I originally wanted to skip Switzerland with no interest in the higher prices or lack of snow in Summer. However the beauty in my surroundings was worth every cent(or frank being the local currency). When arriving I found out there were a lot more activities than I had previously anticipated. i expected there to be nothing in its off season) with that said a few of the girls signed up for a day on the rapids and I opted for a high ropes and zip lines for the cheaper option of a thrill. I highly recommend it the area consists of 9 different courses of different difficulty each one sending you soaring through the tropics. Located in the more populated town of Interlaken I spent the rest of the day exploring on the hunt for a decently priced lunch, 2 hours later, grumbling stomach and still no sign of a meal under the equivalent of 30 dollars, especially the local dishes I was eager to try. I soon found myself with the impression of being lower class getting eyes off the Swiss who are walking around with shopping bags worth my life savings. So there I am sitting on the ground outside the supermarket, dripping of sweat and absolutely devouring half a BBQ chicken (with plastic cutlery if that makes me look classier).
Staying at Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnnen was centred in quite a tiny town. Traditional looking lodges are quite the sight at night coming to life with twinkling fairy lights and the smell of a home cooked meal. The facilities were quite decent and I ended up with a few rowdy bunk mates offering continuous laughter and flowing yager bombs. The best part is an underground bunker bar exclusive to Busabout and Contiki and let me tell you a night there was a good turn out. Things got messy quite quickly however if your thirsty and need to sober up take a stroll to the freshwater stream running parallel. Your hands instantly freeze when cupping some out but its quite convenient none the less. If this doesn't sound great enough they have a paddock with sheep within the park and waterfall views from your dorm window! Not complaining(until I found out sheep don't like me)!.
Top Tips
1. As I said Switzerland is extremely expensive so buy yourself some groceries before you cross the boarder. for me i was stoked to use up the pasta and pasta sauce I purchased in Austria that had been weighing me down for weeks on end.
2. The restaurant is worth splurging on for one night, treat yourself right! Some local dishes to try would be a Rosti(its like a massive hash brown loaded with ham, tomato, melted cheese and a fried egg) or Älplermagronen (which is mac n cheese topped with cold apple sauce-weirdly wonderful).
3.Walk to the top of Staubbach Fall)-its the one you can see from your window, its free to climb half way up the waterfall offering you 180 degree views of the mountains, bright green grass and those gorgeous lodges I was talking about earlier. Not to mention a little spray of the waterfall to cool you down after walking the steepest hill for 20 mins.
