Waking up to the sounds of Cow Bells in Gimmelwald, Switzerland

I fell in love with Switzerland the first time I visited. The beauty of the rolling green pastures. The flower covered fields. The vast mountain ranges with small villages dotted among the landscape. It captured my heart the moment I arrived. I first visited here on a solo trip to a guesthouse/ restaurant clinging on the side of a mountain, above Appenzell , on the north east side of the country. Rick Steve’s, one of my favorite travel authors, recommended it. It was breathtaking, and I’ve trusted his opinion ever since. I learned a lot on my first trip to the Alps. First of all, yes, you do need hiking boots to hike down a mountain. And the right wool socks to wear with them, even in summer. Those hiking poles are not just for old people. They are crucial to save your knees coming down from any steep hill. Bring a translation guide book. All the maps and trail signs are in German ( or French depending where you are in Switzerland). Most of the locals only speak German, so unless you want to take the wrong trail ( like I did last time.) come prepared. Save up. Switzerland is expensive! Breakfast is simple, jam, cheese, coffee. Enough to start your day. Skip lunch, Bring snacks for your hikes, lots of water. Plan on doing a few hikes while you’re here. There is no where else on the world as beautiful then the hiking in Switzerland. Meals are big here! Save your appetite for dinner. The locally made ice cream, MovenPick is amazing, ( Carmel being my favorite!) splurge and have dessert along with the apple streusel. There are no stores on the hiking trails! Or even in the small villages and towns. That’s where the snacks and fruit you will bring along with come in handy. My first trip here was amazing, but I learned some great tips and valuable lessons for my next adventure here. With the right preparation that turned out to be one of my best ventures yet, and a lot less blisters. This time I’m heading to a small town called Gimmelwald, above lauterbrunnenon , south of Zurich. A village with only 150 residents, 3 guesthouses, 2 restaurants, and lots of cows and sheep. It’s a 3 1/2 hour journey from Zurich, a change of trains, bus, cable car, and gondola to reach my guesthouse. I plan to hike, enjoy being in bed by 9pm, and up with the sunrise. Fresh air, peace and quiet, a great place away from it all to celebrate an upcoming birthday. Life is meant to be celebrated. Challenging yourself to go somewhere new. Tuning out from the busy world. This seems to be the perfect place to reflect on another great year of life! I’m happy to share another journey with you.

Planned Dates

2019-08-07 to 2019-08-11

Countries

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