Interlaken..

We started early in the morning to pick up the rental car, again..:) this time we got a modest peugot 206 (something like that) and it was such a relief to drive that car. We started off well on time and soon hit the highway towards Zurich. Interlaken is about halfway and the whole drive can be completed in about 2 and half hours. We immediately fell in love with the countryside although we have heard so much about it. After some time, Neeraj, who had a bad cold and cough by then, needed a cup of coffee. We pulled over at a gas station and found a place called "stop and go". This has usually has very clean restrooms, grocery store and a cafeteria-like place where you can get several things like bread, quiche, pizza, soups and of course, coffee!!

We skeptically ordered the veggie soup only to be pleasantly surprised since it tasted more like the gravy of veg-korma :)That with garlic bread was just divine!! Also, this place had free internet, where you could send emails. To read them, you needed to insert coins. For a couple of CHF, you got 15 minutes. We determined that even if we stopped at every place we liked, we would still make it by lunch time! Then we fought!! :D for reasons undisclosed :)

Even when you are really upset, Switzerland entralls you with its beauty and peace. And friendly people. One thing to be aware of though, is that there is plenty of road construction all over the highways, you have to be really careful when driving on a single lane road.

The approach road to Interlaken is simply breathtaking, although I must add, having seen the Colorado rockies and Poudre Canyon, it can seem alike, if not that gigantic. The hotel we were staying in again was a B&B owned by the friendliest people we met in our entire trip(Chris and Ursula). It was called Rugen Park and was a little on the outskirts of Interlaken. On the outside it looks like any other building, but once you step in, you are greeted by a huge but harmless dog and Chris/Ursula with a warm concoction while you complete the formalities. Chris even offered to help us carry our stuff up. This time, we had a shared bathroom and W/C. It was fine, since we were the only ones on that floor at that time.

Ursula offered tips on what to do while we were in Interlaken. Ursula is a native of the region and Chris is an American. And then Neeraj set his eye on the advertisement for Paragliding....