European Vacation

Vacation Rentals, Vacation Homes, European Vacation Rentals Vacation Rentals - A1VacationProperties.com | Browse FREE for Vacation Rentals!! "Vacation Rentals, Beach Rentals, and Villa Rentals" Quick links ------------ LOCATIONS ------------ Canada USA (mainland) Hawaii Mexico Caribbean Central America Europe Australia New Zealand ------------ Join Us Members Area Contact Us Find Vacation Rentals | Property Owners - It's FREE to list! | FAQ's | About Us | Members Login to myVR Username: Password: Now Search through our Vacation Rentals even easier. Click on "Find Rentals" to get detailed information on your next vacation rental Not a Member?: Join more than 5000 property owners and get your property listed today. Test us out for free! Sign-up now. Welcome to A1 Vacation Properties! We have thousands of Vacation Rentals from around the world. Hilton Head Rentals, Mexico Rentals , Disney Rentals, are some of the areas we specialize in. Free to list your vacation rental and home and Free to browse as well . Mexico Vacation Rentals U.S. Vacation Rentals Cabo San Lucas , Mazatlan , Puerto Vallarta , Cancun , Playa Del Carmen , San Jose ... Arizona , California , Florida , Disney World , Hawaii , Hilton Head , Kauai, Las Vegas , Los Angeles , Miami , New York , North Carolina , Orlando , Phoenix , Lake Tahoe , San Diego , San Francisco , Seattle ... This Month's Feature Vacation Rental: Casa Del Mar , Cabo Real Cabo San Lucas, Mexico The Casa del Mar resort is located on the beach and is part of the Cabo Real development including the world class Cabo Real golf course. Amenities include 2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms, full kitchen with all appliances and utensils, satellite TV, stereo, air conditioning, restaurant on the premises, 6 fresh water pools ... Click for More European Rentals Canadian Rentals Amsterdam , Barcelona , France , Germany , Greece , Ireland , Istanbul , Italy , Tuscany , London , Paris , Portugal , Rome , Spain , Sweden , Turkey , UK ... Montreal , Toronto , Vancouver , Calgary, Whistler, Kelowna... Caribbean Rentals Central America Rentals Barbados , Dominican Republic , Jamaica , Bahamas , St.Lucia , US Virgin Islands . . . Belize , Costa Rica , Honduras , Nicaragua , Panama ... Asia Rentals South America Rentals Bangkok , China , Hong Kong , India , Japan , Malaysia , Singapore , Thailand ... Argentina , Brazil , Chile , Ecuador , Peru , Rio de Janeiro ... Africa/Middle East Rentals Australia/Oceania Rentals Egypt , Israel , Kenya , South Africa ... Fiji , Sydney , New Zealand FAQ's | About Us | Sign-up | Login | Home | Contact Us | Bookmark This Page | Links More Vacation Rentals Cabo San Lucas All Rights Reserved 2001-- A1VacationProperties . com

Cruise Vacation

Discount Cruises, Discount Resorts, Discount Vacations Home | Discount Resorts | Discount Hotels | Airlines | Advanced Search | Insurance | Get A Quote Search for discount cruises Destination: Select a destination Africa Alaska Australia Bahamas Baltic Sea Bermuda Canada/New England Canadian Rockies Caribbean Caribbean - Eastern Caribbean - Southern Caribbean - Western Coastal Costa Rica Cruise To Nowhere Europe Northern Europe Europe - Western Far East Hawaii Mediterranean Mexico New England New Zealand Orient Pacific Coastal Panama Canal South America South Pacific Southeast Asia Tahiti Transatlantic Transcanal Transpacific World Cruise Sailing Date: All months January February March April May June July August September October November December 2005 2006 2007 Duration: Any cruise length 1-2 Nights 3-6 Nights 7-9 Nights 10-14 Nights Over 14 Nights Cruise Line: Select a cruise line... Amadeus Waterways Carnival Celebrity Costa Cruise West Crystal Cunard Delta Queen Discovery World Disney Holland America MSC Cruises Norwegian Oceania Orient Princess