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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:19:36 GMT
Insight Vacations - Country Roads of Switzerland
I recently returned from Insight’s Country Roads of Switzerland tour, my first Insight tour. We were a small group with only 25 people, and being in my 30’s I was noticeably the youngest and also the only solo traveller, so there were some moments that I felt like I was the third wheel. Most couples preferred their own company and I was conscious of not wanting to impose on anyone. I’m an independent person so it wasn’t a big deal for me, but it was in fact the more ‘senior’ members of the group that I enjoyed the company of as they were still young at heart and had a great sense of humour.
The natural beauty of Switzerland is what attracts me and makes me keep on coming back, but I have only ever visited Switzerland on my own, so this time I decided to have the connivence of a tour. I was originally booked on Trafalgar’s Switzerland and Austria tour but I eventually changed to Insight as it was guaranteed and also offered a more comprehensive tour of Switzerland, including places I hadn’t yet seen before like the Italian speaking region.
The Tour Director was a disappointment and not what I had expected from Insight. He was unprofessional, and after 40 years as a Tour Director it was obvious that he was bored and had become complacent and just couldn’t be bothered. He did a poor job at communicating aspects of the tour and when he was asked a question he never answered it, his response was always “I’ll tell you later” which he never did. It all had an impact on the tour and we were left unimpressed by his conduct.
The itinerary was a good pace with sufficient free time, there were no really early morning starts or long driving days, although I felt we spent too long in some places and not enough in others. There were some beautiful scenic drives and good optionals which for me were the real highlight of the tour.
Most of the group were Americans, but there were couples from Australia, Canada, Phillipines and New Zealand including myself.
We had fairly good weather although temperatures were mostly mild, there were some hot days with only one day of light rain.
All the hotels had free wifi except our Zurich Hotel which only offered one hour free.
I did all but two of the optionals, the standouts were the Klein Matterhorn, Bernina Express, and the Jungfrau Excursion. The two optionals I didn’t do were the dinner only optionals.
I arrived in Switzerland 3 days before the tour started to get over jet lag and do some mountain excursions.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:21:00 GMT
Day 1 - 2 Brisbane to Zurich
I departed Brisbane on time for my flight to Zurich via Singapore. I normally always include a stopover on long flights to Europe, and I like Singapore as a stopover but I regrettably decided against it this time, as it was an extra expense. I instead only had a 4½ hour wait for my onward flight to Zurich.
I'm always impressed flying with Singapore Airlines as their service is excellent and I’m always willing to pay a little bit extra for it and for their slightly better legroom, but I’m not a big fan of the A380 as I have never bee able to get any sleep on them. I’m a window seat person, and I always like to look out and admire the scenery as well as lean against the wall and sleep but as the curvature of the plane is different there is a gap between the wall and the seat. So I find it difficult to get any sleep, the upside of it though is you get extra storage space beside you.
With a whole day spent flying without any sleep I arrived in Zurich on time at 8am totally exhausted but happy to be back in Switzerland.
I had booked the Rhine Falls tour and unsure exactly of the luggage situation I decided to put my luggage in a locker, buy some breakfast and make my way to the pick up area. It was a nice day and a pleasant drive to the falls, the guide was friendly and there weren’t many people on the tour.We only spent an hour at the falls so it was a bit rushed, but there was time to buy a ticket for the boat ride to the rock in the middle of the falls, which I did. The rock was small and was quite crowded. The steps to the lookout were narrow and steep but once on top the views were nice. The return journey was via Germany and I arrived back at the airport at12:15pm. I bought some lunch, got my luggage and then caught the train to the city.
I had booked my own pre tour accommodation and decided to stay where I’ve stayed before, a small hotel in the Old Town. I was too early to check in so I left my luggage and went exploring the Niederdorf district before walking back to the Grossmunster. I decided to climb one its tower, the Karlsturm. I found the climb up was exhausting but it was worth it for the nice views over Zurich and the surrounding mountains.
