On top of the world

Leisurely start to the day, then a long drive down the Tet Valley and up into the Pyrenees, heading for Andorra. After the long, car-sickness inducing, twisty road up into the mountains, we emerged onto the Cerdagne plateau. I always find this a magical place - a wide undulating plain, fringed with mountains. In spring the fields are carpeted with wild flowers. Today, snow mostly.

On arriving through thick fog into Andorra itself, we eventually figured out which building was our apartment block and, despairing of ever finding a reception desk called the number. Turned out there was no reception desk and we were instead to meet our 'contact' in the main resort car park. He turned out to be a young lad (Mr B said 12, I thought more like 17) who showed us the apartment (very nice, and a free bottle of fizz too, which always helps me forgive any administrative cock-ups) and went off to fetch linen for us. Then the usual lengthy ski hire procedure and we could settle in for the first of many pasta dinners.

Often when we get an apartment we end up with only one bedroom and a sofabed for either the kids or us in the main room. This time I insisted on doing the booking and managed to get a two bedroom apartment - luxury indeed!