Lifestyle gurus insist that ‘deferring pleasure’ - in other words, doing what
we ought to do, rather than what we’d like to do - is key to being
successful.
Maybe they’re right, but it can be a right old bore, whereas playing hookie
can be so much fun - at any age.
Way back when, that might have meant skiving double maths (I’m feeling poorly,
Mum), or skipping a cross-country run (forgot my kit, sir) in favour of
keeping dry and warm.
But as a grown-up with money to spend, bunking off can involve doing something
really extraordinary. OK, in the meantime it is your own life you’re playing
truant from - your chosen profession, or your significant other, your
familial commitments. But even so, there’s something to be said for sneaking
in the occasional bit of ‘you-time’, even if it requires a fib here and
there.
So repeat after me the magic words, “Sorry darling, the deal’s not done, I’m
going to have to stay the weekend.”
Or, “That loser Tilak from the Boston office wants to go through the figures
again, so I’m stuck here for another couple of days. What a nightmare!”
And then? Well once you begin to see the world’s commercial hubs as launchpads
for personal adventures, rather than just places you do business in, then it
quickly becomes apparent that these days playing hookie can be more James
Bond than Just William. Here’s how.
MILAN TO SOUTH TYROL
Milan is just a short flight (or helicopter ride) away from Austro-Italian ski
and foodie Shangri-la that is South Tyrol, although if you’re travelling on
your own, at £13,000, most of the cost of that helicopter transfer
prohibitively expensive; why not catch a plane to Bolzano and drive from
there?
Either way, bespoke specialists Powder Byrne will organise your transfers to
Alta Badia - so you can focus on heli-kiing, or following a guide through a
hidden valley’s unspoilt skiiing in the heart of the Sella Ronda, followed
by wine tastings and Michelin-starred nosh.
The South Tyrol is relatively undiscovered territory for Brits, whether for
skiing or for walking in the summer, but it’s a big hit with monied
Italians, from Miuccia Prada to Silvio Berlusconi. Part of the appeal is the
mix of cultures: although part of Italy, this was Austrian territory up
until World War I, and most of the locals speak German as their first
language (although just about everyone seems to be bilingual). The food is
amazing, with menus often offering a quirky mix of both traditions, while
many of Italy’s best wines are produced here.
Powder Bryne can design a tour which combines great skiing with private wine
tastings, culinary highlights like the St Hubertus restaurant in the Rosa
Alpina Hotel in San Cassiano, which has two Michelin stars, or La Siriola
Restaurant at the Ciasa Salares in the same village, and La Stua di Michil
at the Hotel la Perla in Corvara.