Radisson Royal Caribbean Seabourn Sea Dream Silversea Star Clippers Thomson Viking River Windjammer Windstar More Search Options SPECIALS TripQuest Inc 786 N. Beal Pkwy. Suite 7A Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32547 Toll Free (888) 459-8747 Fax (850) 862-7021 Local (850) 862-8999 CLIA 00569015 Seller of Travel ST-32948 http://www.trip-quest.com Cruise Line Deals & Info Amadeus Waterways American West Celebrity Cruises Clipper Costa Cruise West Crystal Cruises Cunard Cruises Delta Queen Cruises Holland America Cruises Norwegian Cruises Norwegian Coastal Voyage Oceania Cruises Orient Lines Princess Cruises Radisson Cruises Royal Caribbean Cruises Seabourn Seadream Silversea Star Clippers Uniworld Cruises Viking River Cruises Windstar Discount Cruises Alaska Cruises American River Cruises Antarctic Cruises Caribbean Cruises European Cruises European River Cruises Group Cruises Hawaiian Cruises Mediterranean Cruises Panama Canal Cruises South America Cruises Tahiti Cruises Click Here For Cruise SPECIALS 2005 l 2006 Featured Cruises - Norwegian Star Alaska Inside Passage Roundtrip Seattle - Norwegian Spirit Caribbean Roundtrip New York - Celebrity Constellation Scandinavia/Russia Roundtrip Dover Request a brochure Request a quote/information Link Exchange Program Your Leisure Cruise Specialist Discount cruises, resorts and vacations are our specialty at TripQuest. With customer ser vic e that is second to none we pride ourselves on making your discounted dream vacation come true. This is the year to indulge in a cruise. More than just another vacation, discount cruises are all inclusive. All you do is book your cruise with us and pack your bags. All of our cruises include meals, port fees, and entertainment as well as your luxurious stateroom. Cruises are the perfect vacation, discounted prices just make it better. Unsolicited Testimonial You guys are the BEST!!!! Your phone should be ringing off the hook. Our cruise was more than perfect. Everything you arranged went as smooth as silk ... all the advise ... all the info andeverything you supplied us was right on - including the price!!! There were quite a few people we spoke with got really ripped off and were so disappointed. They now have your name and number for future trips. Although I only travel on pleasure once a year,my mom travels much more often as do many friends and colleagues of mine ... you are the only agency I would ever use. Thank you so much for making a long overdue vacation one we'll never forget or regret!!!!With sincere thanks and kindest regards, Jody Robbins Click Here for more testimonials 1 Privacy Policy | Site Map | Helpful Tools | About Us | Contact Us | Counter

Travel Insurance Welcome To

Travel Insurance from MEDEX : International Medical and Travel Insurance including Assistance and Evacuation services. Purchase Online Member Center Login username password " style="height:17px; font-size:9px" Create Account Login Help ABOUT MEDEX | NEWS ROOM | TRAVEL LINKS | SITEMAP | CONTACT Purchase Travel Insurance Welcome To MEDEX Assistance Today's global travelers recognize the need for travel insurance and emergency assistance. The world's leading multinational corporations, global insurance providers, most noteworthy scholastic organizations and individual business or leisure travelers alike, recognize MEDEX as a top-notch provider of worldwide travel assistance, international travel insurance and travel medical insurance. Whether it's coordinating an air ambulance evacuation out of Venezuela, finding an English-speaking specialist in Beijing, contingency planning in Jakarta or providing medical case management in Germany, MEDEX has the resources and experience to provide efficient, quality assistance. MEDEX Assistance Coordinators are just a phone call away, available via worldwide toll-free