the last woodcarvers

19/2/15

For the first time I was on program two days in a row.  Today I was running the Woodcarvers Hike for the Guide group again, this time with Danielle.

We set off just after nineish, aiming to be at the Woodcarvers by 11 am. It didn't take us long to realize we were going to be early if the girls kept walking at such a fast pace, so instead we just took really long breaks and lots of photos of the scenery!

The deer we saw on the walk

We managed to dawdle enough that we only arrived at the Woodcarvers at 10:50 am.  They welcomed us with open arms, even though we were early.  Mum had given me a list of things to get the night before, because I totally need more stuff to try and bring home! After everyone had looked and spent enough money we walked down to the next chalet.  Here, same as last time, we all had the best lemon cake in the world, with the best view of the mountains.

Australian badges at the Woodcarvers

Once everyone had eaten their cake we set off to head into town.  We decided that the usual picnic spot next to the river was too snowy and cold in the shade, so instead we continued around and up the mountain until we were approximately half way into town.  Then we stopped on the side of the road and ate our lunch.  Everyone was hungry and enjoying the view so it was probably one of the quietest period of the day!

  

Walking up the hill

We finished the walk into town and stopped at the Post office; there we gave the group their scavenger hunts and set them free, organizing to meet at 4 pm at the town fountain.  Danielle and I split up, she needed to go to the bank and I just wandered through shops.  We met up a bit later when she came to ask whether we should buy Migue a snow plow lego set and whether everyone else would be as excited as she was to find it.  We made the executive decision to buy it!

At about quarter past three we headed to the Coop, where we found all of our guests.  They decided to head home early, so once we had finished our shopping and the final two guests had joined them (they knew they were going to the Coop so we just waited till they showed up), we set of down the hill, to walk back up the other side.

At the bottom of the hill Danielle started timing our walk up.  And then she set the challenge for the girls that the Scouts yesterday had walked the hill in 19 mins, could they beat it.  It turns out they could as they walked it (and pushed us to walk it!!) in just 13 mins.

Before dinner Rachael and I filmed the last scenes of our video, dancing outside the Chalet and around the grounds.  We got several weird looks from some of our guests, namely the Scouts!

 Dinner was Rosti and Ratoutille, with mini doughnuts for dessert.  Tanya had been an honorary 'vollie in training'  for the day  (she was on Guest Services) and she helped with kitchen clean up.  Whether it was her skills or that we were all tired, we finished dinner clear up before 8 pm and were back in Sockli by 9 pm.

Rachael and I finished our video tonight! And then we proceeded to watch it about four times and not letting anyone else see...

We gave Migue his present.  His reaction was priceless, he was like a little kid on Christmas, and he said if we weren't the best vollie group we were now!!

 

silleren hike and sled day

18/2/15

Rachael and I were in charge of running the program Silleren Hike and Sled Day today for the group of Guides staying with us.  We met for our program meeting at 8.30, where we planned the day and ran through what we had to do and where we would be going. Jen gave us the program phones, sign out sheets, maps and money for gondola tickets.  We didn't have to start the hike until 10 am so Rachael and I went back to Stockli and joined Sarah for some fried eggs on toast. I cooked the eggs and Rachael did the washing up and Sarah sat there looking pretty.

At ten we met the Guides between Spycher and Main Chalet before heading off.  We ran through the plan of the day, hiking protocol, and did an equipment check.  Once everyone had had five mins to grab extra things and everyone grabbed a sledge we set off. 

First we hiked down to Oey gondola station.  Rachael bought enough day passes so each of the guests could catch the gondola and the chair lift up to the top of the mountain.

After this we continued hiking up past the gondola station along the side of a blue ski run until we came to the adventure park.  There, after some messing about, we managed to get everyone through

the gates and onto the chairlifts with all the sleds and backpacks etc.  At the top messed about some more and got everyone onto the gondola to the top of Silleren.

Because the sled run doesn't open until 1 pm and we arrived at the top of the mountain at 12.15 we stopped for lunch for 45 mins. 

