It was the last time to take the view in from my window and at breakfast of the lake today In Monteux – I really liked the hotel I selected – it was a Best Western right on the lake and the views were spectacular.

Mid morning 9.40am I am heading on a train to Zermatt nestled at the foot of the Matterhorn, I did have to do one train change in Visp after an hour travel and then the remaining hour was to Zermatt – a cog type train because the last part was up through the mountains and valleys.

The countryside was quite different to the Golden Pass, it was more rugged, noticeable pine type trees grew where there wasn't a grapevine.   I have also never seen so many grapevines so close to the little towns and all on the hills, it was a tapestry of vineyards. See photos.

Arrived 12.15 noon in Zermatt, the Butterfly Hotel - little people mover collected me for bags and then because the girls on reception said move it, get up the hill before the clouds come in, I didn’t even check in, they were so good, they said leave all your bags and get going.   So I was on my way to Glacier Paradise, Matterhorn – quite a walk to get to the cable car platform, it was through the charming town following the river up hill!!  

So there were three stops – it took 40 minutes to get to the top, not of Matterhorn by the way, just across the glaciers and up to a skiing peak which has clear views of the Matterhorn. There were skiers everywhere.

Luck was with me, the sun stayed shining and clouds mostly moved away so the views were fantastic, there was a smallish cloud that wouldn’t budge right beside the Matterhorn but it wasn’t enough to stop me from seeing it. The shape is like a horn, pointed at the top. A bit like our pyramid shape, only narrow and higher – grin.   Actually on height, I noticed the altitude, felt very heavy and at the end very tired but as soon as I got back to the bottom the weight lifted. It’s a weird feeling, one lady unfortunately was sick and I just happened to be there at the time, and helped her. She needed oxygen when the first aid officers came, she seemed a bit panicked so don’t think it helped.

The views of the glaciers and mountains were spectacular; at 3883 metres high you can admire almost 40 peaks that are higher than 4000m – see photos.

Before leaving I did stop in to see the Matterhorn Glacier Palace, an ice palace complete with glittering ice sculptures, it was freezing in the tunnels, so my time was short. Iin there I even gave the ice slide a miss which is not like me not to do the fun stuff, because I am sure I would have had frostbitten if I stayed any longer – grin.

On my way back I met a Brisbane couple that were keen to come to the glass dome Matterhorn museum with me because I mentioned it, and they had a Swiss Pass (Rail Ticket) like me and didn’t know that with it - all museums are free, public transport and ½ price on a lot of things that are tourist related. I felt sorry for them as they have had it for some time and have been paying for things that would have been free.   They were lovely people - Sue and Keith, we did the museum together and even walked down the street, window shopping.     I found out by chance that they are travelling on the same train tomorrow as me – Zermatt to St Moritz – Glacier Express, so we all said we’d meet up at the station in the morning together.

Going back to the museum, it was quite interesting, what Zermatt was like in the 1860’s, the history of mountaineering, the first climbers and how four men of the team didn’t make it back, fancy getting there but not returning. There has been over 500 deaths on that mountain, there are many ways to climb it, not just one track and some of the climbers climb it more than one, one 90 year old – had done 125 times, another 135 times.   I heard there is so many walks and skiing that I could have done as I had time, I decided I’d just visit and return safety as I didn’t want to be another added to its list of disasters!

Yeah, I got to see a (sample as they don’t use them anymore a St Bernard rescue dog with his little keg around his neck, there is no denying the appeal of these big, lovable droolers.  

Back to the hotel by 6.30pm for my room, as remember I hadn’t checked in, I decided to sit in the bar area and write this blog because it was so cosy and welcoming.

Another special day to look back on.