Having decided fairly late on in the summer of 2009 that the credit-crunch was still in full force in terms of recruitment, I decided to do my second season. Having gained my CSIA Level 1 in Whistler independently the year before, I was eager to experience a season in Europe and was recommended Verbier by a number of friends.

I came across Peak Leaders at the Ski Show in London and was immediately impressed by their willingness to accommodate me at such late notice and provide me with all the answers to my questions, to which there were many, so comprehensively.

After I arrived in Verbier, it didn’t take long to relax as the accommodation provided was way beyond any expectation I had before arrival. The food was excellent throughout our time in the Peak Leaders chalet and it was a great place to come back to after a day on the slopes. The training groups were a good size, and it was clear the standards were going to be pretty high from our instructors, despite not being able to see them for the first morning due to thick fog!

As for the resort itself, I cannot recommend Verbier highly enough, as the skiing is some of the best I have ever experienced, and the night life great-fun – however, the steep hill on the walk home did help to clear the head for the morning’s training.

The ten weeks seemed to go by far too quickly, but it was a great experience for me, where I made some great friends, had an awesome time in the process, and even managed to fit in a bit of skiing along the way!

I would strongly recommend the Peak Leaders course in Verbier to anyone wanting to gain their BASI level 1 and 2 qualifications. It has been one of the best experiences of my life, and well worth every penny.