I made my way back to the hotel at 3pm so I could check in, have a shower and a short rest. Not wanting to waste time I headed back out at 5pm for dinner and more sightseeing. I walked along the lakeside then back to old town to see the Frauenkirche, St. Peterskirche, Lindenhof and Bahnhofstrasse. I had planned to take a cruise on the Limmat river but by that stage I was just too tired so I headed back to my hotel and to bed.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:31:20 GMT
Pre tour Day 3 - Mt Titlis
I was up early and had breakfast, ready for my 2nd day tour this time to Mt Titlis which was a full day tour. Before making my way to the pick up point I bought a ticket to the Polybahn, a funicular railway that travels up to to the ETH Zurich and from the terrace it has really nice views of Zurich and the surrounding Uetliberg mountain. I then made my way to the bus terminal opposite the main train station to join the tour. The tour was combined with the Mt Pilatus excursion so the people doing Mt Pilatus were dropped off with their guide before we continued to Engelberg for Mt Titlis. The journey up Mt Titlis was great and I loved being amongst the snow. There was sufficient time to enjoy the activities on top, I didn’t do the snow tubing but I did do the Ice Flyer and the Cliff Walk on what is the highest suspension bridge in Europe. Unfortunately, it was very cloudy so I couldn’t see all that much. We had until 4:30pm before we had to make our way down and the guide was there for those who wanted otherwise you could come back down earlier on your own if you wanted. I decided to come down earlier so I could have a quick look around at the base before returning to Zurich.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:31:33 GMT
Pre tour Day 4 - Mt Rigi
Another day and another tour, this time to Mt Rigi. This was one mountain excursion I was really looking forward to, as I hadn’t been to Mt Rigi before and had read many good reviews about it. It is commonly referred as the Queen of the Mountains by the Swiss, and it seems to be more popular with the Swiss than with foreigners. The views along the way were spectacular but the weather got worse the further we went up. This tour was only partially escorted with the section up Mt Rigi being the bit that wasn’t, but we were given an information sheet with all necessary information. This was probably why the tour wasn’t popular, as there was only one couple and myself on it. The journey began in Weggis with an aerial cable car then a mountain railway to the top of Rigi. Unfortunately once on top the views were mostly of clouds and not of the lakes and the alps. I walked around the summit for around an hour and as it was windy and very cold I decided to catch the cogwheel railway back down to Vitznau early. I then made my way back to Lucerne on an old steamboat, it took about one hour and the views along Lake Lucerne were quite nice.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:31:47 GMT
Tour Day 1 - Lucerne
Today the tour began so after breakfast I made my own way to the tour hotel in Lucerne, as I didn’t require the arrival transfer from Zurich airport. I looked up the hotel address so I knew where to go and I found it without a problem except for when it came to finding the actual entrance. I was too early to check in but I came across 2 ladies in the lobby who were on my tour and they informed me that the Welcome Reception will be at 5:30pm.
With most of the day free I decided to do something I hadn’t done before and visit the Swiss Transport Museum (Verkehrshaus). I have a passion aviation and had read many good reviews about the museum, but for some reason I wasn’t as thrilled as what I thought I would be and didn’t spend all that long there. After exploring the museum and having lunch I caught the boat back to Lucerne which took 10 minutes. I then looked around Lucerne seeing the Chapel and Spreuer Bridges, Jesuit Church, and the old town before returning to the hotel.
When I got back to the hotel I was already checked in and the receptionist told me that my Tour Director had my keycards and handed me the phone so I could phone his room. The TD didn’t want to come down so I got another keycard so I was able to access the lifts to get to my room.
At 5:30pm we left for our Welcome Reception, we stopped at the Lion Monument first before driving to ‘Restaurant 1871’ for dinner. As this was the first time the whole group was together I was expecting the guide to give an introduction or a general overview of the tour, instead he talked of only the optionals and was clearly pushy. He was wanting everyone to sign up and pay straightaway. He also discussed how much to tip him at the end of the tour.
Dinner was simple but nice - salad, roast chicken and roast potatoes (hash browns) and beans with Apple Strudel for dessert. After dinner we drove straight back to the hotel and we were back by 8pm.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:32:04 GMT
Tour Day 2 - Lucerne and Mt Pilatus excursion
Today was the only early morning start of the whole tour, this was so we could catch the first train of the day up Mt Pilatus. We left at 7:30am and drove to Alpnachstad where the Mt Pilatus excursion began. This was one of the reasons why I decided to go with Insight as the Mt Pilatus excursion was an included ‘Signature Experience’ and fortunately we had good weather for it.
From Alpnachstad we caught the Pilatus Bahn which is the steepest cogwheel railway in the world. The journey was wonderful and very scenic it took 30mins to reach the top station - Pilatus Kulm at 2073m. Once we had disembarked, I was disappointed that we only had 20mins to admire the views and take photos. It was simply not enough time to take photos let alone enjoy the ambiance or the moment, nor enough time to reach the viewing platform at the highest point of Mt Pilatus at 2132m. I though it was ridiculous that we were already coming down the mountain and it was only 9:20am.
The journey down was a 5 minute aerial cableway ride to the Fräkmüntegg summit terminus and then a 30 minute Aerial Gondola ride to Kriens and from there it was a short drive back to our hotel. We got back at 10:10 and had 30 mins to get ready for our first optional.
The Carriages & Countryside (CHF66) went ahead despite only 7 of us signing up for it, which was good as this was one optional I was keen to to.
We left at 10:40 for the drive to the village of Giswil where we met Hans who took us on a horse drawn carriage ride through the countryside. We stopped for a visit at the village church and cemetery before continuing to his farmhouse where his wife had made homemade juice, cheese and other snacks including a tasty pear slice. We returned to Lucerne at 1pm where we had free time so I spent the rest of the day sightseeing and doing a little shopping. However, I thought there were enough hours left in the day to have included a longer stay on Mt Pilatus, especially as we all had time to see Lucerne yesterday.