We met at one and ran through how to use a sled, how to steer, brake and accelerate before heading down the run.  The first run we all did together before splitting up at the bottom to go faster or slower.  Rachael and I alternated so we both had a turn sledging until Rachael had had enough, so I just kept going down. I think at one point I did the entire run in just over 15 mins.

Katrina with her dirty dishes tower

At 4 pm exactly we all met and jumped back on the gondola to Oey.  Jen picked up the sleds from the gondola station whilst we all hiked up the hill.  The worst thing about the day is that ruddy hill!

Dinner was cottage pie and meringues with cream and berries for dessert.  As I was on program we swapped before dessert with the Guest Services people and they did the evening program, WAGGGS Night and program peeps did kitchen clean up!

pancakes for pancake day

17/2/15

It was a very Australian day at the Chalet today as the three volunteers working on Guest services were Bethany, Sarah S, and I, all Australians! We started breakfast at 7:30 and amazingly we had finished by 9:25 am, before morning meeting.  We have decided to have a competition and see who can finish the earliest this week whilst we have an influx of guests!

After breakfast we had morning meeting and then started our jobs.  I seem to be the one who enjoys vacuuming, so guess what I was doing in the morning! It's nice though, as I get to put my head phones in and jam away as I work! 

Jenny and her friend Christine arrive last night, they are here to help for our last two weeks in the kitchen and with guest services.  Jenny comes to the Chalet regularly, both to visit and to volunteer!  Jenny organised lunch while Christine helped us with our morning duties.  At lunch there was so much food! Jenny decided to go through the kitchen and the fridge and use up just about all the food in there! That meant lots of choice for lunch!

After lunch and clean up (which took longer than normal because we were talking so much!!)  we were lucky enough to be able to have a break until 4 when we had to start dinner... I actually took some steps in organizing my life and organized some more of my uni work for when I return!

Dinner was Sweet and Sour Chicken, served with rice and salad.  We had to make so much of it it actually warranted using Pollard.  Pollard is our big cooker... I don't really know what he is, look at the pic and you can decide...

Because I was on evening program, it meant that I didn't have to do dinner clear up (Yayy!).  Instead I had a dessert meeting with Chloe, Jen and Sarah S, to discuss program.  I was to be on making the fondue for the guests.  Jen was joining me and together we chopped apple, banana and dried apricots, and placed them along with some biscuits on a tray. Together with A gravy boat of fondue we served this to the guests at the end of Swiss Night.

To top off the evening, we decided we would celebrate Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day when we got back to Stockli.  Katrina and Chloe made pancakes and everyone else ate them along with some left over whipped cream and fondue! Best way to end the night!

onsite day

16/2/15

After a night of not much sleep (thanks uni timetables! ) I was up and getting ready for program at 7 am.  I treated myself to fried eggs for breakfast because I had time spare after I had gotten dressed. 

  Because we have almost 60 guests, almost all of whom are doing program, this week we are running two different programs simultaneously.  Today Rachael and I were running Onsite Day today for the group of Girl Guides from the UK, whilst Ana and Sarah were running the Ensligenalp Hike for the Scout group we have.  Unfortunately Rachael wasn't feeling great, she seemed to have a head cold so she went back to bed and I headed off with the other peeps on program to morning meeting at 8.30.  Chloe stepped in for Rachael and to together we planned our day.

First was opening ceremony for the three groups staying with us; a group of Scouts, and two groups of Guides, all from the UK.  Can you tell it's half term?!

The group of Guides we were running program for had lost their luggage on the way to the Chalet, as a result they had only the clothes they were wearing and no snow gear. This made onsite day a little hard! They had been told their luggage was on its way from Geneva and should arrive arrive at some point today, until then we had to be mindful!

In the morning we did swiss crafts.  Peg burning, Scissor cutting and snowflake making featured.  I did a scissor cutting of the Chalet and the mountains.  Between the three activities we kept them occupied until lunch time.

