Hotel Edelweiss Zermatt

... ANYWAY. Our train got into Arona and we were picked up by the family's son. Let me quickly explain the family- one of the daughters (there are 2) went to Montana for study abroad, and that's how she and Meghan know each other, she stayed with her family. So now everytime Meghan comes to Italy she stays with this family. The parents know a little English, the daughters are both gone right now and the son is going to Kansas next year for study abroad. Kansas ...

... the casualties of the Matterhorn.
Zermatt itself is tiny, with only electric taxis. It is much colder than Lauterbrunnen even though it's on the border of Italy.
Switzerland is strange. It has no language of its own. In Bern, Lauterbrunnen and Zermatt they speak German but in Montreux they speak French, even the train announcements change languages. It gets confusing, so I just stick to greeting people in English most of the time. When I had arrived here I was fuming a bit because I ...

... Die höchstgelegene Skigebiet Europas liegt beim Kleinmatterhorn, 3899 müM. Mit ingesamt 3 Gondelbahnen gelangt man von Zermatt bis ganz noch oben ins Skigebiet. Die Skimannschaften von ganz Europa trainieren im Sommer und Herbst am Klein Matterhorn.

Aufgrund der Klimaerwärmung sind in den letzten Jahren die Gletscher massive geschrumpft. Aus diesem Grunde wurde Ende letzten Jahres auf 3000 müM eine ...

... br>We had decided to travel via Aosta, so as to get as close to the roadbook outlined route as possible. About midday, we got our first views of Mont Blanc, or Monte Bianco, as the Italians know it. As we turned off the motorway, we could still see it, until the narrow winding roads took us across the other side of another mountain.

Now we realised this was our last chance to get the police photo, as soon we
wouldn't be in Italy any ...

... Even though the Italy tour hadn’t been as boozy as the first tour, it was still a busy time with a lot of early starts so we needed a bit of R&R.

We quickly discovered that Switzerland is very expensive! Most meals were about the equivalent of $40 Australian minimum! We found one restaurant that was a bit cheaper, but we left when I realized I was about to pay $34 Australian for a chicken salad!

So, we did what I never thought we would do ...

We woke "late" (8am) and were the last to leave our bunk. Skipping breakfast, we began our 5 hour journey back to Zermatt. We chose a route that would give us a different view of the valley, but involved 1800m of decent. We paid for it for the next few days. We arrived at our apartment and ...

... I had to buy a pair of sunglasses on board so that it was possible to look out the windows without my retinas sizzling. After Oberalppass we descended to the main rail hubs of Brig and Visp. From here we started up again towards our final destination of Zermatt. There were many small postcard worthy villages on this portion although pictures were difficult due to the glare from the large panoramic ...

... delicious. Matterhorn called to me all evening and when the next day dawned, I knew that I had to get closer to it. The only means at my disposal is a very expensive cable car to the peak of Klein Matterhorn. I grudgingly paid the money knowing that it has to be something exceptional was waiting for me at the top. I was not disappointed - I cried at the peak - I found that it was impossible for me to witness this beauty and not become emotional and ...

... the most incredible flavor and the salami was also gorgeous. I can't wait for lunch! I'm off to the slopes now- I'll write more at the end of the day but I just wanted to say "hi" and that we made it here just fine. Let me also say that I'm just happy top be away from Stanford for a little while. I hope Lynn doesn't figure out where my goggle tan comes from ;) Serena

www.elodie50a.com

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