As regular readers will be aware, today I commenced my 1,000 mile challenge.

Unfortunately I didn’t get off to a flying start. After arriving in Geneva late, I found that my bike had been damaged in transit. Then five miles in, I got my first puncture – you can imagine what was going through my mind at this point, mainly “what have I let myself in for? Surely a party to celebrate the big 50 would have been a lot easier!”

But I haven’t been deterred. With temperatures at approximately 35 degrees and the sun beaming down, I cycled around Lake Geneva and through to Evian in France.

Now I am tucked up in a nice hotel looking forward to a couple of cold ones tonight (and no I don’t mean Evian water).

37 miles down and only 963 to go.

Steve Tate

(Source: www.dailypeloton.com)

To celebrate his 50^th birthday, on the 14 July our chairman Steve Tate will be embarking on a two week, 1,000 mile bike ride across Europe.

Starting in Geneva, Steve will be riding alone and unsupported across five countries around the Alps (Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria & Germany). In doing so he will cross five major mountain passes along the way.

To report on Steve’s brave and challenging journey, we will be posting regular blog updates of his progress.

Steve sees this as a personal challenge and not necessarily for charity. That said, if you would like to support him, his charity of choice is Save the Children and you can make a donation using the link below:

http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/donate.htm

We all wish Steve the best of luck with his exciting adventure and look forward to hearing about his escapades.

(Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com)

The après-ski is a massive part of any winter holiday, with off-piste activities taken as seriously, if not more so, than the actual skiing. Being an avid skier, I was not shocked to read an article in the Daily Mail discussing the extent of the drinking culture in resorts across Europe.

The Foreign Office is trying to get the message across that alcohol can affect you more at high altitude and limit your awareness of danger and the cold. A recent study shows that every year, a third of British skiers and snowboarders aged under 25 are involved in accidents involving alcohol. 

I’m not sure whether the blame lies with the holidaymaker or the bars selling booze specifically for customers to neck before skiing back to their chalets. Skiing can be dangerous enough when sober, but combining it with destructive sounding cocktails, such as the Jagerbomb or the Grenade, is surely a recipe for disaster.

At a bar in Italy, drunken customers at end of the night are given torches to attach to their heads as they ski down the mountain. A British tour operator referred to in the article said that after taking customers to this bar, he prayed that they returned in one piece. 

And if a hangover isn’t bad enough, heavy alcohol consumption can lead to effects similar to food poisoning, such as diarrhoea – which is never a nice experience, particularly if you are caught on a ski run! It is important to know exactly what you are drinking and your limits, so that you don’t ruin your holiday.

I have been a skier for 25 years and probably did drink too much when I was younger, when the mountains were less crowded and more sedate, but alcohol intake and skiing in today’s crowded resorts is not a good idea. I urge anyone planning a ski holiday to enjoy the après-ski responsibly and make sure the skis are off before attempting to stagger home.

Steve Tate

Source: www.sejour-vacances-ski.com

So, has the recent snow and big freeze tempted you to take a winter holiday, or would you prefer to hibernate until the summer kicks in?

Personally, I am sick of the winter, but if you’re not then here’s a list of suggestions for perfect winter sports and activity breaks:

1-    Build shelters and spot bats by day and snuggle up your log cabin by night in Yorkshire.

2-    The more adventurous of us may fancy searching for snow buntings in the Highlands.

3-    A Narnia-inspired skiing break for the family in Switzerland.

4-    Blast away the cobwebs in the Lake District by hiking with ice picks and crampons.

5-    Adrenaline junkies might like the sound of speeding around in snow scooters in France.

6-    If your kids are missing the snow now it’s melting they fancy this ‘Snowmen in Sweden’ break.

7-    A scenic cross-skiing adventure overlooking pine forests in Scotland.

8-    Learn essential survival skills in Derbyshire, including how to light a fire from a bow drill.

9-    Those who like orienteering might prefer to navigate their way round Bienn Damph in Scotland.

10- Finally, a mountain bike trek with a visit to a Welsh Whisky distillery – an interesting, and potentially dangerous, combination.

I know, I know, the last thing you want to do is get ill while you are on holiday, and we are always blogging with tips on how to minimise the possibility of this happening. BUT, if you are unlucky enough to become under the weather while you are abroad, then Skyscanner.net has produced a list of the top ten best countries to fall ill in while away on holiday:

1. France
2. Italy
3. San Marino
4. Andorra
5. Malta
6. Singapore
7. Spain
8. Oman
9. Austria
10. Japan

I think that it is worth reiterating that these are countries overseas, which is why the UK does not feature on the list. We are not taking a leaf out of a well-known American President’s book and bad mouthing the NHS.

But, we would love to hear your experiences of the health care you eceived when you have fallen ill abroad – how would you rate it out of ten?