Friday morning, the four of us head to the airport to meet up with the remaining 6 women who would be landing soon. With our backpacks and luggage in tow, we board a private bus and head north to Switzerland.
I, for one, was struggling to stay awake. I desperately wanted to take in every inch of the magnificent countryside, and I managed to stay awake long enough to see Lake Como, (where George Clooney and whats-her-name lives,) then I was out.
Four hours later, we arrive in Meiringen, Switzerland, home of Sherlock Holmes, and the waterfall where he (supposedly) fell to his death.
Saturday, July 25, was a layover day, and I got up early to walk around the village. Meiringen looked just like you would imagine a Swiss village to look. Homes with their windows open and no screens, flower boxes at said windows, gardens, small roads, the church, homeowners and shop owners sweeping the sidewalks and the smell of fresh-baked bread wafting in the air from the local bakery.
Back at the B&B, breakfast was being prepared. There was no bacon, eggs, grits or biscuits, but a hearty meal of fresh bread,(I am having difficulty in finding the words to describe the breads made in Europe. Perfection maybe?) Müesli (my favorite, right after Nutella) fruits, coffee, cheese, prosciutto and juice.
With our bellies full, we meandered around the town, visiting shops and stocking up on provisions as this would be our last village with a store for a few days. Then it was a tram ride to the top of nearby Reichenbach Falls.
Tasha and I decided to hike to the Gauli Glacier after the falls. With no real map, one bottle of water each, rain gear and a little money we continued up the mountain, following the now familiar Wanderweg signs.
Almost three hours later no Glacier. Yup! We took the wrong path. Nothing new for me, that’s how I find some of the coolest places! In the middle of no-where, really no where, was this hotel. So, we stop for a glass of vino and wait for the bus, we were running out of time to get back to the B&B.
Later on this trip, after taking the same bus line to different locations and much longer distances, Tasha and I came to the realization the bus driver took us for a ride, (pun intended.) He charged us each €23.40, that’s $26.45 for a 34 minute bus ride. Longer bus rides were in the €2 to €3 range.
Arriving back at the B&B, we had a meeting, dinner and got repacked for the next morning, when the hike back to Italy would start.
Travel tip: When paying for something, make sure you know what you are paying for and that the price being charged is correct. When you buy something, look at the receipt and count your change before you leave the shop. Some Europeans will take advantage of you if they know you do not know better or if you’re not paying attention.