Whilst the group ate their packed lunch outside, staff had lunch inside... and what a surprise we had.leftovers!

After lunch it was campfire building and knives.  Rachael, feeling a little better joined us and we taught the group how to use knives and how to make fire wood and different sizes of kindling.  We also had a competition of who could build a fire and burn through a piece of string first.

 

We finished at about 2.45 pm and we were heading back to have a 15 min tea break when their luggage arrived! We decided to extend the tea break til 3.15.  This meant we could pack up and get the next activity ready without.rushing... sledging!

Sledging down Baby Chalet Hill turned out to be quite hard. The snow was quite deep and had not been compacted so you ended up sliding off your sled alot! After a while we decided to change activities and build igloos as well.  This ended in a competition between members of the group to build the tallest igloo. 

 

We finished off the day with dinner of Alpine Mac. After clean up Rachael and I had.some down time watching Downtown Abbey!

lazy day

16/2/15

I think today has been my laziest day at the Chalet yet.  I had planned to go skiing, so I was up at 8, but when I looked out the window... There was too much fog and it was snowing.  There was to be no skiing today. So I went back to bed!

In the end I spent majority of the day sitting on my bed.  I sorted out some Uni things, so I would be ready to start classes the day I got back, I watched some TV on my computer, read my book, skyped family....

Dinner was Spaghetti Bolognese, feed to the 60 plus guest we currently have.  We had a Scout group arrive yesterday and two Guide groups arrive today.  The dinning room was packed.  After dinner they went off on their respective evening programs and I help clean up a little bit and set up breakfast before heading back to Stockli.  We had some cake which was left over from last night and then I went to bed.  For a day of not doing anything I was exhausted!

If any one was wondering, here's how my henna turned out!

valentines day

14/2/15

Today I was off and I had a lie in this morning after yesterday's late night. I peeled a slightly hungover Rachael from her bed with the promise of a egg and toast sandwich, just after ten am.  She had been lying in her dark room with all the lights off sipping her water.  I managed to get Rachael to have a shower and she appeared downstairs just as i was finishing her eggs.  We spent the little of what was left of the morning chilling around Stockli.  

Considering both of us didn't eat until after ten, neither of us wanted lunch at 12:30.  Instead at about 1 pm we went over to Main Chalet to organize the final touches of our Tea Party in Baby Chalet.  I was on/ I was, the Tea committee, which meant I was incharge of drinks; tea, coffee, hot chocolate, water.  We packed it all in the van and then headed up to Baby Chalet. 

Baby Chalet was built for Helen Storrow as her house when she visited the Chalet.  A single month was all it took to build the small chalet on the hill up from Main Chalet.  When the Chalet opened Helen Storrow held a tea party there for all the important guest, including Lord Baden-Powell and Lady Baden-Powell.  The tea set that they used is still on display in Spycher for all to see.  Over the years it has become a tradition to hold a tea party for the staff in Baby Chalet, and is even on our Staff Challenge.  

  

Sarah made cupcakes and fairy bread, Charlotte bought mini ice-creams and Danielle had made a musical quiz.  We had to guess the name and the artist of the song, in the five or so seconds Danielle played to us.  

Unfortunately we had to cut our tea party short because Nicky had to drive the van back down the hill to pick up our first big load of guests.  

After we had cleaned up from our tea party, Rachael, Sarah and I headed into town. We headed up Tschenten Alp to watch the sunset.  We kinda got stuck up there because we missed the last gondola down at 5 pm, and we had to wait until night sledding opened and the gondola's reopened at 6:15 to get back down the hill.  Then we hiked but up to the Chalet.  

 

 

 

That evening the Interns, our Happiness committee had organised a Pamper Night for all the staff in Stockli.  We had face masks, henna, foot scrubs, hand scrubs, I straightened Rachael's hair and Chloe attempted to dye our hair blue with Kool Aid, (as we found out the next day ... it didn't work very well).