Made it to Saas Fee today.
Left our home airport on a 5:45 flight and got to Zurich. The flight was easy. Just over 7 hours. We had the three middle seats on the airplane (so both Dan and I had an aisle and Sara was in the middle of us). Julia didn't have a seat (not needed until 2 years).
I started out holding Julia on the airplane, but in the end it was Dan that did the lion's share. He held her in his arms for most of the flight - either standing up in the back of the plane or in his seat. That left me free to take care of Sara and get a little sleep. Sara is now old/big enough not to be in her car seat on an airplane. What a nice treat not to have to lug that around!
We landed and got to the train station. Bought a 2 day train pass, that also works as a 1/2 fare card. We rode the train to Visp. There were first class cars, second class cars, and family cars. We chose the family car. That meant a lot of little kids. It also meant a slide, and a little boat to steer, and a place for kids to climb! It was all on the upper deck of the two deck train car. Sara and Julia were over joyed to see it and played non-stop for at least an hour. Their cheeks were red for all the fun. Sara tried talking to the other kids, who must think Americans talk a lot!
For the last part of the train ride Julia fell asleep in Dan's arms and Sara fell asleep using me as a pillow. They both slept soundly. We had to wake both up when we got to Visp. Getting off a train with two kids and 100 lbs of luggage is tricky. We did fine. Everyone else scurries off the platform and we usually just stand there for a while to catch our breath and we glad we made it.
Sara fell asleep immediatly back in the bob-stroller. Julia was a little cranky - not knowing what she wanted (and we didn't blame her) but she settled down watching Peter Pan on the iPad.
In Visp we took the Post Bus to "Saas Fee" our little town. We expect to be here 2 weeks.
The Post Bus ride was fun. Sara was asleep curled up in Dan's arms, Julia was asleep using my hand as a pillow (a great work out for me having to hold the same pose for an hour). On the ride we climbed up, up, up, into the Alpine world. I'd see arched bridges in the distance and then after a few criss-cross switch-backs we were going across the bridge. The bus hugged the road. Often I looked to my left and only saw the guard rail - with nothing but valley below. Steep around here. Is a little hairy to think about but the drivers are used to it.
The sky was blue. As if someone put a drop of blue food coloring into a glass of milk. Like a white-blue. We went past everything - little villages clinging to cliff sides - streams crashing down jagged rocks - snowy mountains - all very Swiss. After all the travel thus far it was nice to have two sleeping kids and just chill.
We got to Saas Fee and walked to our apartment. We were all glad to be "home." The girls explored the place. It took a while to decide which bedroom for whom, and then we switched it around anyway.
I'm going to close now to head to sleep. Sara and Julia are already in bed, and it is high time for us too. It is 6:34 Swiss time. We ate in for dinner, pork with cheese and ham inside (we went to the grocery store during our first walk around Saas Fee).
During our first walk around Saas Fee Sara was so cute. She was pointing to everything and commenting on it - even ice! Thick ice, thin ice - and she loved the snow. She is an expert at walking in snow, then asking me to get the snow out of her boot. ;) We love that she is so excited about everything - I played in the snow with her while Dan was with Julia (who was sleeping in the Bob stroller).
I better get to sleep now. Who knows when they will wake up tomorrow!
;) Lori
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