Loiper members Steve, Martin, and Greg had two weeks of hotel-based track skiing a week later than the trip previously described by Dave Legg. They stayed first at Venabu and then had a week at Hovringen coinciding with John Mordue and Stefan Janik. They also teamed up with ex-Loiper Barbara Gibbons and another colleague who some of us know from various trips to Canada. This is the report from Steve…
“Martin and I met up with Sue Fuller and Greg Buick at Oslo airport and travelled on by train to Venabu. Sue and Greg had been at Mosstrond the week before, so they were in good shape for the “ski safari” days, offered at Venabu hotel.
“Our week’s skiing at Venabu was pretty good, although both Martin and I had trouble with our boots. I got really bad blisters which have only now healed after 3 weeks. Martin had a problem with the tongue of his boots rubbing on his shins. We rented track skis and boots for a couple of days there. The food at the hotel at Venabu was particularly good. Many of the people there were on a full board deal. I’m not sure how they managed to have a full lunch in addition to the mega breakfast choice as well as the three-course evening meal.
“The change-over day on the Saturday was interesting. The weather was atrocious with very high winds and blizzards. It was so bad that they closed Oslo airport, which led to chaos. Barbara and Nick were planning to join us when we transferred to Hovringen, They had to stay in Oslo city centre, as all the hotels at the airport were full on the Saturday night! They finally showed up at Hovringen on Sunday evening (24 hours late), having spent 6 hours sitting on the plane at Gatwick, waiting for Oslo airport to reopen.
“The hotel at Hovringen was pretty quiet, so they did not have enough people to offer the usual trip to Mysuseter. I wouldn’t have taken it in any case, as my blisters were really bad at that time!. We skied to waffles at Puttenseter and then again the next day at Smuksjoseter. The ski conditions were not as good as last year, but we made the best of it.
“Overall it was quite a relaxing time. Too bad about the blisters. I think I will take different liners for my boots in future.”
Steve Campbell.