Destination: Switzerland

So last time I wrote on this blog I was headed off on a solo adventure to Switzerland. I flew there via EasyJet one last time out of London Gatwick Airport. Again I continue to be impressed by the efficiency of the train system here and how easy it is to get to Gatwick Airport from Brighton. Once in Geneva, I ran through passport control and customs and caught my train. Unfortunately I didn't get a passport stamp in Switzerland because apparently they only stamp for visas. :( Anyways caught the train 20 minutes after landing, which was good because otherwise it would have been an hour wait. Two and a half hours later my train arrived in Interlaken in the rain. I got off the train and town was eerily quiet. I checked my watch and it was only 10 PM! I wandered around town for a while and after getting a bit lost, stumbled upon my hostel. After getting my key, I went up to my room and the key wouldn't open the door. I tried several times, but no luck. Apparently the girls in the room had locked it from the inside so I had to bang on the door and wake them up and get them to let me in. Wow, great first impression! They turned out to be very nice Aussies who I had breakfast with the next morning and then saw one of them later in the weekend at Zermatt. 

Friday I spent my day wandering around Interlaken, and then took the train around the Jungfrau region. Although it snowed most of the day it was amazing. The mountains, mainly the Eiger, were so impressive. Much more massive and rugged than the Rocky Mountains. The views were amazing as I took the train from small town to small town. I walked around each small town including Grindelwald, First, Klein Scheidegg, Wengen,  and finally Lauterbrunnen. Wengen was a gorgeous little ski town that reminded me a bit of the small aspects of Snowmass. That night was spent in a hostel in Lauterbrunnen. Very small town with only a couple of things open where I met some more nice backpackers. 

Saturday had me hiking through the alps a bit in the area around Lauterbrunnen. I hiked from Lauterbrunnen to Grimmelwald, and Murren, and some other smaller towns in between. The clouds lifted a bit and was able to see the mountains. AMAZING!! After hiking for the morning I took the train from Lauterbrunnen to Zermatt. The train ride across the Swiss country side was gorgeous and as I approached Zermatt it got even better. Zermatt is such an amazing little ski resort town and had major similarities with Aspen. One thing I did like about some of the Swiss towns was that they were car free. So much more environmental and you can walk down the middle of the streets! I again met some nice Californians in my hostel this time, who I enjoyed a couple of beers with before going to bed early in preparation of day number 1 of skiing. 

Skiing in Switzerland was everything I imagined and so much more. Sunday I awoke early, before the sun rose, to look out the window of my hostel and find a crystal clear morning and a perfect view of the Matterhorn. It was the first clear day I had experienced in Switzerland and I loved it. Needless to say, I hurried down to the ski shop, rented skis and made my way to the mountain. Every run was a powder run (as long as you didn't mind skiing outside the stakes where they warned there might be crevasses). I basically followed some locals around all day. The views were spectacular and it was just an unmatched experience. Switzerland was an amazing last trip, but I am definitely not ready to leave Europe....which happens in just a matter of hours now. Anyways, I will write a post tomorrow on my flight about some closing study abroad thoughts. But for now, Pray for snow!

Cheers,

ZGSKIER