If you follow anybody who works at Tiqets on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen them waxing lyrical about our annual company ski trip. Well, the hype is real. Three days of snow, and a llama with an underbite, formed unshakable bonds amidst the Tiqets ranks. In this tell-all ski trip exposé, we reveal what really goes down in the rarified air of our exclusive winter sports escape.
Let’s set the scene. It’s a cold January evening in Amsterdam. A chilly alpine gust blows in from the east, corralling around 100 Tiqeteers to assemble in our winter coats outside of Tiqets HQ. Many are preparing for the adventure of a lifetime. Some, for their second adventure of a lifetime. Some are on their third… you get the idea, we go skiing a lot!
The chariot chosen to shepherd us into the frosty embrace of Fieberbrun in the Austrian Alps, was a state-of-the-art, double-decker monster bus, piloted by the world’s most confident man. Having craftily rerouted us in real time onto a small provincial side road to avoid the midnight gridlock, our driver had the unflappable gumption to attempt to squeeze this enormous bus underneath a quaint stone bridge that most level-headed llamas would need to stoop down for.
Several angry truckers and one 175-point-turn later and we were back on the road, with only two hours added to our 13-hour drive. Sometimes, it’s really more about the destination than the journey!
After a lengthy, dramatic, and increasingly scenic drive through the highways and byways of Bavaria, we found ourselves basking in the icy shade of majestic snow-capped peaks, and the even icier shade cast upon us by the gas station employees working the graveyard shift. Tired and achy but wide-eyed with excitement, we eventually filed into the glorious four-star sanctuary of VAYA Fieberbrunn.
After the characterful accommodation we enjoyed in Les Deux Alpes on a previous ski trip, VAYA was a breath of fresh air. There were rooms just minutes away from the base of the mountain, there was an onsite spa and sauna, and perhaps most importantly of all – there was toilet paper! We’d come a long, long way.
So, after a 15-hour drive, what do you do first? You grab a drink, complain about your sore back, and get your room key to power-nap your mortal soul into shape for the trip’s first après ski. Or, if you decided to fly instead of taking the bus (smart!) – you complain about how early you woke up for the flight, pretend you have a sore back to get along with your colleagues ferried in by bus, and say cheers with international colleagues who decided to take the trip from as far afield as Philadelphia and Southeast Asia.
Apres Ski Day 1:
Wait… Don’t you have to ski before you can have après-ski? That’s not the kind of Negative Nancy spirit we aim to foster here at Tiqets. With an open-bar beer tab and enough yodeling Schlager music to tear the very fabric of reality asunder, we swiftly forgot all about the double-decker purgatory and got ourselves adjusted to the altitude by way of Wiener Schnitzel and Aperol spritz, a time-honoured tradition among mountain folk.
Memories are blurry from that first dinner in the hotel, but the wine flowed like water, and spontaneous shoots of lighthearted team-building sprouted up all around. Tap water was curiously hard to come by, for some reason! So with dehydration in mind, let’s fast forward past some very well-deserved sleep, to sunrise and the first day of skiing.
Skiing Day 1:
Showcasing the diversity of our company through the time we set out alarms, we all hit the snow at different times, and in different ways. For some, that meant skis, for some snowboards, and for others, naturally, it meant llama.
There was a wide range of talent when it came to carving up the slopes, ranging from Robin, who, with enough training, could have earned the Netherlands Olympic Gold; to Pedro, who spent more time on his butt than he did on his board. More like Sledro, amirite!
There was a thick fog to contend with on our first day, but luckily it wasn’t anything a gondola ride to the top of the mountain couldn’t solve. After breaking through the cloud cover, we were rewarded with a view we’d never find back in Holland.
Luckily, most of us made it through day one unscathed, but an honourable mention must be made to our Italian colleague Francesca, who had the privilege of zooming down the mountain bundled up in blankets, after a twisted knee on a steep slope. Luckily, she was back on her feet for a new night of après-ski and more merciless, unrelenting ✨schlager music ✨
For those Tiqeteers who didn’t brave the mountain, and risk a fresh face full of snow, there were plenty of other activities lined up, including enjoying a lie-in, being pampered with a full body massage, and venturing into the Alps to go trekking with Ronaldo, the illustrious Austrian llama. Not to be confused with the legendary Brazilian footballer, or the Portuguese freestyle diver.
Skiing, partying, and dining together on the company dime don’t come without much coordination and planning. With that in mind, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank our tireless ski committee: Britt, Maurice, and Sybren. And an honourable mention to Sipan.
Day 2:
Wait, there’s no mention of après ski after an actual day of snow sports? Oh, there was more après ski alright. But these photos sum it up better than mere words ever could. If you want a truly authentic experience to relive the moment, try playing this playlist while you read the rest of the blog. Or at least try playing it for 20 seconds. Alternatively, you could fill your ears with Jagermeister and light yourself on fire, for a similar overall vibe.
So with heated pools to soothe our muscles, and our bodies primed from the first day of skiing, it was time to head back up the mountain for our second day of skiing.
The fog had cleared somewhat on day two and endless pistes of pristine powder stretched out before us. So, our squad of skiers started to venture further afield and make our way across the mountain range toward more difficult peaks. Meanwhile, back at base camp, intrepid beginners were mastering their pizza/French fry technique and starting to speed up.
High-speed downhill sprints across epic scenery are a big part of the appeal of skiing, and sending photos of the view to make those back home jealous is essential. But the truly special memories of ski trips are often the friends you make on the chairlifts.
Travel Insurance: €15
Popcorn: €3
A bird’s-eye view of colleagues face-planting in the snow: Priceless
Taking our trip in January meant we got the best of the snow, but it also meant an early sunset and gondolas that stopped running at 16:30. And that means skiing recklessly down the mountain and following a dog-eared map to make sure you’re on the right track to get home in time before you end up stranded. Or worse…
Luckily, we all made it and had time to return our equipment for the company photo.
Not pictured, is the struggle of 100 people climbing uphill in shoes designed for city streets.
With skis returned, shins blistered, and a collective sigh of relief to not have to wear boots anymore, it was time for the last supper and one final night of partying, before a 7 am coach and 12 hours of restricted mobility. With any luck, our quadriceps should be back to normal in time for next year!
