Lobbing it down

I arrived in Zurich city at 11. 12 swiss time after a flight and train. Once I managed to cram my suitcase in the tiny left luggage locker I was drawn, as ever, towards the old town, shops and beautiful old buildings. This time I managed to find lovely boutiquey shops alongside the river which contained TSK's birthday present.

Everywhere were beautiful murals of cats and flowers, sculptures and beautiful roofs.

I left the history behind and grabbed sushi. £12 worth but when in Switzerland... and I've never actually eaten caviar.

Eaten in a square in front of a fountain with tourists passing by and swinging my feet on the stone bench.

I headed for the business district to have a look at the government buildings which were a bit of a disappointment built of red brick. Beyond the business district I started to look for the station. Mostly I failed but I did find some very tasty shops including North Face with its sculpture outside and this rather dubiously named store.

I enjoyed the bikes inside and outside the shops...

some of them...

and walked around in a big circle. Finally read a map properly and arrived at the station just to receive a call from Fi and Tim asking where I was. Some minor watch adjustments and I arrived in Kusnacht station to a lovely welcoming party.

We drink tea then pack up the car to drive straight to Klosters where Fi cooks lovely dinner and we drink far too much wine and beer for the altitude. But when with old friends, there's no other option really is there?

Talk is of a miserable day tomorrow so there's no need to rush out of bed either. We look out of the window but resort to watching the weather channel because we can't see the other side of the valley for cloud. A big weather system is stuck at the bottom of the valley but will eventually overcome the geology and start snowing in the valley.

We eat a very piggy and leisurely breakfast then start walking, starting to leave in jeans but switching to walking trousers as it starts to rain. The only real joy is in the fresh air, the company and birdsong although most birds are trying to stay dry. We trudge through the rain chatting endlessly until we reach a mountain hut where, of course, I insisted on food.

Some fine mountain ham, cheese and hot chocolate followed by beer and finally facing up to the cold, increasingly horizontal increasingly snow.

Well wrapped up, sunglasses on to stave off the snow stinging my eyes as it's now coming at up straight on and hands in pockets we trudge home, a little quieter. Some of us avoiding the snow. Others digesting sausage. Back at the flat we sit and watch rugby and drink beer for the rest of the day, cook food, talk and watch the weather report. Images of the mountain summit on night ski-ing evening are of a floodlight moving around the screen in a fog of driving snow.

We all fall down... into bed. The inside of my legs are killing me. The same way they hurt with my old insoles so I conclude it was the fault of my old boots yesterday and not my walk in my fell shoes today. I fall asleep hoping that tomorrow they hurt less or at least they wont affect my skiing because tomorrow is going to be awesome. The snow outside lulls me quickly to sleep and I dream of the promised -10 degrees and bright sunshine tomorrow.