access numbers. We utilize highly-trained, multilingual coordinators in conjunction with an extensive information and communication system to assist international travelers with all types of medical, security and other travel-related emergencies. Available anytime, from anywhere, MEDEX creates the prepared traveler by providing destination intelligence and emergency assistance. Our global intelligence database is updated 24/7, so we can respond with the latest, authoritative information and guidance. MEDEX began helping travelers and expatriates in 1977. Operating from a centralized coordination center in the United States, MEDEX has worldwide coverage, international assistance expertise, and an unsurpassed provider network. Individual Leisure, Scholastic and Business Travelers MEDEX offers a full line of TravMed insurance to provide worldwide travel insurance and 24-hour assistance for every traveler. For business travel or family vacations, purchase short term medical insurance. For frequent travelers, purchase our annual travel insurance. For students requiring traveler insurance for a study abroad program, MEDEX offers evacuation, repatriation and medical coverage to supplement your student health insurance program. For expatriates, MEDEX offers a comprehensive individual program for expatriate health insurance. Whether you are searching for international travel insurance, medical or security assistance, trip insurance or an emergency medical kit and help with safe travel preparations, MEDEX is the solution. Browse our web site for more information, request a quote and purchase travel insurance online. Corporations Large, multinational corporations and small to mid-size companies count on MEDEX to protect their travelers from unexpected medical, security and travel-related emergencies. Protect your human assets with access to our 24-hour multilingual assistance center, and cover any potential evacuation costs your company may incur. MEDEX experts can also provide pre-travel advice, destination intelligence and contingency planning among other offerings. Contact MEDEX to learn more about our group programs for employee benefits, expatriate populations and executive travel programs. Insurance Companies MEDEX provides valuable service enhancements, product differentiation and cost containment solutions to insurance companies. Contact MEDEX to learn more about how our worldwide recognition and portfolio of services can improve your business. USAID contractors, NGOs, Government Organizations MEDEX has enjoyed an 11 year relationship with USAID and related contractors worldwide, to provide medical evacuation services to USAID contractors and their dependents at discounted rates. Request more information online and apply for coverage. MEDEX also provides coverage to many state and national government entities and NGOs to protect the health and safety of their employees and/or contractors. Request more information online or contact MEDEX to enroll. Scholastic Groups MEDEX offers an invaluable emergency support system to scholastic organizations and provides peace of mind to faculty, students and parents. MEDEX scholastic clients include many premier universities and study abroad administrators who are showing that they not only care about a student's education, but their health and safety too. Request more information online or contact MEDEX for a group quote. Individual evacuation, repatriation and medical coverages for students are available for purchase online. HIPAA Compliance Notice INFO REQUEST CAREERS NEWSLETTER MEDEX RETAIL INDIVIDUALS INSURANCE COMPANIES CORPORATIONS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES SCHOLASTIC GROUPS DESTINATION REPORTS MEDICAL KITS MEDEX AFFILIATES GET YOUR FREE COPY MEDEX Special Report on AVIAN FLU Available for download today!

