Interlaken!

Hi everyone! So we went to Interlaken, Switzerland this weekend. I have never had more fun skiing in my life. Thursday night we got on the bus at 8 and watched some movies and I fell asleep around 1:00. We got to Interlaken at 8:00 and it was snowing and cold. We rented our ski gear and then got on a bus, then a train, then a trolly, and then a tram, to finally get up to Manlichen where me and Jackie, Melissa, Joe and Laird skied together. However, we lost Laird after about five minutes of being on the mountain which stunk cuz we ended up looking for him all day and waiting in a lot of places. But the views and the skiing was incredible. We traveled a little bit to this area where we could make our own tracks in fresh powder! I didn't fall that day but some of my friends did and it was hilarious because it doesn't hurt to fall in the powder. All in all we came home Friday night amazed at the incredible skiing and from the moment I stepped on the mountain I knew I was going to do two days of skiing. Friday night we went to dinner at a Thai restaurant next to our hostel where we got a discount. We met these army guys who were all medics, nurses and pilots and they were from the south and stationed in Germany. Then we went to the bar called Metro that is in the basement of our hostel, Balmers, which is kinda famous. They had a 2 for 1 drink special until 10:00! So I got two Strongbows for 4.50 francs! And the francs were 1.06 to the $ so it was nice not having to convert everything since it was basically equal. We went to bed at about 11:30. The next morning, my friend Joe and I had decided to obviously do another day of skiing, but no one else wanted to spend the money because it was kinda expensive if you aren't an avid skier and don't understand the fact that WE'RE IN SWITZERLAND AND ITS INCREDIBLE. So we woke up at 7:30, took the 8:30 bus to the tram and took the 40 minute tram to Grindelwald where we got on a 40 minute gondola up to First, which is another mountain. The mountain was GIGANTIC. Its so much different skiing than Killington. There is easy skiing right next to very difficult skiing, groomed snow next to pure powder, and no trail names! So Joe is a great skier and we were really compatible and never had to wait for each other. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds and about 25 degrees so the conditions were incredible. The first time we went through some powder it was traversing on this hill and I accidentally fell into the snow and screamed a little. So Joe turned around to look at me and make sure I was okay....but he fell over down the hill onto his head, and fell AGAIN and landed on his feet! Needless to say I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. It was the funniest thing, he looked like a slinky. He was fine of course but I could barely breathe from laughing so hard. So then we skied in a few places where we made our own tracks in fresh powder and that was awesome. Until one time Joe was like "oh go over there!" so I followed him, but i was lower on the trail than he was, and I got stuck in a gully! So I had to walk myself out while Joe laughed hysterically. I have to admit it was hilarious but I was hoping that wouldn't happen to me! So then we took this REALLY long run down the mountain all the way back to Grindelwald and the trail went through the town and through the fields and houses and cabins and it was so beautiful. I think it would be a really nice place to visit in the summer. Then on the last run we met up with some friends from AUR and we went on this run that we had been looking up at all day long. It wasn't really a trail, more like off road skiing. It was really steep and there was a lot of snow that no one had skied in yet. So of course, our last run we all did it together. I went over to the place to make my own tracks and as soon as I started going I wiped out and lost my skis and poles and face planted into the powder. But it was really fun! BUt then I lost one of my skis in the powder....and I couldn't find it at all. So I was on the verge of tears and finally one of the kids we were skiing with found it! So I bought him a drink that the bar Saturday night because I don't know what I would have done if I had lost that ski. But the trail was incredible, and whenever I skied through the powder I couldn't help screaming YAHOO!!!!! the whole way down. Skiing through powder is the most fun thing I've ever done in my whole life. I can't even explain why it is so much fun but its such a rush and feels soooo coool. So saturday night I was exhausted and I went to bed early while everyone was partying downstairs but I'm glad I did because I woke up early and wasn't hung over and we walked around Interlaken. I bought a Swiss army knife and got my name engraved in it! Then we got on the bus at 1 and got back to Rome at 12:00. It was a long, tiring weekend but it was the most fun I've had since being in Europe and I wish I could go back to Switzerland, but I'm sure I will sometime eventually in my life. I would love to go skiing with Mom and Dad and Jessie there eventually. I'm still amazed at the pictures I took and can't believe I was actually there but it was the most awesome experience ever and I'm so happy I did and so grateful for the opportunity to go.