Blergh! The power inverter we were using to charge my laptop in the van died, so now I can only charge my laptop when we pay for camping, and then the battery is so crap it doesn't last long so I have to ration my laptop usage! Luckily Zac has his ipad but he hogs it and I can't do my blog on it - grrrr.... we'll have to sort something out but basically this is my excuse for not having updated my blog for some time...
Our first night in Switzerland we spent in a camp ground in Zurich on the lake. This was also our first introduction to some of the prices in Switzerland that we had been warned about, when the campground employees told us that 1 night sleeping in our van was going to cost around 45 Swiss Francs, more than double what we’ve been used to paying. Luckily when they saw the looks on our faces they said we could have a “bad weather” discount and pay 30 Swiss Francs for the night instead.
Zurich city we drove in circles for ages trying to fnd a park and eventually gave up and drove to a mall on the outskirts instead, but on the way back we stumbled across one of the most awesome flea markets either of us have seen, hidden away behind an old service station, they sold anything and everything you could think of and I could’ve stayed there all day.
We then drove from Zurich to Lucerne which is such a beautiful little town where we wandered through the old cobbled streets and had two coffees that cost $5 Aussie each (!) although they were some of the yummiest creamy coffees we've ever had.
 |
| Our coffee spot in Lucerne |
We stayed in a camping place just outside of Zermat Switzerland which is home of the famous ski- resort which includes Switzerland’s highest peak, Matterhorn . The one thing we unfortunately overlooked though is that it appears to be a ski-resort tailored to the rich and famous, and we have a modest budget this trip, which doesn’t include 90 Swiss Francs for entry into an ice-bar full of beautiful ice-sculptures. The town of Zermat itself is car free, which is a great idea, but it means that we have to pay 30 Swiss Francs just to get there. Zac was frantically looking on the internet for another ski-field we could use in Switzerland that was still open this late in the season and that won’t cost us an arm and a leg, which included one which was actually back in Liechtenstein.
The drive to Zermat was through some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen, sadly the weather was a bit drizzly and there was low cloud over much of the mountains marring the views.
 |
| Our camping spot near Zermat |
During our night camping we heard bell klanging noises and after investigating we discovered that in the small barn next to the house that was in the grounds, a family of sheep were keeping out of the cold...cute!
 |
| Peek-a-boo |
 |
| Swiss sheep with bells around their necks keeping warm |
We decided the best place for snowboarding that wasn't heading back where we'd already come from would be France - yay! So the next couple of nights we spent in the French Alps free-camping in the carpark of the ski-resort. The drive from Switzerland to France included a section where our car had to be put onto a train to be taken through a tunnel for 15 minutes and on the other side of the tunnel where we came out the weather was perfect - score!
The drive through France was beautiful and with clear blue skies and perfect views as far as the eye could see - very lucky...
 |
| Our 1st night camping in the French Alps |
 |
| A baguette so big it came with its' own box |
It was so much fun being in France and saying 'Bonjour' & 'Merci' to everybody, it's just such a beautiful language I love hearing it spoken. Zac has a 'thing' against French people which I was hoping a visit to France would help him see beyond, and luckily all the French people we met were super friendly and helpful, all except one French lady in Switzerland who dobbed us into the caravan park owners after we tried to use their laundry facilities for free and was telling us off in French even though we clearly didn't understand what she was saying. Was quite funny actually. I think because this lady was technically Swiss and not French, and because it's only one 'bad' French experience out of many, that this trip has definately helped open zacs mind - at least a little...
 |
| Our last night camping in France by a river |
No comments:
Post a Comment