Antares Zermatt

So Borgomanero isn't actually where I was, but the actual place I was is so small I couldn't find it on the map. Borgomanero's close enough. Besides, I don't want to give away this adorable little town because then you'll all go, and then you'll all tell your friends and family, and it'll pull a Woodland Park-next thing you know it'll have a Wal-Mart and then its "cute little town" bragging rights will go down the drain (not that I'm bitter that happened to WP or ...

... used my final day of my eurrail pass for this trip only to find that the trip from Visp station to the Zermatt was not valid despite being told by two train operators that it was. I also couldn't get through to the girl at the station that my eurrail pass allows me discounts for the train but she kept telling me, 'no, no, you can't use anymore days it's full'. Today wasn't the first time I have been stuffed around by the Swiss. It's hard to believe that Einstein was educated here.<br><br><br>

... our downhill journey we found ourselves on a path that would have been just as steep as our first path, only this time we were only going down it. Or so we hoped. We had just followed our noses to get there so I was dreading that we might discover at the bottom that we had gone the wrong way and would have to retrace our steps all the way back up!<br><br>We breathed a sigh of relief at the bottom when we found the sign pointing downhill to Zermatt. There were also signs ...

We had packed up the Landy by about 8 a.m., and were ready to plan the route to Val d'Isere. With no roadbook to follow, the GPS was put into use, and a quick check against the maps verified that the best route was probably down towards Milan to join the motorway, and take motorways towards Aosta.<br><br>So, not much in the way of navigating to be done, except to check the road signs now and again, so the hunt for bingo photos was driven hard today ...

... took Evie back up via the Tram to the top of the Klein Matterhorn just before the last ride at 4:30p. Along the way, they watched a parade of swiss dancers with typical accordian players as they paraded down main street as part of an annual traditional festival.<br> <br>                  <br>

... on the snow with a lovely view from Mont Blanc on one side and the Italian plains on the other. In between there were dozens of skiers and snowboarders enjoying some summer runs. After our snow hike, we took a Tram down to do a 10K hike to Hornlihut, starting at 2500m. Tom was suitably freaked out by the ...

... but breathtaking. On the way down, we came to a cable car, we figured that because it was going down the mountain it would take us back. We got on and rode to the bottom and realized that it did not take us back to Zermatt... So, we tried to just ride it around.... everyone was luaghing at us on the platform... we were laughin in the car... the worker man was not laughing ...

... trip. It was so quiet and small, I kept thinking what am I going to do here for three days? I was completely in 'rush around, try to see loads of stuff' mode and it took me the whole first day to slow myself down. I also felt quite out of place, it seemed like everyone was a skier or a snowboarder or a hiker, or had at least bought some sensible snowboardy-type clothing with them, as obviously it would be cold up in the mountains, something I hadn't ...

Ok, sorry to say, this entry will not properly describe the experience I had today, but I will try. I am sorry too, if it makes you green with envy, especially those of you who like skiing. Today was an epic skiing day, on the slopes of Zermatt, under the shadow of the Matterhorn. I was up and out before sunrise, determined to see the first light on the famous mountain. I was not disappointed. First just the tip was aglow ...

www.elodie50a.com<br><br>Here is a video (sorry for the very bad quality)<br>http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=R5_9hODsqgs<br><br><br>