At 7pm we left for our second optional - Swiss Evening Dinner and Show (CHF98) at the Stadtkeller. I really enjoyed this optional, although being a fussy eater I wasn’t too keen on the main dish, veal in mushroom sauce, one other person wasn’t keen on it either and asked if he could have something else, which was schnitzel. I preferred schnitzel so I asked the tour director if I was able to have the schnitzel instead. Unfortunately he didn’t inform the staff so when dinner arrived there was some confusion but it was quickly sorted and I got my schnitzel. We also had a cheese fondue as a starter, which I found a bit salty.
The show started at 8 and there was lots of yodeling, horn blowing and flag throwing. It was an enjoyable night and although its not everyones cup of tea, I thought it was worthwhile. The show finished at 10pm and we then walked back to the hotel via the Chapel Bridge.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:32:17 GMT
Tour Day 3 - Berne, Lake Geneva and Montreux
Today was the day that it rained for most of the day, fortunately it wasn’t heavy. We had one last optional in Lucerne before we left for Berne and that was Secret Switzerland (CHF45). We had a one hour guided tour with a Local Guide of the Sonnenberg Nuclear bunker. It was able to accommodate 20,000 people over 7 floors and contained a hospital, command centre, radio studio and detention cells. Today it has been downsized to accommodate only 2000 people and a section of it is now used as a police holding cell. It was very interesting and most people did this optional.
At 9:30 we left for Berne and when we arrived we had a restroom break at the Bear pits. I had been to Berne before but not to the Bear pits and as I didn’t need the restrooms I spent that time waiting around for everybody when I should have spent that time looking at the bears as we only spent a minute looking at them before getting back on the coach to Berne.
In Berne we were meant to have a included tour of the old town seeing the main sights and watch the mechanical procession of the clock tower. Unfortunately that didn’t happened, I assumed because it was raining the TD didn’t want to do it. Nevertheless we had 1 ½ hrs to see the sights in our free time and have lunch.
We left Berne at 1:45pm and arrived at our hotel in Montreux at 3pm where we had free time but according to the itinerary we were meant to visit Chillon Castle. Someone asked the TD about the castle visit and he told us we will visit the castle tomorrow and apologized for forgetting to tell us.
This was probably the biggest criticism of the TD, even though visiting the castle tomorrow instead was a non issue. He hardly had much to say, he didn’t tell us anything in advance, or give us a rough plan each day. We passed some amazing scenery but he gave little or no information on what we were seeing, the history or just general information. We often waited on the coach once we had arrived at a stop or the hotel as he either had to get himself organised or discuss things instead of doing it on the drive there.
Our hotel was the apparent 5 star Royal Plaza & Spa it was located right on Lake Geneva and had all the luxuries that money can buy. Typically though our rooms were just the standard type and my room faced the street.
After getting my room key a few of us decided to go for a lakeside walk, the views were beautiful with the lake looking over to France and the mountains. We passed the Freddie Mercury statue and watched the old paddle steamers cruise the lake.
While the lakeside setting was nice I though Montreux itself was nothing special. We spent 3 nights there which I couldn’t understand why, it was too long and there was very little to see and do. I think there are better places to spend 3 nights in that offer more to do and see.
Tonight was the Meat Fondue optional dinner (CHF 94) at 7pm which I didn’t do as I knew I would’t eat it, but I heard good reviews from the people who went.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:32:44 GMT
Tour Day 4 - Chillon Castle, Gstaad, Gruyère and the Swiss Countryside
The TD must of heard some people complaining about him last night as when we boarded the coach this morning, he gave us a lecture and informed us not to spread rumours. Nevertheless he was generally a better TD after that.
We began the day with a one hour guided tour of Chillon Castle with a local guide we then had 15mins to look around before leaving at 10:20 to drive to Gruyère. The drive through the Swiss wine region and countryside was beautiful and we arrived in Gruyère at 11:15. The TD took us for a cheese tasting at a shop that makes its own cheese. We then continued up Gruyère’s only street to the castle where we then had free time.
Most of us followed the path around the castle and again the views were beautiful. I was going to visit the castle but the TD said it wasn’t worth it especially after visiting Chillion Castle. I regret not visiting it now, as you never know if its worth it until you see it for yourself. Gruyère was also our lunch stop and some of the group then went and had lunch but as it wasn’t even 12pm yet it was too early for me so I continued exploring, did some window shopping and just enjoyed the atmosphere and views as it was a warm sunny day and was also my birthday.
We left Gruyère at 12:45pm and drove to Gstaad which took 1 hour. The Tour Director told us the the purpose of Gstaad excursion was the drive there rather than Gstaad itself. The drive was nice but was not outstanding and the scenery was similar to what we had already seen. The TD originally gave us 15-20 minutes to look around but asked if we wanted more time so we ending up spending 40 minutes. Gstaad itself was a pleasant enough village but being a winter town it was probably better to visit it then. We then drove back to Montreux, where we had more free time for another lakeside walk and dinner.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:32:57 GMT
Tour Day 5 - Geneva and Lake Cruise
Today we had an excursion to Geneva and we left at 8am, when we arrived we first had orientation drive through the International City seeing the Palais des Nations (UN), Red Cross, and Cern. We then visited the Reformation Wall before being dropped off at the Flower Clock where we only had 2 ½ hours of free time. I had only briefly visited Geneva previously and it didn’t leave a lasting impression but I really enjoyed Geneva this time. Most of us walked up to the cathedral and explored the Old Town. I then bought lunch at ate it down at the lake near the Jet d’Eau before leaving Geneva at 12:45pm. I wish we had more time in Geneva and less in Montreux.
