Roadie in Switzerland

The week after we flew back from Germany, we took Friday off work (keep in mind that this is all back in January and we are now in March) and flew over to Geneva on Thursday night. Everyone at the Geneva airport spoke French so it was fun being able to test out my very amateur French out when trying to get us to our hotel. We stayed in Geneva overnight and got up reasonably early the next morning to pick up our rental car and get on the road up to Zermatt. It was the first time we have driven in about a year (that's how long we have been away now...) so it was pretty cool going on a roadie together, putting on a CD and cruising along the Swiss motorways. It gives you a sense of freedom being back in the car again, going when you want and where you want. We have missed it. A couple of hours drive took us through the gorgeous Swiss countryside and through tons of little villages to Tasch, a small town (if you can even call it that) that is full of carparks and sits at the base of the mountain leading to Zermatt. As you are only allowed electric cars in Zermatt, we had to leave our car at a parking lot and were given a ride up the mountain to the village where we were picked by the owner of the B&B we were staying at in their electric car. They are tiny, can only fit two of you (or three at a stretch) with your luggage and are open on the sides so that you get the mountain fresh air as you cruise through the snow covered village. My parents had booked us in to a quaint little B&B that was very cosy and comfortable and had been there for days waiting for us to arrive (work schmerk - we really should just become unemployed and continue traveling the world - it is much more fun!). They had already tested out skiing on the mountain, had found the best ski-runs and a suitable local that served good beer and great Italian food. Thank god for Switzerland - breakfast brought us coffee that actually tastes good (note: really crap coffee in London!!!!!) and a beautiful Swiss buffet breakfast (cheese, pastries, bircher muesli and freshly squeezed orange juice) and we headed out for a brilliant days skiing up the Matterhorn. The mountain is well set up for skiers - you disappear into a building in the village where there is a train that takes you up the inside of the mountain until you reach gondola and chair lifts that take you up to the groomed trails. Very efficient. In between skiing, we stopped at the mountain cafe and sat outside in the sun to eat hot soup and french fries washed down with a handle of beer. Bliss! The whole atmosphere was awesome - amazing how some fresh air, good food and great company can make you feel so happy. The snow was awesome and as Zermatt was not very busy at all, the mountain was virtually empty and we had plenty of long long ski runs without any crowds and also no waiting in queues! At nights we wandered the village through the snow, had our beers and pasta at our favourite restaurant and wandered back to the B&B. It was a very relaxing and lovely weekend and a place that we will definitely visit again!