07 August 1993

Summer Tour, Switzerland

We all got together again for another alpine tour... this year would be slightly different in that I needed to be back early, so had arranged to go out by plane, and meet up with Dave in Tasch at the camp-site. Dave would drive out with Bryon and Steve, additionally Derek and Nick would meet us out there after the first week.

We did not know it at the time, but after this we would settle on winter tours, and Dave would emigrate to Canada, so this was a last hurrah!.

I deposited the tent, food and the cook kit with Dave, but carried the rest of my stuff - I had a large alpine sack with various things hanging off it, together with a duffel bag with my metalwork - climbing stuff (so I could carry it on and save the weight on the checked bag), and a small day sac of other clothes. I was wearing my plastic alpine boots, and had the pockets of my jacket stuffed with things as well.

Getting on planes in those days was so much easier, and security was a cursory glance ...  not one batted an eyelid at my bag of things that would not be allowed now a days (ice axes, crampons, ice screws, pitons, etc...).
I was booked on an early evening flight after work from Gatwick to Geneva. After the plane landed at Geneva, I collected my stuff and went to find a train heading towards Sion or Sierre. I did not know where I would spend the night, but just that I should head towards Zermatt and just see what turned out.

By luck I got on an express train up the Rhone valley, and before midnight had reached Brig (where the Zermatt "special" train terminates). I was not aware that the Zermatt trains only ran during the day and everything had stopped for the night. Not wanting to buy a bed, at this late hour (it was nearly midnight) I found a waiting room where there was a number of people were hanging around looking like they may be waiting for a suitable time to doss down.  I claimed a space on one of the benches, and was soon fast asleep.

The next day, I was awakened by the other occupants of the room stirring... a short walk got me to a cafe for coffee and Croissant and then it was time for the first train to leave. Jumping on this I was soon at Tasch, where it was a much longer walk than I remembered to get back to the camp-site, especially with a heavy ruck-sac on my back, the duffel bag perched on top and behind my neck, and the small sac around the front.

At the camp-site, I crashed behind the reception block and prepared to wait for the others to get there. It was a long wait, and shortly before they arrived I was making plans to get some dinner, and also where I could "bivvy" for the night. Fortunately they arrived before I had to spend a second night roughing it.

We quickly pitched the tents, and grabbed some food before retiring to the bar for some refreshment.