Tuesday 18th August: Thick cloud cold, afternoon intermittent sun and misty rain 15°C to 21°C.
Etihad Flight Brisbane to Geneva, Train Geneva to Gstaad: Arrived 6.09pm Gstaad
Graham and Jenny on the Golden Pass train from Montreux to Gstaad
Highlight of the day was meeting up with Graham and Jenny at Montreux train station with only 4 minutes to spare to change platforms and catch the 4.40pm Golden Pass train to Gstaad travelling through the classic Swiss Alps behind Lake Geneva.
After a maginificent rain trip around Lake Geneva, we met Graham and Jenny at Montreux station with 4 minutes to rush to a different platform for the Golden Pass train. They had already been in Switzerland for 5 days and were unlucky to have their trekking poles go missing en route from Vietnam, necessitating a trip to the sports store to buy two new sets. The clouds were low and misty rain had set in as we travelled through the alps passing through typical Swiss villages surrounded by green fields.
Geographical Distribution of Languages in Switzerland
The first of many beers on the APR
At 6.09 we arrive in the very touristy town of Gstaad and easily find the Posthotel Rossli, just 400 metres down the road. Gstaad is the start of the German speaking area of Switzerland and for the rest of the Alpine Pass Route (APR), it will be all German.
Time for a quick shower before dinner of Swiss/German sausage, rosti and salad washed down with a few beers and wines. Then back to our room to sort out our backpacks and say goodbye to our Chinese Laundry bags.