Michelle, Kaitlyn, Josh, Andrew, and I arrived Friday, July 15th in Interlaken without any problems. We even found our hostel without any difficulties while navigating the streets at night. The mountains ominously blacked out the sky at night so we had to use our imaginations as to what the scenery looked like upon arrival. The real beauty would have to wait until sunlight the next day.
The following morning after breakfast supplied by the hostel, Michelle and I ventured right outside our hostel to Lake Brienzersee. The view as absolutely stunning! The blue-green water gently flowed with towering mountains in the background. The crisp morning air filled my lungs with every breath. Finally...some relaxation on this trip! We walked the path along the lake occasionally resting on a bench or by the water. It was pretty chilly so the water was way too cold early in the morning. There were all kinds of people visting...families with children all the way to retired couples.
After taking in the Swiss Alps, we walked into town to shop and eat. I was warned about how expensive Switzerland is and they weren't kidding. All souveniors were pricey but I found a few things for my family. I spent forever picking out a Swiss Army knife for my dad. I also loaded up on chocolate. I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out in town and back by the lake and mountains.
Interlaken is the capital for extreme sports. They offer everything from white water rafting to canyoning. I wanted to be adventurous and had always wanted to go hang gliding so with a quick call I had a reservation! That evening I was picked up from my hostel (they were a little late since they forgot about me) and taken to the landing site. After packing up the glider from the previous flight, I was off in a van up the mountain.
After signing my life away, we arrived at the top of the mountain. They placed a huge heavy backpack on me and I was ordered to hike uphill to the take-off site. After barely surviving that part, we set up the glider and harnesses and went over take-off procedures which were pretty simple...just keep RUNNING! Before I knew it, we were facing the runway (an insanely steep slope) and my flighing instructor yelled to start running. After a few leaps we were in the air and the cool Swiss breeze was blowing in my face. I was swiftly soaring through the air over the moutains and water. I was surprised how peaceful flying was...the wind was perfect. After posing for pictures (the camera was attached to the glider) and waving to people at a restaurant on top of a mountain, we were slowly making our way back to the ground. We landed sliding onto an empty field on our stomachs.
Switzerland was a beautiful mountain paradise. I will always remember the feeling of breathing fresh air and flying through the mountains. This weekend offered much needed relaxation and thrills beyond my comprehension.
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