Switzerland 2007

Well finally the day came for the Carter-Fyvie family holiday to Switzerland...but FIRST our kitchen had to be revamped by 'Die Manne.

And then it was an early morning to catch our early morningflight to Switzerland. All we can say is that it was good to be back (we were there last year Sept). it was an amazing 5 days.

Day 1 we took the scenic route to Lauterbrunnen, where we had hired a chalet for our stay. The highlight of the day must have been the hair raising passes we went over, as I said it was the scenic route and then of the unexpected walk THROUGH a glacier.

The little hole in the centre is the entrance.

The icy blue was incredible!

Day 2, we awake to sunshine and caught the very early train, 6:50 to the Top of Europe. It was an awesome experience the coldness (-8) the views and the feeling of being at 3500m up was truely and experience we shall never forget.

TOP OF EUROPE

Alan with his parents out in the snow.

Us after a well earned lunch.

On the way down we stopped off at Wengen a village above the Lauterbrunnen Valley and tasted some Swiss pastries.

Day 3: We spent most of the day walking above the Lauterbrunnen Valley towards Murren. The day started with a cable car ride up the valley cliffs later a cheese farm stop, a Hot Chocolate stop and then the rain set in for the rest of the day forcing us to take a hair raising cable car trip down the cliff and back into the valley.

Walking in the rain

A Mountain field for making hay.

Day 4 we travelled 20min to Grindlewald to spend the day walking in the alps. We caught the cable car to First and then walked to Bushalpsee. On our return trip we decided to rather use Trottie bikes as our mode of transport than the cable cars. it was definitely a highlight of the trip. Basically we hired them from a station called Bort. the trail is 4,5km long and a drop of 700m... we ended the day with a good old SA Braai.

The view from our balcony

A family pic on in the Swiss Alps
Two little Snoggles with Swiss caps on.

Trottie BikesThe Swiss Alps

Day 4, another glorious day of sunshine. as they say, make hay while the sun shines, so the neighbours were making hay in the field next door to our chalet.

Making Hay

Alan, Walter and Gaylene enjoying a sunny relaxing morning.

Time to Leave our wonderful Chalet, thanks to Wiese's for a wonderful stay.

Our Lunch time stop at the lake near Interlaken.

Final goodbye to the Swiss Alps until next time!

Good to have family here!

Well Alan’s sister Gaylene and her husband Walter have finally arrived here in the UK. It all started off with a really early morning leaving home at 5:45 am on Sat the 19th May to collect them form Heathrow. It all worked out very well, as we arrived in at arrivals at Heathrow Walter and Gaylene had just walked through arrivals.

Walt and Gaylene

Sunday Walters brothers Simon and Richard came from Birmingham to enjoy a BBQ at our house. Our main entertainment for the day was Walter and Gaylene running out the front of the house to get a look at the ice-cream van just as they had done the previous day when the postman delivered our mail. They are astonished by the fact that our postman drives a little red van, just like Postman Pat. Not sure what our neighbours thought of the new residents.

Richard, Walters Brother
We spent the rest of the week catching up with them resulting in very late nights, never got to bed before 12am.

Saturday the 25th May Alan and I decided that we would be tour guides for the Fyvies and show them around London. It was another early start to make the most of the day. We did a Hop on Hop off bus tour around London, just so that they could get to see the main sights of London. Unfortunately the weather decided not to play along and it turned to winter by the end of the day. We finally headed home after a very long day. But just before we hopped back into the car we decided to introduce the Fyvies to Starbucks coffee… mmm.

Al and Chants on the Tour Bus

Sunday we again spent the day in London went to church in the morning and then on to see Portobello market, where the movie Notting Hill was filmed. We attempted to find The Blue Door but couldn’t quiet remember what it looked like so we took pictures of lot of doors in the area. We then headed to Harrods where the rich and famous shop. Gaylene and I introduced the men to a few new designer names with lovely price tags like £1500 for a handbag? We then headed for the Kripy Kreme donuts on the ground floor, only to be amazed by the decoration in the food halls.

Krispy Kreme Donuts!

From there it was off to visit the Queen at Buckingham Palace, the lights were on but no one was home. By this time the temp was starting dip below 10degC so we decided that it was home time. But this time my travel skills for London did not do the trick, maybe it was because I was tired. So we basically ended up walking right around Buckingham Palace before finding the right bus stop to take us back to our car. And the Queen has a huge back garden!

Monday was a holiday here so we decided to brave the cold winter conditions (in the summer time) and go tour Cambridge. We managed to find parking, the Lush Shop, the Disney Store, Hotel Chocolat and the museum. By the time we exited the museum the temp was a mere 7degC apparently colder than the Arctic Circle. So we found a coffee shop to warm up in and then headed back home. Not the best day to tour Cambridge.

Our day out in Cambridge

I think next on the list is to take the Fyvies to Trooping the Colour in London on the 15th June, then Dad and Mom Carter arrive on the 20th June (2 more weeks to go) and then the much anticipated Carter/Fyvie family holiday in Switzerland the 25th – 29th June.