Freiburg, Basel, Grindelwald, Zermatt

I'm blaming the poor internet service in Switzerland on my lack of blog updates.. frustrating.

Anyway, I've been all on the go since my last post. It has been a bit too fast paced to fully take in each place for what they're worth, but I've had fun. Traveled everywhere by train - it's a bloody good service, always to the minute, and easily puts New Zealand's train network to shame.

Freiburg was a bit of a blast, but again, I was only there for one night! Chilled out at the beer gardens in the hot afternoon, and it soon became night. Spent most of my time in the old part of town checking out the markets and just absorbing what I could in the short timeframe. The people here were awesome, and because my accent stuck out like a sore thumb, I happened to connect with a lovely young German lady who has since linked me into a network of Kiwis in London (yeah, long story...).

Arrived in Basel the following day, but seeing France was so close, I decided to walk there. No border control or anything - it was a breezy 10 minute walk from Basel's CBD. The French town I walked to was pretty much a ghost town plonked alongside the sharp looking Swiss buildings.. such a contrast, but definitely worth the walk. I also found out while I was in Basel that I quite like Swiss cheese and chocolate - but I'll regret it when I start getting fit again once Uni starts in 2 weeks.

Over the past few days I've been staying in Grindelwald, which is somewhere in the middle of the Swiss Alps. Loving the scenery and the mountain climbing... it's like Wanaka on steroids. It's overrun by tourists, but I can understand why. Made it to the 13,000ft yesterday - the highest I've been outside a pressurised cabin. The air was actually pretty thin up there, making holding a conversation and hiking at the same time pretty damn difficult. Also had a quick look at Zermatt - the town at the bottom of the Matterhorn. Made it up one of the gondolas to the top of Klein Matterhorn, but soon enough I was in a complete white-out, and it was snowing.

Leaving for Lyon tomorrow. See ya.

Basel !

Ride up to Glacier Paradise in Zermatt.

Doing my International Relations readings.

Gindelwald

Had an insane number of people staring at me for wearing these.

Disneyland's mother.