we both felt we had arrived at the mountains.  We both didn't expect the first few weeks to be a total walk in the park, specially as we hadn't really worked for nearly 18 months, but our first day in the mountains was training, training, training and more, full on training! 

All the typical stuff mainly all being explained by death by power point. But what a complete total brain-dump. We did get chance to have a wander round the village in an attempt to get some bearings but this was still all part of the ever on going 'training'.  The resort was quiet although a few tourists had managed to find some snow way up the mountain. But most activity seemed to be shops, bars, hotels and restaurants getting ready to open up.  This whole village shuts down for the summer period when the population drops to around 500. Then come the winter comes the population grows to a squashy 30,000 plus. Hard to believe we know. All these lovely buildings just mothballed for some 6-7 months a year. Must be pretty crazy to be a Val d'iserian and to actually live through this upscale and downturn year in year out.

It's difficult to explain how hard to feels to go from 12 odd months of complete and utter freedom to rules and regs! We were certainly at the base of a very steep re-education. An education which was going to launch us back, hopefully, into work mode.

We have met some great characters. A massive mix of personalities, nationalities and ages. An older couple from NZ who have rented out their house and are enjoying their 3rd year of continually touring Europe in their camper, stopping to work as and when funds run low.  There is also a mixed group of younger couples and singles who just love to spend there time within the mountains at this time of the year.  Some people seem to be making a career out of split seasonal work. Ski work half the year and then either heading off to find more snow for the other half in Oz or NZ or stripping off and seeking heat with work on campsites in Spain and Italy, school camps in the States and Canada or sailing holidays in the Med.  It does seems that when you have made the shift the options are endless.  If you want to avoid life's norm of either endless nappies or the 9-5 grind you can!