France Travel

France Vacation, France Luxury Tours, Hotels, Cruises, France Travel Guide Luxury France Vacation, France Tours, Hotels, Cruises, Travel Romantic France Tours and Honeymoons France Vacations, Travel, Tours and Cruise Consultants France Luxury Vacation :Call 1 800 330 8820 to book your tour or cruise. Open Everyday! France Vacations Bordeaux Vacations Cannes Vacations Dijon Vacations French Riviera Vacations Monaco Vacations Nice Vacations Nyons Vacations Paris Vacations Provence Vacations Rhone Valley Vacations St. Paul/Vence River Cruise Vacations Other Places in Europe Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Wales Mediterranean Guide The Sophisticated Traveler's France Vacations, Tours and Cruises Travel Guide In this section you will find everything you need to research, plan and purchase your France vacation. Our award winning destination guides contain thousands of listings that includes hotels and resorts , the best luxury hotels & resorts , and luxury villas and vacation homes for couples and families . We feature the best activities, restaurants, attractions, romantic getaways and shopping for all of the vacation destinations in France. We feature the very best luxury tours and vacation packages , and exciting Skiing and active vacations . L uxurious barge and river vacations , exotic train vacations . Economical tours . In addition, to help you decide, we have all the cruise lines vacations in Europe , all the itineraries and options, and a staff of Master Cruise Specialists ready to assist you . We also provide cultural travel experiences, personal enrichment travel, exclusive boutique vacation destinations and exotic France vacations, designed specifically for the sophisticated traveler. You will find everything you need for your France vacation except the sunscreen. There are many terrific reasons for a France vacation. Whether a first-time traveler or a confirmed francophile, we invite you to come see France our way, a country known for its rich cultural heritage, historic landmarks and tradition of art de vivre. France is bordered by four seas, each one different, with its own unique resorts and particular ambiance. There are two main choices for a France beach vacation: the West with its never-ending stretches of sandy beaches, and the Mediterranean , bathed warm sunshine, spectacular resorts, luxurious harbors, and extravagant yachts. At the crossroads of the Continent, France offers unique insights into Europe's history, remarkably "illustrated" by mysterious prehistoric caves and Celtic monoliths, sober Roman ruins and medieval fortresses, and elegant Renaissance and Art Deco monuments. Whatever your interest on your France vacation, we can get you there quickly, comfortably and efficiently by high-speed trains--the world's most extensive network-quality roadways and frequent flights to dozens of cities throughout the country. If you missed the New Year's Eve celebrations in Paris-the Eiffel Tower's glorious fireworks display or the festive Ferris Wheels extravaganza on the Champs-Elyses ---no need for regrets. The fun in Paris and France has just begun. The keystone event is the Injoyable Pique-Nique on Bastille Day (July 14). We will save you a seat to what surely will be the world's largest picnic held from north to south on France's national holiday, along the 576-mile long Medienne Verte, a straight line of more than 10,000 indigenous sapling trees. France vacation to Nice , Saint-Tropez, Le Lavandou or Hyeres in the azure Mediterranean are areas of spectacular beauty and enjoyment; take advantage of the warmth and tremendous charm of this popular coastline and its sunny beaches. You can dive into the warm water, hop on a windsurfing board, speed off water-skiing and slip into the Mediterranean spirit. At night the atmosphere of celebration permeates the air with excitement. The food is incredible on a France vacation, even in the cafes, ice cream parlors or restaurants. There's a string of plush resorts stretch along the Catalan coastline - Barcarare Saint-Cyprien, Collioure with its immense charm. The yacht harbors are bristling with sleek vessels made only to pleasure yourself on. France vacation in Paris is one of the top vacation spots in the world, fine French cuisine, tasty French wines, rare art, museums, and the latest fashions and shows. Select exactly the components you want in your France vacation. You choose your hotel, room category -from sea views to suites-, rental car, private transfers and customized sightseeing tours. We do it all! Our Virtuoso Travel and Cruise Consultants will create the France vacation you have always dreamed of. Why Should You Use our Virtuoso France Luxury Vacation, Travel and Cruise Specialists ? We are Virtuoso, "Specialists in the Art of Travel". Described by Conde Nast Traveler as "one of the finest agencies...a reliable indicator of