Friday, December 17, 2004

Where do I start ? It has been over a month since my last blog. I have been really busy here. Well, I have spent a weekend here, and that was pretty good fun. On the Saturday I went to Grindlewald, which is a little town in the Shadow of the Eiger and the Monch, a 400 M giant of a mountain. I saw these mountains in the distance from near Laupen during my first week here, from 60 miles away they looked impressive, when I first saw them I thought they were clouds.So, on the Sauturday I bought a pair of mountain boots, at 400 Swiss Fr. (200 quid !) Felt unsure about them, but they are excellent. Went for a walk, to the foot of the Grindlewalsscher glacier, and tried to climb up to the glacier. Not a good idea, I was already at 1300M, it was icy, and I tried to climb a loose slope of glacier debris, big lumps of stone and crap. So I retreated, sliding on my arse. Went along and tried to climb a path made of wooden steps fixed to the rock, but this was worse as the steps were icy. Came back slowly, on my arse again. I felt so releived to be back down, that was abloody dangerous enterprise. Back to Bern.Sunday I went a drive round, to Kandersteg, near Interlaken. Went a walk up into the mountains, tried to climb a path to the Balmhorn hut at about 2000M, but after about 300M it got steeper and icier, so once again I retreated, on my arse on the steeper bits. Took my camera and got some great pictures. Since then its been, drive to airport, fly, arrive, drive to Bern late on Sunday night. Work, drink, work. Then back on Friday evening.Hazel seems keen again, I went to her house on Sunday last on the way to the airport (Liverpool and EasyJet is my choice now). She seems very friendly, i am not yet, but almost sure. I don't want to go through the fun of August and September ever again.But I am smitten though. What do I do ? Go with it. Now its Christmas, and all I have is a MP3 for David and a few cards. Blimey. Hazel is having some tests in hospital today, for her guts and kidneys as she has had lots of pain. I hope everything is OK and whatever it is, is found and is sorted. Back tonight, might visit her on the way home, see how it all went. Not ridden my bike since, i think, September ? Three months, terrible. I have not put on too much weight, in fact I lost some at first. Had a really bad cold a few weeks ago, been bothered with a sore chest ever since, but it has been blimming cold here, this week foggy, with the trees covered in hoar frost. So cold ! Woke up sweaty today, its up to 5C ! Almost tropical !