From Geneva we drove around 1½ hours to Lausanne to take the included 1½ hour cruise back to Montreux. The cruise was lovely and a good way to spend an afternoon, however it meant less time in Geneva and the scenery while beautiful wasn’t any different to what we had seen from the coach.
We arrived back in Montreux for more free time and another lakeside walk. With 3 nights spent in Montreux I thought an included dinner should have been included here, as well as offer the cruise from Montreux itself on another day like yesterday, so we could have more time in Geneva.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:33:12 GMT
Day 6 - Martigny, Sion and Zermatt
Today we left Montreux and drove around 40 minutes to Martigny where we stopped for 10 mins to see the Roman amphitheatre. From there it was a short drive to Sion. Sion is a quaint little town and is well known for its Raclette (melted cheese with potatoes and gherkins) as well as its local market on Fridays. As it was Friday we had 1½ hours to visit the market. I loved seeing all the local produce and gifts but I only bought a large punnet of Boysenberries for 4 Swiss Francs, which were delicious.
I really enjoyed Sion but there was no time to climb up the hill to see the 2 castles before leaving at 10:45am where we made our way to Zermatt. We left the coach at Tasch before catching the train to Zermatt. We arrived in Zermatt at 12:30pm and our hotel - Alex was only a minute walk from the train station. It was a lovely hotel and my favorite out of the whole tour.
Despite the forecast for rain and thunderstorms, Zermatt was warm and sunny when we arrived so the TD decided to swap the Klein Matterhorn excursion for today instead of tomorrow. We meet at 1:30pm to catch the electric taxis to the starting point and from there we caught the cable car to Trockener Steg (2,939 m) then another cable car to the Matterhorn glacier paradise, the highest cable car station in Europe (3,820 m). The views going up were spectacular.
We had around 1½ hours to admire the views and hangout in the snow. I took the summit lift that takes you the viewing platform with a 360º panoramic view. I then warmed up with a hot chocolate in the cafe before making our way back down. All but 4 people did this optional, which is a shame as we all enjoyed this excursion and was one of the best experiences in the whole tour.
The TD had organised our group photo to be taken with the St Bernard dog before we left for dinner. It was disappointing that the photo was taken on the hotel’s balcony with views of only other hotels. I also decided to get a photo by myself with the St Bernard dog.
Yesterday we had picked our restaurant for tonight’s dinner. Dinner was at 6pm and it was Insight’s ‘Dine Around’ inclusion. There were 3 restaurants to choose from the Derby, Walliserhof or the Post. Most people choose the Derby as it offered the most extensive menu and unlimited wine. The Post had a very limited menu but it was the only one that had something I’ll eat so I choose the Post. Only one couple choose the Post so it wasn’t popular choice. Dinner was average but the apricot sorbet for desert was delicious and the restaurant itself was quaint and had a nice ambiance.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:33:27 GMT
Tour Day 7 - Zermatt and Leisure
Today we had no wake up call and because we did the Klein Matterhorn yesterday we had the whole day free, which I loved. I woke up quite late when housekeeping was vacuuming outside my room, I was thinking it was far too early and was still dark but I decided to get up and open the curtains. To my surprise it was light and was nearly 9am. Breakfast was until 9am so I knew I wouldn’t be having breakfast at the hotel this morning. After getting myself organised I went for a morning walk, stopping off at a bakery to have some breakfast. I then looked around Zermatt and then shopped and shopped again. I decided to return to the hotel to drop off my shopping only to shop again and make another trip back to the hotel.
I also went to the shop to have a look at the photo of myself with the St Bernard but I looked really terrible and I was a bit surprised that the photos were on display for the general public to see. I considered buying it but didn’t want to waste my money so I decided to hide it amongst all the others and thought I’ll play dumb if I ever get asked where the photo is, knowing it would turn up eventually.
After all that it was now lunchtime and I meet a few others for lunch and enjoy the sunshing sitting outside the Matterhorn museum. I then set off for another walk, I love walking and being amongst nature, but I wasn’t able to capture the Matterhorn in its entirely without it being surrounded by one cloud that lingered all day. On my way back to the hotel I saw a group praticising the Alphorn, it was a perfect setting with the Matterhorn in the background and I watched it for 30 minutes before walking back to my hotel to have a shower and a rest before dinner.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:33:40 GMT
Tour Day 8 - Lugano
Today we left Zermatt and caught the electric taxi then the mini van before boarding our coach. We travelled over the Simplon Pass on our way towards Italy, it was a stunning drive and we stopped for a 30 minute break at at 2005m. When we left it was only a further 10 minute drive before we were in Italy and we made our way to Lake Maggoire for our next optional the Isola Bella. I had read mixed reviews on Isola Bella so this was the only optional that I wasn’t as excited about.
