Skiing in Austria

So it's half term, and we're skiing in Austria.
Everyone in our family loves skiing - the kids ahve been doing it since they were three years old, so now, at 9 and 7, they're better skiiers than me - the eternal intermediate!
I was a teenager when I learnt to ski, and my husband didn't start until he was an adult, so learning early is definitely an advantage.

We chose Austria at half term, though we love France for a few reasons:

1) It's so much cheaper, accommodation is at least half the price of France on this week, as the price rises for half term don't seem to happen in Austria. The price of food etc on the slopes is a lot cheaper too - we've been paying about 45 euros for drinks, main meals, and a couple of puddings and/or coffees - for a family of 4. In France it would be 60 - 80 euros, depending on the resort.

2) The slopes are practically empty this week - we've had a few runs where we have literally been the only ones on the slope - not something that's going to happen in France! The reason for this is that very few British seem to come to Austria ( at least here to Schladming - and it was the same last year in Nassfeld), though I guest the more "British" resorts like St Anton and Kitzbuhl may be busier. Also the main visitors seem to be Austrian, German or Dutch, and apparently it's not half term week for them this week. We're certainly not complaining!

Anyway, we're in Ramsau, just outside Schladming ( but with local slopes too) and the chalet/hotel is lovely, we're in a 2 bedroomed appartment attached to the chalet but enjoy all the food and facilities of the chalet, and have plenty of space to spread out. It's called Pension Hoffelner if you fancy googling it....
The weather was gorgeous when we arrived, very cold but sunny, but is now very snowy - well over 30 cm fell yesterday, and the powder today should be immense! Looking forward to getting out there, though we'll have to dig the car out first!

You really need a car here to make the most of the many slkiing areas covered on the one lift pass, so we drove over, taking the overnight ferry from Hull, which was fun for the kids, and "interesting" for us. We're glad we've got a 4 wheel drive car, as we've had so much snow here, and despite the snow chains it's been challenging driving
Must go, time to get skiing!