experience, knowledge, and industry clout." We are recommended by the Discovery Travel Channel, the Today Show, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes Magazine, ESPN TV, Fine Living TV, Neiman Marcus Awards Program and National Geographic. Our Virtuoso France Vacation Specialists offer exclusive insider connections and industry expertise on luxury vacations- along with the guidance and know-how you require to make educated travel choices. We are very innovative, add valuable solutions that consistently exceed our customers expectations, and strive to always provide the ultimate travel experience on you France vacation. Book Your France Vacation Submit planner to our France Specialists Client Testimonials about our services Search Your Vacation, Tour or Cruise France Overview France History France Culture France Geography France Practical Info France Luxury Accommodations France Luxury Hotels & Resorts Paris Luxury Hotels & Resorts France Virtuoso Luxury Hotels France Hotels French Luxury Villas Europe Luxury Hotels European Hotels & Villas France & Europe Luxury Tour Vacations France Luxury Tours Economical France Tours France Active Vacations France Ski Vacations France Barge Vacations Central Eastern & Western England & Ireland Tours Scandinavia & Russia Tour Portugal & Spain Tours Escape to Europe Cruises Italy Luxury Tours Europe Train Vacations Europe River Cruises Eastern Europe Packages Europe Bike Vacations Europe Active Vacations Europe Luxury Cruises Western Europe Cruises European River Cruises Luxury Cruises World Luxury Cruises Our Exclusive Specials Helpful Travel Links Other Helpful Travel Links Instant Passports in 24 hours Travelex Luxury Travel Insurance CSA Luxury Travel Insurance Travel Guard Insurance Travel Safety Expert Current Travel Warnings Travel Agent Career Opportunities Bookmark this page Full Service France Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your France vacation with our full service Virtuoso Travel Consultants. We are recommended, authorized France Vacation Specialists, and can arrange every little detail to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree experience at no extra charge! You may call our Virtuoso France Vacation Specialists, but first, we'd really appreciate it if you complete our "France Vacation Planner" so we have all your requirements beforehand and are prepared to present you with all your options and up-to-the-minute specials. Thank you very much! Call 1-415-446 5252 to book your France vacation . Full Service, France Tour Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your France tour vacation with our full service Virtuoso Tour Specialists. We can arrange every little detail of your France tour vacation, including air, and pre-tour and post-tour arrangements to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our "Luxury France Tour Vacation Planner" our Virtuoso--France Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1-415-446 5252 to book your France tour vacation . Full Service, France Luxury Cruise Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your France luxury cruise vacation with our full service Virtuoso France Luxury Cruise Specialists. We can arrange every little detail of your France cruise vacation, including air, excursions, and pre-cruise and post-cruise arrangements, to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our " France luxury Cruise Vacation Planner" our Virtuoso--France Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1-415-446 5252 to book your France luxury cruise . 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All of our promotions are subject to change without notice. As a result, prices will not be guaranteed until booked. State of California seller of travel License # 2061139-40 We are on the Better Business Bureau Honor Roll. France Vacation Specialist Travel Agent Career Opportunities Contact Information Advertise with Travel Wizard 1998 TravelWizard.Com, France Vacation Dept. All rights reserved.

Switzerland Travel

Switzerland.....the land of aching muscles Switzerland......the land ofaching muscles! Join the Budget Travel Mailing List Disclaimer : This travelogue is based on my travel experience in 1995. Things have changed since I've been there. I write this only to let you know of MY experiences. We are all different, so what I observe and experience may be different for you. Please do not take everything I say too seriously or take offence at my opinions or observations. I do not pretend to be a professional travel writer or to know this destination extremely well. Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Getting Around Without a doubt the best way toget around Switzerland is by train - it is fast, convenient and every place isaccessible. If you plan on doing a moderate amount of train travel, I wouldrecommend that prior to arriving in Switzerland, you purchase the Swiss Card. Withthis card, you will receive 1 free transfer from any Swiss airport or border town to anycity or town in Switzerland + 1 free transfer from any Swiss city or town to any Swissairport or border town + 50% off all other rail, steamboat, bus and mountain excursions. Thesavings really add up. Depending on how you use your free transfers, the card may payfor itself right there. In Canada the pass costs approx. CA$ 160. In the US, it costsapprox. US$ 116. Links: Rail Europe or Swiss Bahn sites formore details. Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Geneva What to see and do: Geneva is a charming world class city withlots to offer travellers looking for history, architecture, shopping, and a lot more.Located on Lake Geneva, the city has been said to be the most peaceful in the world. It isno wonder when institutions like the Red Cross and League of Nations were born in Geneva.The city is home to the United Nations. Sights you may want to take in include: the St.Pierre Cathedral, the UN building, the Jet d'eau on Lake Geneva, and the Jardin Anglaiswhich has a huge clock made out of flowers and a fountain which is popular with the kidson a hot day. If you are there during the summer and don't feel like frolicking with thekids in the fountain there is a beach which, I gather from the lack of visible swimwear,is a nude beach. Walking around the old part of the city is interesting and veryenjoyable. Where to stay: Although there are quite a few youth hostels and budgetaccommodations (budget in Swiss terms), sometimes cheap people like me just stay at theairport. Links: The Budget Traveller's Guide to Sleeping inAirports Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Interlaken What to see and do: I could write a bookabout things to see and do in and around Interlaken. The options are really just too much.I spent a week in Interlaken and I still did not see or do everything. Things to see intown include the Casino (have to be 21 years of age - if you still look 16 like me,you will be carded) There are also bars and restaurants. Apparently there is a bowlingalley somewhere in town for you wild and crazy party-animals. The Berner Oberland (Switzerland actually) is a hikers dream. There are many signedpaths to follow. No matter where you are in the mountains, you can easily find your wayback. Here are just a few of the activities that I suggest: Since Interlaken is located in the middle of two lakes, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, cruises are available. The Lake Brienz, the cleanest lake in Europe, is much more scenic than Thun, which has high cliffs and a few waterfalls. A round trip ticket in the Lake Thun costs SFR 22 (14 with Swiss Card). You can off as many times as you want. Hike from Lauterbrunnen up to Kleine Schedeige. I did it the other way around and it was really just too steep for anybody to go down. HIKING UP IS ALWAYS EASIER THAN COMING DOWN! The Trummelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen is a waste of money. I think I paid SFR 10 to see the inside of the falls. There is no tour, all you are paying for is the privilege of seeing this. On the Lake Thun, the Beatushlen prehistoric caves has stalactites, waterfalls and an ancient cell of the St. Beatus monk. This is a good trip for a rainy day. From here you can hike along a path to the next village or town that proves to be interesting. Oberhofen has a huge castle-like place. I am not sure if there are tours or if people just like to take pictures of it. Take the steam boat from Interlaken to Iselwelt (SRF 5.20 or 2.60 with Swiss Card). Get off at Iselwelt and walk to Geissbach Falls. This is not a challenging walk, but is more leisurely. When you arrive at the foot of the falls, you will have the option of taking a cable car higher up or hiking up. Hike up!! The cable car is for lazy people. When you arrive at the hotel you will see that you have not made it to the top of the falls yet. Keep going. There are paths that meander through the falls. The Geissbach Falls are impressive! Where to stay: Although Balmer's Herberge is said to be one of the best hostels in Europe, that is really a personal choice. If you do not mind sharing two bathrooms with 50 other people, sharing your room with 50 other people and climbing three beds up to get to your bed on the top bunk, then Balmer's will make you very happy. If you are a light sleeper, there is no way you will be able to sleep with the constant chatter of drunk young backpackers wandering in at all hours of the night. In short, Balmer's is a PARTY hostel. Depending on when you go, the average guest age could very well be 18. Even if you stay somewhere else, you will probably return to Balmers several times during your stay. There is a store that sells everything you may need (not including groceries), a mini bar/restaurant for alcoholics, currency exchange and many day