28th Jan crowd are back!
Still recovering from a fantastic week in Kop! Hi to all those I met from here, hope ya all got home safe on Sunday!
This was our second ski holiday, last year we were in Borovets, so all comparisons are with that resort!
Journey
Flight out was slightly delayed, but we made up time and arrived in NIS slightly early. Prepare yourself for a 'tiny' airport - small but very efficient! Plenty of time to grab a drink, use loo, change money etc before jumping on coach for the ride to Kop. Tip - dont bother queuing up to change £ into Dinar - just use the cash machine! Especially if your bank doesn't change for using ATM when abroad!
Konaci Apartments
After 2 and half hour jouney arrived at snow-covered resort. Piled off coaches, grabbed various suitcases, boot-bags, skis etc and trudged thru snow to reception. Met by staff with a choice of Hot Wine or Hot Rakija which was very welcome! Seemed to be very quick check-in process (no deposits needed, they do need your passport tho) and off to find room. The room we had was small, but comfortable and warm. The shower had plenty of hot water and loads of towels, and the beds had extra blankets and pillows in wardrobe if needed. The 'self catering' option would be a struggle, only one big electric ring, one small ring plus a microwave and fridge.
Once we had dumped our bags it was down to reception for a meeting where lift passes where handed out, and directions to Ski Depot given. Sorting this out on the evening before is a much better idea than doing it on the morning ski-school starts! The equipment looked to be good quality (not as tatty as Borovets), and the guys and girls in Elite were very good at sorting everyone out. Once you have your gear dump it into your locker - these are found in the basement of your apartment block. We just left skis/poles there (boots kept in room to dry out each night!)
Food
We were half-board, so we wandered round and found the 'Sunce' restaurant and the wonders within! We weren't too sure what to expect after reading some reports, but the food was 'ok'. Nothing special, but plenty of choice. Always 2 soups plus bread, good choice of meat - the casserole always tasted great! Plenty of recognisable veg - peas, carrots, potatoes, sprouts! Plus the usual salady type things you expect from East-Europe. Good choice of puddings, and fresh fruit as well, very hard to not find something to eat.
Ski-school
Nine o'clock the next morning, everyone assembles on the big square at the back of the Grand to be put into classes according to ability - beginner, intermediate, advanced and 'boarders. We weren't too sure so stood in between beginner and intermediate - with a few others who had also just done 1 week. We met Alex our instructor who took us up a baby-button to test our ability, and we just practised gentle turns for the first day - re-learning all the stuff we had forgotten since last year! It was a slow, but steady start - giving us all confidence to tackle harder slopes throughout the week. We skied so many different slopes during the week, Alex had us up and down so many lifts and runs it was always a shock when we appeared at the bottom of a lift we recognised!! The conditions were great - we had it all, bright sun, heavy blizzards, thick, thick fog.. We skied on deep powder, compacted pistes, icy patches, bits where grass showed through - the variation made it always challenging!
Lessons are four hours. We were 9am till 1pm, and usually stopped about 12ish for 30 mins rest in a slopeside bar (more hot wine). After 1, the afternoon is yours - you can ski on till 4 when the lifts close if you want!
Aprés Ski
The courtyard at Konaci has a good few bars, a couple of supermarkets and some ski-wear shops. Drink the local beer, MB or Lav and dont expect to get 'diet' drinks in the bars - they dont exist! The bars are never very busy (apart from on Bar Crowl night). Some of the bars/clubs are open till 4, and the music can be heard in some rooms, but we were so shattered it never disturbed us! The ski-wear wasn't cheap (well, it was all top Brand stuff so might have been if you compared like for like to UK prices - but I am still a 'Decathlon' lever skier!!)
Try the ski-doo driving!! Its not cheap at €60 per ski-doo, but split between 2, thats about £20 a head and you get 45 mins of great fun! Recommended places - Bar Cuba, just for the weirdest mix of music EVER! Also Exit was good. Try Red Bull bar for pizza and pancakes! We had lunch out every day - and never had a bad meal. Try the hot chocolate, it tastes like a chocolate bar melted into a mug - none of your 'Options' rubbish! Try hot wine AND hot Rakija - not in same glass!
Take Euro's to pay for your trips, and there are 2 ATM in Konaci, and another in the Grand (I think) for Dinar, so no need to worry about planning your spend. Anything you have left over, spend or change at airport on way back.
We had a great week - would definitely go back! Any major grumbles? None really - I guess we were lucky with the snow, which helps! And everyone we met seemed to be just there to have a good time...
Feel free to ask questions, will do my best to answer them!
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