Kristoff

I agreed 9 months ago to go on a ski holiday (next week) with some old friends with whom I have drunk and used with extensively in the past (prior to my attempting sobriety).....I was in a stronger place really when I agreed to go than I am now and as the holiday approaches I am getting increasingly anxious .......I had a conversation with each of them one on one and basically said that I would be going but that I wouldn't be drinking and offered to not go should this alter the dynamics of their holiday...that I wouldn't be joining them after dinner in the bars etc........they were all sufficiently understanding and supportive to give me the confidence to attempt this (in the last 3 years I have simply not bothered to go).

I guess what concerns me is that I am taking myself out of my normal, safe environment and putting myself into the lion's mouth of a ski resort and bearing in mind what ski resorts are like for 'normal' drinkers, inevitably temptation will happen.......and I am not 100% confident in myself to say no to the first one every single time....I also know that as various drinking 'sessions' evolve for the others I will inevitably feel 'left out' and that self-piteous part of me will kick in and start speaking up more loudly even than it normally does.

I've only just today registered on this site today, as its one of the methods of (hopefully) maintaining contact with a sober network whilst away that I can think of......if anyone has any experience of what has worked for them I would be very grateful to hear back......they are long-time friends, who I very rarely see now (having moved many miles away following divorce) and I value them, the last thing I want to do is slip, act/say things which lead to the usual scenario......

Many thanks in advance for any replies