tours can be arranged. There are double rooms, but you have to be there early in the morning to grab those ones. After one sleepless night at Balmers, I stayed at the Hotel Beyeler/Heidi's Hostel. Don't ask me why it has two names. The owner told me that many Balmers refugees come to this place. It is not fancy, but it is an affordable roof over your head. The cheap travellers room is on the third floor and has three beds. If you get the single bed near the window, you better have extra blankets, because the window sometimes blows open and the cold mountain air may kill you. The room has a sink and there is a shared washroom in the hall. Oh, one more tip about this place. Bring your own WD-40. The door to this room is very loud!!! If you are travelling solo don't want to stay couped up in your room alone, let the owner know that you are willing to share if any other people are looking for a roommate. If anyone comes along, she will accommodate everybody. I don't think you will save any money, but it is good company. My roomies were one of the highlights of my trip. Contact: Heidi's Garni/Hotel Beyeler - 37 Bernastr (tel. 229 030) or if you are desparate, Balmer's Herberge 23-25 Hauptstr (tel 221 961). Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Grindelwald What to see and do: Grindelwald is smaller than Interlaken and not so infested with tourists. There is a lot to keep you busy for a few days at least. From town you can hike to the Upper Glacier or the Glacier Gorge. The hike to up to the top of the Upper Glacier is very challenging. No matter how fit you claim to be, you will be huffing and puffing a few times at least. And if you have big feet, it will probably take you twice as long to get to the top. The stairs are painfully narrow and small. I did the hike up First Mountain twice (once from Bort and the second from Grindelwald). The part from Grindelwald is very steep and tiring, so bring lots of water with you. To avoid the steep part, take the chair lift (the longest in Europe) to Bort, get off and hike up the rest of the way. The fresh air is revitalizing!!! Depending on the time of year you go, there might be snow at the top and lots of it. Here is the recipe to make your own slushie: take some hard fruit-flavoured candy with you, grab some snow (that is not yellow) and place both in your mouth. Yummy!!! When you get to the top, you will have a magnificent view of Eiger, Jungfrau and Mnch. Take one of those disposable panoramic cameras and snap away. If you think you are hearing a thunder storm approaching, it is just an avalanche. If the sound is more distant, you can probably turn around and see the avalanche on the other side of the valley. If it sounds really close, then I am afraid that you will be a fair bit of trouble!!! Where to stay: Lehmann's Herberge is a real Swiss chalet-like lodge. Rooms are wooden with red curtains, have nice, warm comforters, and a shared washroom for every two units. The washrooms are modern and have hot water. Many rooms overlook a valley, while a few others overlook a road. Lehmann's is VERY COMFORTABLE right off one of the main roads in town. 25-35 SFR per night - breakfast is included. There are some other youth hostels, but for comfort Lehmann's is the place to go! Contact: Lehmann's Herberge (tel. 531 141). The woman that runs the hostel does speak English. Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Costs You probably know that Switzerland is a very expensive place to visit. Here are a few extra tips when planning your Swiss vacation: When looking for accommodations it will cost you an extra bundle for a private washroom. Unless you are staying at a really nice hotel, most lower end hotels have a couple of shared washrooms per floor. Showers usually cost extra. Food is very expensive. I am from Canada and the cost of a loaf of bread was a shocking SFR 3.10. Four bananas cost SFR 2.05 and 6 pack of pop cost SFR 5.10. Luckily, I brought my own peanut butter and ate A LOT of peanut butter sandwiches!!! Transportation is reasonably priced if you have a Swiss Card, Pass or Eurail Card. And things like postcards aren't too bad in price! Clothing is expensive. A movie costs SFR 13. Getting Around / Geneva / Interlaken / Grindelwald / Costs ($) / Hiking Tips Hiking Unless you hike often and are use to the strain of hiking up/down steep mountains, start off easy. I ruined the whole trip for myself by starting big. The result was that I could barely walk for a few days and I had to put plastic Pepsi bottles full of HOT water on my legs at night. Although I was able to do some great hiking, I could have done more if I didn't start of thinking I was superwoman. This is not to say that I do not exercise at all, because I do everyday. I just don't hike up and down mountains everyday. Please sign my guest book! [ HOME ] This travelogue is based on the travel experiences of Donna McSherry