I was quite disappointed with how the TD conducted this optional. We did not get a Local Guide as stated in the list of optionals.We were then rushed thru the palace and gardens within 10 minutes. We caught up and passed a Trafalgar group who did have a Local Guide. The TD was in such a rush so he could enjoy lunch at one of his favourite restaurants that he had previously mentioned to us. I decided to continue looking around the gardens before taking the steps down to the shops and restaurants where I saw the TD at his favorite restaurant. Of what I saw of the palace I thought it was nice but not outstanding, but I did like the gardens.
After our optional we made our way to the Italian speaking city of Lugano. We arrived around 3:30pm and had free time. Later on there was the Lugano optional tour (CHF 88) which was a seafood dinner, and this was the other optional I didn’t do. People who did this optional said they enjoyed it but weren’t given a choice of meals. I instead took a long walk along the lake which was pleasant and then looked around the old part of town but as it was Sunday everything was closed.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:33:51 GMT
Tour Day 9 - Lugano to St Moritz
This morning we had our next optional - Castles of Bellinzona (CHF 51) and we left Lugano at 8:45am.
Our first stop was to Alprose chocolate factory, where we watched a video, had a short walk around then did some shopping at the gift shop. Fortunately, I didn’t buy up large as the chocolate wasn’t at all nice and I ended up throwing out the 2 small chocolate bars I bought.
We then drove to the city of Bellinzona for our optional and like the Isola Bella optional we had no local guide, as we should have, but fortunately the TD did a much better job on this one. Despite the optional being called Castles of Bellinzona we only visited 1 of the 3 castles in Bellinzona, the ‘Castelgrande’. I enjoyed walking through the castle grounds which offered beautiful views over the town. We then had 1½ hours free time to look around Bellinzona and have lunch. We visited the Town Hall and the picturesque old town and the church before having lunch at the self service Coop restaurant. I thought Bellinzona was more Italian and more picturesque that Lugano.
I really enjoyed this optional and Bellinzona but I couldn’t understand why this was an optional and not simply included into itinerary. The castle grounds were free to visit and as we had no local guide it ended up being a rather expensive optional for what it was. The driver had to return to Lugano to pick up the few people who didn’t do this optional before driving back to Bellinzona to pick us up so I thought it could have been included with Bellinzona being a regular lunch stop.
This was the day that 2 sisters left the tour to return to the Philippines when their mother became seriously ill. Coincidentally 2 friends also momentarily left the tour as well when one of them fell ill. This was a great shame as although they later rejoined the tour they ended up missing the most scenic highlights of the whole tour. I also missed not having them on the tour as I got on well with them and we always had a laugh.
From Bellinzona we drove towards St Moritz via the St Bernardino pass (2,066m) and the Julier Pass (2,284 m) both of which were simply stunning, and were another highlight of the tour. We arrived in St Moritz at 4:45pm, and our hotel - Crystal was nice and although my room was small it was traditionally furnished, which I liked.
Tonight was our first included dinner since our Welcome Reception, so it felt a bit strange to be all together for a group dinner as it was a long gap between dinners and we were more than half way through the tour. Dinner was at 7pm at the hotel, we had a spinach and cheese entree, trout or turkey for main and a Engadine nut cake for dessert. The spinach and cheese entree didn’t look at all appetising and it wasn’t all that popular but some said it was nice. I had the turkey for main which was cut into small pieces and looked like it was a kids meal, it didn’t look all very appetizing either bur was actually quite tasty. The Engadine Nut cake was popular.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:34:05 GMT
Tour Day 10 - St Moritz
We left at 8:30am for the Bernina Express optional, we drove to Pontresina where we caught the Bernina Express train. The journey lasted around 1½ hours and was spectacular. The scenery of the mountains and glaciers was stunning and was another highlight of the tour. It was a shame that we didn’t do the complete journey to Tirano in Italy. We had great weather and all but 4 people did this optional. One couple later regretted not going after hearing people saying how fantastic it was.
We then made our way back to St Moritz following much of the train route and we stopped along the way to take more photos. We arrived back in St Moritz just before midday and had the rest of the day free. A few of us went to the fancy Hanselmann Cafe for apple strudel and a hot chocolate. It was rather expensive as a hot chocolate alone was 9.50 Swiss Francs but it ended up coming in a pot, giving you 2 cups so I thought it was reasonable for Switzerland.
St Moritz hotels offers free local transport when you stay 2 nights or more so we were able to take advantage of this great offer. The best option was going up Piz Nair (3,057m) and everybody did this. The regular price was 72 Swiss Francs and regardless of cost it was another worthwhile mountain excursion. The journey up was with a funicular and a cable car, and the views from the top offered a spectacular view of St. Moritz and the Upper Engadine mountain range.
