From 1973 to 1977 I lived on the Black Isle with my mother and step-father.
I was in my teens then, and we used to visit Aviemore.  Myself and my brothers
loved the "Aviemore Centre" and the magical place - "Santa Claus Land".

I got a job in the the Post House hotel in 1981 as a chamber maid.  We used to feed
the ducks out of the back of the hotel with the buns that had gone stale. 
Seasonal work there at that time was often guaranteed from Winter to Easter as the
skiing was good, and of course, staff had a card to show to get free use of the ice rink.

I still return north once a year with hubby and children and visit the old haunts,
even though the centre has changed over the years. 
The go-karts haven’t been there for a while either.

Ali Gina Shottan (nee Wadsworth)
Ovingham
Northumberland