I just had to share the below email from a friend of mine who was set to do the Swiss trip but missed out due to border control people. His route was slightly different from the “Official” Swiss trip and incorporated a few extra mountains. He also didn’t have the luxury of food, water on tap and a support vehicle catering to your every need and carrying all your bags. His email had me in stitches.

 

leaping on lake Geneva

leaping on lake Geneva

 

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Hey Craig,

 

My update on the Swiss cycle trip,

 

So I arrive in Geneva around lunchtime on Saturday and the bike hire guy gives me the bike, I take one look at it and I say “where are the panniers?, I’m sure I booked panniers” and he goes “panniers are ‚¬25 per day extra” – my heart sinks as I realise I’m going to have to carry all my stuff on my back! (Didn’t really have a choice as it just wasn’t possible in the budget)
But I took your advice and emptied just about everything that wasn’t essential for survival – but still half way up the mountain it feels like you’re carrying a lead fridge.

 

Day one was actually ok, made good time into Vevay, bit sore but feeling somewhat capable and pleased with myself, relatively drama free.

 

Day Two aka Day from Hell!
The local hostel owner gives me pathologically understated descriptions of the intensity of the hills….. I only found out after I got back that asking the locals perhaps isn’t always the best thing.

 

I took the Chair lift thing from Vevay to Chatel St Denis – about 10 mins and 5 Euros.
A few Day 2 highlights;- ran out of food and water, prayed for manna but all that was left in my sweaty backpack was a capsule of peppermint smints! , had to scramble down into a deserted mountain stream once to top up my water bottle or die of thirst); up on Brunigpass had to