We then made our way back down to St Moritz where I later went for a walk along the lake. The TD had arranged for our Bon Voyage club night tonight with a drink and nibbles included, it was also meant to be a ‘get to know each other’ but as we were nearing the end of the tour, I’m not sure why this wasn’t done sooner. We didn’t stay all that long before we went looking for dinner options.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:34:17 GMT
Tour Day 11 - Glacier Express and Interlaken
Today we left St Moritz at 8:30am on the Glacier Express train. I had done the complete Glacier Express journey from St Moritz to Zermatt in winter so I was looking forward to doing it in summer, but I have to say it wasn’t as good in summer nor as good as the Bernina Express train, although we only travelled as far as Andermatt which took around 5 hours.
The Glacier Express travels through mountain ranges, gorges, valleys, many tunnels and over many bridges and we traveled up to the highest point of the journey, the Oberalppass at 2033m before descending to Andermatt at 1435m, where we disembarked.
The coach and our luggage met us at Andermatt, where we then travelled over the Susten Pass (2262m) on our way to Interlaken, this was probably the most spectacular alpine pass. The scenery was out of this world and we stopped along the way to take photos and have a coffee stop.
Along with Zermatt, I was looking forward to Interlaken the most on the tour. Although I’m not a big fan of Interlaken itself, I love the mountainous Jungfrau region that surrounds it. Its my favourite region in all of Switzerland and a place I find myself returning again and again.
The TD decided to include tomorrow’s inclusion to Lauterbrunnen today so we would have more free time tomorrow. The drive to Lauterbrunnen was only 20 minutes from Interlaken and we had about 15 minutes to take photos of the Staubbach Falls.
We then arrived at our hotel in Interlaken the Royal St Georges just before 5:30pm. This was another nice hotel and was Art Nouveau in style. My room was quite nice and I had 2 balconies but it was the only time I had a single bed.
Dinner was at 6.45 and I managed to go for a walk around the town beforehand. The included dinner was again simple but nice, salad, braised pork in wine sauce with veggies and cherries and ice cream for dessert. Fortunately the two friends rejoined the tour this evening and it was good to catch up. After dinner I went for another look around the town before it got too dark.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:34:28 GMT
Tour Day 12 - Interlaken
This morning began with the TD giving another speech as he had a sleepless night and mentioned again not to spread rumours. I thought it was rather unnecessary to speak to paying passengers on holiday like this, especially when most of the group are senior citizens. I didn’t feel any rumours were spreading just peoples discontent with the TD.
I wondered why the TD mentioned it all again, but later found out that after last night’s dinner some people decided to tell the TD exactly what they thought of him and the bad job he is doing.
Despite the apparent drama, we left this morning early for our next optional - The Jungfrau Excursion and at 179 Swiss Francs it was the most expensive optional, but it is worth every Swiss Franc. Despite it being my third time doing the Jungfrau Excursion, I still get a thrill and enjoy it as much as the first time.
We drove to Grindelwald where we then caught the train up to the Jungfraujoch. At Kleine Scheidegg (2061m) station we changed trains and continued our way up through the Eiger mountain, stopping at Eigerwand (2865m) and Eismeer (3158m) stations where there is time to get off the train and take photos from the viewing platforms. From there we continued to Jungfraujoch (3454m), which is the highest railway station in Europe.
The TD gave us a 30 minute orientation including the Sphinx (3571m) where you can see the Aletsch Glacier, and the Alpine sensation, we then had 1½ hours of free time to take the views, explore the Ice Palace, do the snow activities etc and have lunch. I also went on another unexpected shopping spree.
We caught the train down at 12pm via the more scenic Lauterbrunnen route before returning to our hotel at 2:30pm. I had originally told the TD that I would stay on once we got back down the Jungfrau as I wanted to spend more time up in the mountains and go for a hike before making my own way back to Interlaken. But as I had already spent too much today, I decided to return with the group and spend the afternoon relaxing back in Interlaken.
It was a hot sunny afternoon and I relaxed watching the people paragliding down onto the Hohematte park and just walked around the town, later having dinner.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:34:44 GMT
Tour Day 13 Brienz and Zurich
We departed at 8:30am and our first stop was Brienz, the home of woodcarving. It had rained overnight in Brienz but fortunately it was clearing up when we arrived. We stopped to take photos of a picturesque street with traditional wooden framed houses decked out in Geranium flowers. We then did some shopping at Kirchhoffer. I bought some wooden christmas decorations which were 70% off.
We then had a guided tour of the Schweizer Holzbildhauerei Museum where the owner showed us around his factory, giving the history and importance of wood carving in Switzerland. We left at 10:30am via the Brunig Pass, which was nowhere as spectacular as the other passes before reaching Zurich at 12:30pm. The TD took us to visit the Grossmunster and the Frauenkirchen before we had free time and lunch. We left Zurich for our hotel at 2:30pm, and people who hadn’t been to Zurich before felt it wasn’t enough time, especially as the tour begins in Lucerne.
On the way to the hotel the TD handed out what he said was Insight’s token of appreciation, an Insight postcard of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. I thought it was an odd thing to give. We arrived at our hotel the Movenpick Zurich Airport at 3pm and had free time until our farewell dinner at 5:30pm at a local restaurant. This was the only included dinner I didn’t enjoy. We had either tomato soup or salad for entree. I choose the salad which was only a very large bowl of lettuce leaves and nothing else. The main dish was either fish or lamb. I choose the lamb but it was undercooked and was completely raw so I left it, dessert was Panna cotta, which was nice.
