This blog post describes the content of the video, which you can see below:
In the last vlog, we were in the Alps, very near the Swiss border, and in this video, we visit Switzerland for the first time.
Driving into Switzerland from France
We were a bit afraid of crossing the border; maybe we would get checked. Even though we had everything in order, we wondered what would happen. But there was no one at the border, and we could just drive on.
We were immediately impressed with the views in Switzerland; how stunning! And that wouldn’t be the last time we would be impressed with this country.
In Switzerland, you need a vignette to drive on the highways, but since we had all the time, we decided not to get a vignette and instead just drive more minor roads. But by Google’s mistake, we shortly ended up on the highway anyway. Google Maps didn’t realise the road we were on was a toll road. So we were glad when we saw an exit and could leave it again.
Meeting up with friends
We met Maaike and Synco in Slovenia a year ago. They were already travelling full-time at the time, and when we decided to travel for a longer time too, we tried to find a moment to meet up. And Switzerland became that place. We had two fantastic days/evenings catching up and hiking to a nearby waterfall.
Taking the train through a mountain
Our next stop in Switzerland was on the other side of a big range of mountains. Driving around would take us at least 4 hours, and we would take us back almost the full route we had driven coming into the country. But our campground owner told us about a car train going straight through the mountain. And yes, they did take motorhomes too. What an adventure!
We took a break after our train ride at a cultivated lake called the Blausee. The lake is very beautiful, but it’s very touristy. There is a parking fee, an entrance fee to the lake and everything around the lake is costly too.
Lauterbrunnen
After the Blausee, we continued our journey to Lauterbrunnen. This a tip from a guy we met at the campsite near Annecy. He had said that Lauterbrunnen was the most gorgeous nature of Switzerland, with loads of waterfalls. And well, it did not disappoint.
When we first arrived at the camping at Lauterbrunnen, we were both so stunned we couldn’t speak. Marten even got a bit teary-eyed. This place is incredible. It feels like a movie or fantasy book.
Not only is the surrounding nature everything you expect from Switzerland, but Lauterbrunnen also has 67 waterfalls! Some are bigger, some smaller, but it is spectacular!
Going up the Schilthorn
Near Lauterbrunnen, one of the highest mountains in Switzerland is the Schilthorn, with its top at 2970m altitude. We took four cable cars up to the highest point. While going up, we went through a lot of clouds, and we weren’t sure if we would be able to see anything once we were at the top. But the sky opened up, and the views were amazing.
Unfortunately, because of some hot weather, there was a lot of avalanche danger and we were not allowed to leave the platform for either of the two highest ones. Isa did not like that she saw snow all around us but couldn’t enjoy it.
The Schilthorn is known for a scene in one of the earliest James Bond movies, and on the highest platform, you can see two cutouts of James Bond in that movie. On the platform below that, there is a special thrill walk. A path complete of steel and glass, next to the mountain. You have amazing views, but only if you have nerves of steel. Marten did go down there, but Natalie is far too afraid of heights to go even near it.
Even though Marten is not afraid of heights, he said that even he had shaky knees. And all the mist didn’t help at all. Once he was finally at the end of the walk he had to go the whole way back as the exit turned out to be closed.
After that, we took the cable cars back down. We could leave the cable cars at one of the lower platforms and hike down to the lowest platform. During our walk, we saw a lot more waterfalls and pretty meadows.
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