I have now hit the halfway point of the holiday. Yesterday was a blue sky day, meaning that the slopes were busy and the queues for the ski lifts chaotic. I completely underestimated how difficult I would find this skiing holiday. I think I was in denial about how bad my inflammed kneecap can hurt. I was skiing beautifully yesterday (Tuesday) but I was in the most pain I have ever experienced while skiing. My kneecap burned with pain at every turn I made and my calves decided that they would cramp at every point that I wasn’t pained by my knee. It is honestly a miracle that I managed to get myself down the mountain. I had about six panic attacks through my skiing on Tuesday and there were many moments where I had to stop from the pain, get hugged by my Dad and try to regulate my breathing. I managed to ski from the top of the mountain down to the bottom twice, walk across an off-piste section once and ski successfully to the hot chocolate/lunch stop.

I am frustrated and angry at myself that my knee isn’t as healed as I would like it to be. When I was signed off by my physio, I was told that the inflammation wouldn’t disappear and to keep doing my exercises, which I did but perhaps I should have been doing them more often. It’s a frustration because most pains can be worked through by this kneecap pain can’t, and I have to be careful when it is at its worst otherwise I run the risk of not being able to walk.

I also further injured myself yesterday by having a particularly violent chair lift hit me right on my coccyx – where I have recurring pain from an old ice skating accident.

I also managed to have a pretty horrific iron attack on Tuesday evening – caused from not having enough iron in my system. So, my skiing was fantastic but everything else was a bit pants.

Here’s a view from the top of the mountain:

For comparison, this is what it looked like yesterday, (Monday) from the hotel:

It is not all doom and gloom, not skiing on a skiing holiday isn’t the end of the world. I have managed to read three of the 6 books I bought with me and no doubt will manage to read the rest if I don’t ski for the remainder of the week. One thing that France excels in, is hot chocolate. Mountain hot chocolate is in a realm of its own.

I mean just look at this!!! You wouldn’t get a hot chocolate like this anywhere else! It was so yummy though. Most people like a beer on the mountain but I always go for the hot chocolate. It really is the best.

While we’re on the subject of drinks, check out these desserts that John (Head Chef in hotel) has made for us:

Berry Cheesecake with Lemon Sorbet:

Lemon Meringue Pie:

He’s a really sweet guy. He always comes out at the end of the meal to see how we’ve liked it and always looks nervous and vulnerable as he waits for our response. He shouldn’t be worried, he’s an amazing cook and the best in terms of taking on board my allergies and intolerances and making good food from them. I think he might be the best chef in the last 9 years of Dad and I skiing with Inghams. He has my vote at least.

Today is the catering staffs day off so Dad and I are going into Tignes village for our dinner and might try and do some shopping. I also have my knee massage this afternoon which I am very much looking forward to.

Maybe I should have bought some more books with me? I’m sure if I finished my other three books I can find some others on wattpad (www.wattpad.com) as I know my library there is overflowing.

Hannah xoxo