May 28-29, 2024

GPS FAIL Part 2!

We woke up in Zermatt around 8 am. The bed was insanely uncomfortable so I’m surprised I slept ok. Rel and I headed down breakfast without bothering T&K since Kenna wasn’t feeling very good. They came down about the time we were finished and we headed up to pack. Duh! I am more and more like an aging dodohead. I left all of my chargers plugged in. I didn’t pack them. They were very nice fast ones too.

We got outside and the peak was out and showing off for us finally. We took a ton of photos. Then, TT got back into his biking stuff. He took off to ride most of the way to Grindewald. We headed back to the train station. While we were on the 10-minute ride to the station, a girl sitting near us passed out. Rel quickly stepped into nurse mode to help. The girl recovered quickly and informed us she was pregnant. She then vomited into a canvas bag her friend had with her. We gave her a bottle of water and tried to help clean up while Rel was fanning her. We could see TT riding his bike as we were on the train. We didn’t take any photos of him because we were otherwise occupied. We parted ways feeling bad but knowing the friend was helping the girl. This was TT’s shortest ride of the trip, only about 25 miles. We met up with him in a little town called Visp. We ate at a chipolte type restaurant that was decidedly Meh. But there was a very cute little store that I got some adorable little book bag souvenirs for the girls. We loaded the bike on the top of the car. Then, we headed out for a crazy GPS wild goose chase trying to get to Grindlewald. We ended up at a dead end with a train track. The GPS wanted us to drive on the tracks to get there. We couldn’t figure out if we could get the car onto a train to get through this mountain tunnel. In the end, we turned around and drove an extra three hours around the mountain. We had to stop at a car dealership to use the restroom. We couldn’t find a convenient store or gas station. They were much farther between than they are here. The view when we arrived around 6 pm was absolutely breathtaking. The Eiger in the background of green rolling hills all around

I thought this was very funny in the office behind the check-in desk. Apparently, the English speakers need bluntness.

We had some welcome hot chocolate out on the incredible terrace. We ate at the hotel restaurant. TT informed me I don’t have a Resting B*tch Face – I have a Resting Bored Face. Hmmm I don’t think I’m bored, but there is a part of me that is. just. over. it. haha.

The next day we walked around town, shopped and ate lunch at a pizza place. We bought chocolates and a really cute little Swiss clock for my bathroom counter. It’s one of my favorite things I’ve bought traveling. Then we headed up to the Gondola for the kids to go paragliding. I wanted to go paragliding too, but there wasn’t enough space for me. We didn’t plan far enough ahead. They only had three spots available. I paraglided in Austria and loved it, so I really wanted all three of them to get the experience.

The gondola ride was at least 20 minutes. It was not very steep going up. We could see people below riding these tricycle things down a paved track. There were a couple of zip lines too. All of these activities would have been super fun, but we just didn’t have the time. We had to hike down this very muddy hill to meet the pilots. I followed two Chinese girls wearing flats and white pants. One of them full on rug pulled out from underneath her slipped in the mud. She soaked herself from the butt down to her feet. The girl was very upset. She kept telling her pilot she slipped in the mud and wanted him to clean her up or something. I saw him getting very annoyed. He said “yep you’re in nature, sometimes that happens”. She took her very muddy phone and wiped it onto his pant leg. That really set him off saying “You heard of Gaza? Palestine? No??? Well people are getting shot in the head there” as he held his finger gun to his head. Then he said “That’s tragic, falling in the mud is NOT tragic, it’s an inconvenience”. Don’t mess with Swiss paragliding pilots!

Kenna went first with an old guy named Ralph. Then Rel went with a youngish guy name Johnny. TT was last with a guy named Chris. I had to hike back up that very steep, muddy hill. I nearly coughed up a lung before catching and riding the gondola back down. The kids beat me to the bottom. I missed it. Apparently, Rel’s guy narrowly avoided crash landing. He hooked the parachute on the roof of a house. When he nearly hit the house, all he said was “Oh Sh*t” – they all loved it though.

See Rel’s parachute on the roof in the background.

We packed up and headed to Zurich. Here are my observations of our time in Switzerland:

• `Tourists mostly are packs of Chinese, Middle Eastern and Asian Indian families, a few British, German and Elderly Americans
• The whole country is a celebration of Swiss craftsmanship in watches, clocks and chocolate
• Speed limits are only posted when they change – so keep your eye out.
• Tunnels, tunnels, tunnels. There are roundabouts galore. Drivers are mostly courteous everywhere. But in canyons, they ride right up your butt.
• Feel free to raid the Minibars – it’s all included – except the champagne.
• Only one “unhoused community member” spotted the entire time.
• There are four official languages: German, French, Spanish, and Italian. This is because it borders all four countries. Pretty much everyone speaks a few of them, including English.
• The scenery IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL I’ve ever seen.
• Be better about researching restaurants – food is hit and miss!
• I WANT TO GO BACK!