BACKCHAT decided to check out whether there was “no business like snow business” (ahem) and whizzed off to join 16 agents on a ski educational with Club Med.
The trip to Arcs Extreme was aimed at allowing the agents to sample “the Club Med experience” and understand the concept of what clients would find included in a Club Med package.
The initial meeting in the bar set the scene for the week’s entertainment, with the agents providing an alternative cabaret for other guests.
Alongside the professional entertainers, the agents passed the vocal challenge and proved to be good ambassadors for the UK with their rousing Karaoke chorus.
Keen to keep up his protein levels, Gary Reid of Nomad Travel gained himself the nickname of banana man, as he was rarely seen without his ‘yellow friend’ projecting out of some pocket of his ski suit. This might have proved impressive if he hadn’t – after a few bananarama cocktails – grabbed his favoured fruit thinking it was his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, George Kuomi, of Kenwood Travel, earned the title of Mr Bionic for his ability to ski all day and party the night away. But many folk seemed the loose the plot a little after a few days in the mountains.
Perhaps it was the late nights, or perhaps it was the cold which chilled the brain cells, but a quick trip to down-town – or down-mountain – Bourg St Maurice offered a testing challenge for five agents and Backchat. All six decided to board a bus without checking its direction and ended up the wrong side of the mountain with dusk about to fall.
After about three days the slopes proved a bit much for many apres ski enthusiasts, who found life on the piste a little too taxing after a night on the dance floor. This was especially true of Carl Ireland, of Thomas Cook in St Albans, who confessed he had never left a country feeling quite so dishevelled.
But was the educational worth it? Everyone agreed Club Med should “go on with the snow”.