We arrived back at the hotel at 8:30pm and said our goodbyes. I then went to my room, quickly finished packing and then straight to bed as I had to get up early for my flight.
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Post by bet on Nov 3, 2014 22:48:21 GMT
Tour Day 14 - Depart Zurich
I had an early morning departure to Madrid, where I began my next tour of Spain, Morocco and Portugal this time with Trafalgar. I then returned to Switzerland 16 days later, just for one day for one last goodbye so I could catch my flight home. I arrived back in Zurich around lunchtime and was able to check in early at my hotel. Shortly afterwards the sun soon gave way to an afternoon storm with lots of lightning and thunder, which mostly lingered around for the rest of the day. I managed to have one last look around the old town in between the storms. As it was Sunday and the shops shut I decided to return to the airport and do all my last minute shopping and also bought myself a couple of german books so I can keep my german up until my next visit.
The following morning I caught the train back to the airport and checked in for my flight back home. I departed on time and was sad to leave Switzerland behind but was already planning my next visit.
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Post by chech on Nov 4, 2014 12:48:43 GMT
Ah...sweet. This is the tour of Switzerland I want to do.
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Post by tiffany on Nov 4, 2014 12:57:43 GMT
Bet, I’m glad you finally posted your tour tale, and I’m looking forward to reading it over the next couple of days. I know you weren’t happy with your tour director, or the tour in general, and I’m interested in reading about how it differed from my tour.
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Post by tiffany on Nov 4, 2014 13:12:04 GMT
Insight Vacations - Country Roads of Switzerland I recently returned from Insight’s Country Roads of Switzerland tour, my first Insight tour. We were a small group with only 25 people, and being in my 30’s I was noticeably the youngest and also the only solo traveller, so there were some moments that I felt like I was the third wheel. Most couples preferred their own company and I was conscious of not wanting to impose on anyone. I’m an independent person so it wasn’t a big deal for me, but it was in fact the more ‘senior’ members of the group that I enjoyed the company of as they were still young at heart and had a great sense of humour. Bet, I too am usually one of the youngest people on tour, and also usually enjoy the company of the more senior people. I find they tend to like the company of a third person more than the younger couples do, and they are usually more well travelled, and have a lot of great travelling stories to share.
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Post by bet on Nov 5, 2014 2:14:46 GMT
Ah...sweet. This is the tour of Switzerland I want to do. I just hope you don't end up with the same TD. It seems to be the most comphrensive tour of Switzerland around and wasn't cheap even by Insight standards but then thats Switzerland.
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Post by bet on Nov 5, 2014 2:34:58 GMT
Hi Tiffany - Work is keeping me busy but I hope to post some photos this weekend and eventually my other tour as well. I knew I would probably be the youngest on Insight, it didn't bother me as I too enjoy the company of older people. What did surprise me a bit was the group was quite divided and people kept to their husband/wife etc. I thought there would be more group interaction, especially as we were a small group, but each to their own..
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denise
Junior Member
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Post by denise on Nov 5, 2014 8:28:18 GMT
Thanks for posting this tour tale - interesting reading. Poor you with the TD - I hope you didn't tip him as it sounded like he only did the bare basics. It's a shame as a TD certainly has a big impact on the tour.
I was keen to read about the train trips you took as I like train travel and like the look of the all train Contrasts of Switzerland (Trafalgar) - just of 1 of many tours on my wish list!
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denise
Junior Member
Posts: 86
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Post by denise on Nov 5, 2014 8:33:25 GMT
Tour Day 14 - Depart Zurich I had an early morning departure to Madrid, where I began my next tour of Spain, Morocco and Portugal this time with Trafalgar. I then returned to Switzerland 16 days later, just for one day for one last goodbye so I could catch my flight home. I arrived back in Zurich around lunchtime and was able to check in early at my hotel. Shortly afterwards the sun soon gave way to an afternoon storm with lots of lightning and thunder, which mostly lingered around for the rest of the day. I managed to have one last look around the old town in between the storms. As it was Sunday and the shops shut I decided to return to the airport and do all my last minute shopping and also bought myself a couple of german books so I can keep my german up until my next visit. The following morning I caught the train back to the airport and checked in for my flight back home. I departed on time and was sad to leave Switzerland behind but was already planning my next visit. I've recently returned from Insight's Best of Spain and Portugal. Will you be posting a tour tale of this tour? It would be interesting to compare notes. Sounds like you had a big holiday doing the 2 tours and extra days in Switzerland. You mentioned that previously you've travelled independently in Switzerland. Now that you've done a tour what is your recommendation - do it yourself or tour for this part of the world?
