Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Geneva > Chamonix

When I woke up this morning I immediately checked on the status of my bag, online. I saw the magic words "received at airport". I called to confirm and update the location I needed it delivered to. The bag was at Heathrow this morning at 7am and we were planned to head to Chamonix at 9am. I asked them to either send it to the hotel in Argentiere or Trient. I have no problem walking from Chamonix to Argentiere in flip flops (about 2 hours), but I am a little worried about Trient. Especially since we lost the guide book in Kevin's bag.

We couldn't call on Kevin's until 1pm Central Europe time so we would have to wait and see on that one.

We each had a croissant, orange juice & coffee for breakfast and headed for the train station. Along the way we found a little store to buy Kevin a cheap duffel bag to carry his shoes, coat, pants & shirt in (the two plastic shopping bags just weren't working).

We took the train to Martigny and then switched to a really local train that would take us up to Chamonix. About 30 minutes before Martigny our stomaches really started growling. We would have to wait until Chamonix for food. The train ride from Martigny was amazing. I can only imagine what the views would have been like if there were no clouds or fog. Every now and then you would get a peak down into the valley, it was truly amazing.

Once in Chamonix we headed for lunch....we just happened to pick the a cafe that took neither credit cards or Swiss Francs. Kevin went to try to get Euros, but had problems with the ATM card. We think it is because we took out the max on Monday our time and it is still Monday US time.. not sure. Hopefully it works tomorrow in Argentiere.

After lunch we went to find a book store (for a new guide book, maps) and a couple of stores to re-outfit us. This place is crazy ---- expensive and crowded...and the stores take an 1.5 hour lunch break. We figured out what we would need to get me along until I had my bag (shoes & a jacket) and figured out what Kevin "had to have", which is very close to everything he brought. Now for the shopping spree, I found a 2007 edition of Kev Reynolds Haute Route guidebook (our lost one was 2001) and I got the two maps we would need. Next we headed for a camera store to get another charger for the camera (the old one is in Kevin's bag). She said she might have one this afternoon and to come back at 5...we can't figure that out, maybe there is an afternoon shipment. Then we were on to a phone store to get a new charger (the original is in my bag but my blackberry is almost dead and we are going to need it before I can get my bag back). We headed to an internet cafe to get out of the rain, update the blog and charge the blackberry. Next we are headed for a couple of outdoor stores (once they get back from their lunch breaks) and then on to Argentiere.

More later.

1 comment:

Mel said...

Wow! You guys are already having quite the adventure. Even with the lost bags and the scramble to replace necessities, I'm super jealous. :-) We've got an extreme heat advisory this week, so I'll be living vicariously through you, and trying to imagine that clean, cool mountain air!