Cookie says...
Our shoebox might have been warm and dry but it had crap beds and pillows and I now have a sore back. Somehow we shanked a cheap breaky however afterwards I'm not so sure it was worth the saving. We returned to Geneva airport to pick up the car and we were back on the road. This time it's an Opel Corsa and only just fits us and our gear.
The capital of Switzerland was our next stop (Berne, not Geneva or Zurich) but we turned it into a driveby. From what we saw, it looked nice. We then decided to ignore the sat nav and follow the signs to Luzern. This meant that we ended up driving a back road as opposed to the motorway and for 30 mins, the car was telling us to do a u-turn. We're glad we didn't as we saw some stunning scenery peppered with sterotypical buildings. It was wonderful.
After checking in we went for a walk around the old town and found a place for dinner where we cheese fondue'd it again. Tomorrow we'll find some things to look at.
Julie says...
Ditto to everything he said...
But Cookie forgot to mention that we visited CERN on our way out of Geneva. Now for those readers who aren't science nerds, CERN is the large hadron colider a few kms underground that spans 50kms of France and Switzerland (in one big circle). It's where scientists get to slam tiny little particles together to try to re-create particle fusion and ultimately try to prove the big bang theory (no success so far). Unfortuantely it was closed, and so I missed out on making Cookie do nerdy science stuff with me for once.
Luckily for me however, we checked out places to time-lapse for tomorrow evening, so I can't wait for those 3 hours of boredom to begin :(
And I finally bought some cough medicine, which is a shame for my abs because they have had a serious workout this past week.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Day 24 - CH
Cookie says...
I have two words to describe Geneva today - wet and miserable. Regardless, we went exploring. The former United Nations headquarters was still closed so we looked at it from the outside. It seems that tourists aren't the only ones who don't find these things out until it's too late as there was a protest going on outside the front gates.
Next stop was the Reformation Wall and then the cathedral.
The Jet d'Eau was running but it's hard to discern white spray on a background of light grey sky.
We walked through the shopping district (it seems all European city centres are built around shops and souvineers). We even saw a dress for CHF 11,000 (Switzerland is expensive and Geneva moreso). Most places cost a first born to eat at and we can only imagine that everyone must be bankers. We gave up on the weather and headed back to the 'mansion'.
We snuck out for dinner, played some two player 500 (not as fun as four players but still playable) and it was game over for the day.
Julie says...
Today was kinda boring...
It rained, Geneva was closed, and really not that interesting anyway.
I don't earn enough money to even go window shopping in this town.
I have two words to describe Geneva today - wet and miserable. Regardless, we went exploring. The former United Nations headquarters was still closed so we looked at it from the outside. It seems that tourists aren't the only ones who don't find these things out until it's too late as there was a protest going on outside the front gates.
Next stop was the Reformation Wall and then the cathedral.
The Jet d'Eau was running but it's hard to discern white spray on a background of light grey sky.
We walked through the shopping district (it seems all European city centres are built around shops and souvineers). We even saw a dress for CHF 11,000 (Switzerland is expensive and Geneva moreso). Most places cost a first born to eat at and we can only imagine that everyone must be bankers. We gave up on the weather and headed back to the 'mansion'.
We snuck out for dinner, played some two player 500 (not as fun as four players but still playable) and it was game over for the day.
Julie says...
Today was kinda boring...
It rained, Geneva was closed, and really not that interesting anyway.
I don't earn enough money to even go window shopping in this town.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Day 23 - CH
Cookie says...
Sadly, it was time to leave Chamonix. Bronwen was staying the last night there while Pilty and Sarah joined us on the bus back to Geneva. They had a few hours of waiting until their flights so we headed in search of our hostel. We found it easily enough and not far from the train station however it isn't a very big room. In fact, the Hamburg to Paris train trip had marginally less space. Anyway, it's dry and warm so it will be fine.
After settling in, we took a stroll around Lake Geneva and discovered that the massive fountain stops running at four in the afternoon, minutes before I'm about to setup and take some photos of it.
As it was dinner time we headed back into CBD however apparently Geneva resembles Adelaide on Sunday and being New Years Day, it made it even harder to find something open. Fortunately a crepe joint beneath our hostel came to the rescue. Once back in the room we broke out Ticket to Ride, did some reading and hit the hay.
Julie says...
Seeing as how nothing much happened today (a typical travel day), I thought I would take this moment to give some advice to any travellers wishing to follow in our footsteps and explore Europe on a budget by using hostel/cheap hotel accommodation:
1. As European pillows are the thickness of cardboard even when doubled-over and wedged against the headboard, ensure you pack a coat you are happy to roll up and use as neck support.
2. The lake that develops at your feet during shower-time is normal - the Eurpoeans have not figured out that the size of the drain needs to be in proportion to the amount of water coming from the shower-head.
3. Don't ever expect a top sheet on your bed. Instead expect an over-heated room with a heavy doonah, so that you spend the entire night getting too hot and throwing a leg out the side of the bed.
4. When a towel is advertised as being included, expect to be drying yourself with something the size of a facewasher.
Sadly, it was time to leave Chamonix. Bronwen was staying the last night there while Pilty and Sarah joined us on the bus back to Geneva. They had a few hours of waiting until their flights so we headed in search of our hostel. We found it easily enough and not far from the train station however it isn't a very big room. In fact, the Hamburg to Paris train trip had marginally less space. Anyway, it's dry and warm so it will be fine.
After settling in, we took a stroll around Lake Geneva and discovered that the massive fountain stops running at four in the afternoon, minutes before I'm about to setup and take some photos of it.
As it was dinner time we headed back into CBD however apparently Geneva resembles Adelaide on Sunday and being New Years Day, it made it even harder to find something open. Fortunately a crepe joint beneath our hostel came to the rescue. Once back in the room we broke out Ticket to Ride, did some reading and hit the hay.
Julie says...
Seeing as how nothing much happened today (a typical travel day), I thought I would take this moment to give some advice to any travellers wishing to follow in our footsteps and explore Europe on a budget by using hostel/cheap hotel accommodation:
1. As European pillows are the thickness of cardboard even when doubled-over and wedged against the headboard, ensure you pack a coat you are happy to roll up and use as neck support.
2. The lake that develops at your feet during shower-time is normal - the Eurpoeans have not figured out that the size of the drain needs to be in proportion to the amount of water coming from the shower-head.
3. Don't ever expect a top sheet on your bed. Instead expect an over-heated room with a heavy doonah, so that you spend the entire night getting too hot and throwing a leg out the side of the bed.
4. When a towel is advertised as being included, expect to be drying yourself with something the size of a facewasher.
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