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Post by tiffany on Nov 5, 2014 12:46:15 GMT
Hi Tiffany - Work is keeping me busy but I hope to post some photos this weekend and eventually my other tour as well. I knew I would probably be the youngest on Insight, it didn't bother me as I too enjoy the company of older people. What did surprise me a bit was the group was quite divided and people kept to their husband/wife etc. I thought there would be more group interaction, especially as we were a small group, but each to their own.. Bet, I’m looking forward to seeing your pics when you have time to post them. I’ve read up to day 5 of your tour, and I look forward to finishing the rest today and tomorrow. I’ve only been on one tour where most people kept to themselves, and that was in Holland. Usually, people like to mingle, and like to include the singles of the group to join them for meals and/or sightseeing. I’ve done two Insight tours, and I never had a problem finding people to have dinner with, etc., while on either tour.
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Post by tiffany on Nov 5, 2014 13:12:34 GMT
Bet, this sounds like a great tour, despite the tour director. I’m surprised that he lectured your group twice regarding “spreading rumors”, and I’m surprised no one spoke up at the time. I know I would have said something after the first lecture, letting him know that people are not spreading rumor, just comparing notes on how bad he is as a tour director. I had issues my tour director, but at least she was organized and kept us well informed on what was going on. Sometimes she gave us too much information!
It sounds like there were not a lot of included meals with your tour, which I have to say I don’t like. I like the included dinners, especially at the beginning of the tour, because that’s when people really get to sit and talk and get to know each other. Maybe the reason the couples on your tour stuck together is because you didn’t have a lot of included meals at the beginning of the tour, giving you time to get acquainted. This is also one of the reasons I always do all of the optional dinners. It’s a great way to get to know the people on your tour.
We had 4 people on our tour skip both the Matterhorn and Bernina Express optionals, and I couldn’t figure out why either. For the Matterhorn, I just figured that they were afraid of heights, but I couldn’t figure out why someone would skip the Bernina Express optional. Maybe they didn’t want to spend the money.
I’m looking forward to seeing your pics and reading about your other tour.
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Post by bet on Nov 6, 2014 6:39:51 GMT
Thanks for posting this tour tale - interesting reading. Poor you with the TD - I hope you didn't tip him as it sounded like he only did the bare basics. It's a shame as a TD certainly has a big impact on the tour. I was keen to read about the train trips you took as I like train travel and like the look of the all train Contrasts of Switzerland (Trafalgar) - just of 1 of many tours on my wish list! Hi Denise - being in Australia I took the pre paid gratuities, although I don't really agree with pre paying something like tips but it was convenient. The TD did mention to me how badly some people did tip him, but I'm sure it was no real surprise. Switzerland has so many great train rides and mountain excursions and the contrast of Switzerland includes the golden pass train and the full glacier express route. I hope you get there one day
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Post by bet on Nov 6, 2014 7:30:21 GMT
I've recently returned from Insight's Best of Spain and Portugal. Will you be posting a tour tale of this tour? It would be interesting to compare notes. Sounds like you had a big holiday doing the 2 tours and extra days in Switzerland. You mentioned that previously you've travelled independently in Switzerland. Now that you've done a tour what is your recommendation - do it yourself or tour for this part of the world? I will post a tour tale of my other tour soon, it was a costsaver but it still should be good to compare notes and I still need to read your tale. I would definitely do Switzerland on my own in the future. Ive always just bought a Swiss Pass (train pass) and enjoyed having my own itinerary. Switzerland is very efficient and very easy to travel around and some of the best bits are never on any tour itinerary. But I dont regret doing the tour as I still saw things I hadn't seen before.
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Post by bet on Nov 6, 2014 7:53:16 GMT
Bet, this sounds like a great tour, despite the tour director. I’m surprised that he lectured your group twice regarding “spreading rumors”, and I’m surprised no one spoke up at the time. I know I would have said something after the first lecture, letting him know that people are not spreading rumor, just comparing notes on how bad he is as a tour director. I had issues my tour director, but at least she was organized and kept us well informed on what was going on. Sometimes she gave us too much information! It sounds like there were not a lot of included meals with your tour, which I have to say I don’t like. I like the included dinners, especially at the beginning of the tour, because that’s when people really get to sit and talk and get to know each other. Maybe the reason the couples on your tour stuck together is because you didn’t have a lot of included meals at the beginning of the tour, giving you time to get acquainted. This is also one of the reasons I always do all of the optional dinners. It’s a great way to get to know the people on your tour. We had 4 people on our tour skip both the Matterhorn and Bernina Express optionals, and I couldn’t figure out why either. For the Matterhorn, I just figured that they were afraid of heights, but I couldn’t figure out why someone would skip the Bernina Express optional. Maybe they didn’t want to spend the money. I’m looking forward to seeing your pics and reading about your other tour. With a good TD I think this tour offers a good taste of Switzerland. There weren't many included dinners and I agree they should have some dinners at the beginning of the tour to help everyone get acquainted. It didn't bother me too much as I prefer to choose my own meals. I know one couple that didn't do the Bernina Express optional was because of the cost. I couldn't understand it as they spent a lot on the tour itself and the optional was only around 50 francs which wasn't excessive, but I guess it does all add up at the end of the day. They regretted not going and learnt you cant always put a price on some things.
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