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Published: October 30th 2007
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OK so I've been extremely lazy for oh, around 3 months now and am finally, finally getting round to writing again. About time I say.
As you can guess I'm writing this from home, enjoying the start of my 3 days off after half-term and fireworks at Legoland. Yes, I did go back despite what I said but hey, it's a good gap filler and I need to earn some money before winter. Lots of things to buy for the season. Austria is on track and I should be heading out there in just over a month now. Hopefully my digital camera (that I broke way back in July) should be fixed soon so I will have more lovely photos to flaunt.
Most of you know what I've been upto since my last blog but in case you don't I'll compile a little list for you. I should start with August the 1st. In Switzerland Swiss National Day is a big, big day a bit like our New Years with free beer (wouldn't happen in the UK!), horn blowing of the Alpine variety that is, flag throwing, street parades and the grand finale of fireworks. Quality day out and
of course finished off by an evening in Tiffany's to dance the night away to classics of Umbrella and the like.
The next few weeks were a little quiet work wise so a lot of time was spent by the pool and I also took a trip down to Lugano to see our rep there, Sharon. I attempted a bit of the old italiano, which is getting very rusty but I still love speaking it. Must work on that some more. Lugano is beautiful and prosecco is much cheaper than in the german speaking part of switzerland! Shocking. Luckily we did have Denner to keep us in supplies of Prosecco. Drink of choice definitely. What makes me laugh is that there is a song that was out whilst I was there with the lyrics 'Das alles waer nie passiert, ohne prosecco' i.e. 'It never would have happened without the prosecco. I think that may well be my lyrics for the summer! What can i say, it goes down very very easily! But back to Lugano, great place to visit and was nice to see somewhere so different from Wengen and the Bernese Oberland. But, and Sharon will agree with
me on this, the people are very strange! Maybe it's all that, are we swiss are we italian confusion?
A few various nights out including a particularly quiet one in Balmers where we befriended a Brazillian girl. Talk about knowing how to shake your booty! Who would have thought only moving your hips could work up such a sweat! Amazing dancer though and great fun. Must take up some form of latin dance. Me and Portia also decided it was time to get serious on using our regional passes. Trips out included a few caves (Beatus) and our favourite gorge - the Aare Gorge. We are now officially geeky gorge enthusiasts. Another trip to Meiringen on the way home - still no meringue consumed there. I also had a visit from one of my flatmates from Salerno. Can't believe time goes so fast!
The last month was creeping up pretty quickly and between me, Dawn, Portia and Plum we had a pretty good checklist of where we wanted to go. I did some mission of a hike on my own half-way round the valley it felt like and we took the trip up to Kandersteg and the blue
lake and went on a chair lift where you sit side-ways... how random?! Great views but we all decided it was no match for our end of the Bernese Oberland.
Finally in September, only 5 months after arriving, I got my butt up the Shilthorn, where they filmed part of the Bond film On Her majesty's service. Those cable cars are long and pretty scary too I might add. Unfortunatly the views weren't the best when we went up as it was a little cloudy but I got the idea and a few snaps! I also went up first cable car and walked to Bachalpsee, while Dawn played in the snow! It looks so beautiful with the blue sky against the snow. I think our last trip was to Giessbach waterfalls. Really pretty.
After all of that I pretty much slacked for a week or so whilst Dawn entertained her parents and bro. But we did have a BBQ in the mountains, which was good fun. Once we got there that is. It was nice and secluded so we weren't breaking any 10pm noise rules! Also was a good turn out so it was nice to say bye
to people. Portia true to form managed to fall down the mountain a few times! And me in my wisdom thought, oh lets not walk down this hill, lets roll. So me and Portia did and I got stung by stinging nettles on my bum! Painful. I mean i was expecting cow pat but not nettles. So i sat in the pub with a towel full of ice on my bum. Attractive eh?!
Next day a little worse for wear was our great expedition of wait for it... canyoning!! Yes we all went and jumped through waterfalls and slid off rocks. The photos are me in full rubber faced ronnie mode. And i jumped off a big log... you had to see it to believe it but suffice to say it was pretty scary stuff but definitely enjoyable once we'd gotten over the fear factor!
The final few weeks really crept up on us all. We mostly left within two weeks of each other but still it was pretty hard seeing everyone go. There were tears! Very strange to think of leaving a place you have known as home and leaving the people too. You take the mountains
for granted when you stare at them every day but coming home and seeing good old Bracknell (note sarcasm) really makes it hit home that you have been lucky to have lived and experienced such a place.
I suppose I've been busy and not had so much time to really think about it all but now looking back on the past few months and reminiscing over funny stories and moments is quite sad as it's now all in the past. I definitely made some great friends out there who I hope to see more of in the future but knowing how much life changes and a year on from uni seeing the people you actually manage to stay in contact, who knows? But, for now, I'll enjoy every minute of it!
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