Hotel Valaisia Crans-Montana

... to go out in the cold again, so then we spent time on YouTube until they got home and made us dinner. Ah, the Italian life. Meghan and I crawled into our beds but didn't sleep for a long time, just talking. We both thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of speaking normally, without adjusting our language to make ourselves understood. She had been accepted that day into an English teaching program in China, and wasn't sure if she wanted to take it or not, so we talked ...

... 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.

Day One – Thursday 10th September – We got up early to say goodbye to our group before departing for the train station to go to Zermatt, our first stop in Switzerland! I was fortunately feeling a little bit better but still skipped brekky. Apparently Sarah had a similar experience the night before, so we thought maybe it was something we had both eaten the day before, but nevermind!

We were rushing a bit for the train and then learned the train station was ...

... of which was obviously our target. With lots of sign language, some French mixed with German, we got the idea over, and landed the photo. But we couldn't persuade him to do the handcuffs, so we didn't push our luck.

We crossed the border into France shortly afterwards and travelled along the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard (which, for some reason, google maps won't recognise as a road, although it shows it as a walking route!), and found the ...

... 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.
 
                 

... to climb the Matterhorn the next day. If we had said yes, we would have been awoken at 4:30 for breakfast and began the 7+ hour ascent at 5am. Needlessly to say, we declined. 

Instead, we took the Gondola/Tram/Tram route to the top of the Klein Matterhorn (little Matterhorn) at 3800m for a short ...

... way up to meet Evie and Sue at the playground (after a 5 euro hot chocolate) and we all walked down through some delightful traditional Swiss towns.

                                                 

... train to 3,200 meters and hiking some of the way back down. The glaciers were impressive, however the views were muted as the weather was a bit cloudy.

                 

... from our hotel. She did great and hiked 90% of the way by herself. Of course, we also spent a fair amount of time at the local playground, complete with mini-Matterhorn for climbing.

                             

... no bag and everyone's ticket. -"Hai perso il treno?" (Did you miss your train?) -"Si" -"E tua valigia?" (And your suitcase?) -"Sul treno" (On the train.) -"Da solo?" (By itself?) -"No, i miei amici sono sul treno, ma ho il loro biglietto." (No, my friends are on the train, but I have their ticket.) -"Oh." -"Si." (pausa) -"Allora, puoi prendere il metro al Porta Susa, tutti i treni fermano li dopo qui. Puoi incontrare i tuoi amici e dargli la biglietta ...