Today I did the cable cars. I got a pass at the hostel, and then went out and made an attempt to actually see Mont Blanc. And Italy. I was supposed to see both on the run, and I was a little disappointed that I hadn’t.
I wish I had planned the trip better. I brought a lot of stuff, but it never occurred to me that even though the valley is nice and pleasant, the snow covered mountain top might have differing weather. Well, I showed my Canada by going up in shorts and t-shirt.
The first cable car was to Plan de L’Aiguille. It was scary when it went by a support tower; it caused the entire carriage to start swaying. There we took another cable car way up to Aiguille du Midi. There you could really feel the cold. Fortunately, large parts were indoors. Although the elevation really hit me when I was just climbing some stairs; I got a little light headed. They had a nice museum displaying climbing tools and techniques. And there was a hole in the ice that led outside where climbers were coming in. From the observation place you could see lots of people climbing up the mountain planning to take the cable car at 3842m back down. I’m hardly one to judge.
I also found out that Italy was closed. The cable car across the massif to Pointe Helbronner was closed in September, so there would be no gelato for me. And the clouds prevented me from seeing Mont Blanc itself.
Going back down, I lingered longer at the Plan de L’Aiguille. There was a pleasant cafe where I enjoyed a sandwich and hot chocolate. I met some Americans from Seattle and we talked a bit. They decided to go for a hike. I was very tempted to hike down to Chamonix; the sign said it would only take two hours. But my ankle still hurts, and going downhill is murder on my quads.
After getting back to Chamonix, I walked across the village and took the cable car up the opposite mountain to Planpraz. There wasn’t much to see here, but it was a relaxing place to hang out for awhile and enjoy watching clouds flow below you. Or through you.
Then back to Chamonix, some ice cream, and back to the hostel.
For dinner they were serving Swiss cheese fondue. I’m glad I tried it, but never again. It starts out tasting good, but then the rich cheese hits you and you spend the next few hours in a hate spiral with your stomach.
After considering my options I have decided not to go to Marseille tomorrow. I checked the train schedules, and it is actually past my destination for the bike trip. Since I am renting a bike, I don’t need to borrow my friend’s in Marseille. So I’ll do less time traveling, and two more days in Chamonix. I could try and spend another day elsewhere, such as Lyon or Avignon, but I like not having to find another hostel. I even found a tour bus that is going to go under the tunnel to Italy. I might still meet my goals.
In other news, my USB charger has died. So I have no way to charge my iDevices, without begging from strangers. I better try and find a replacement quick.
2012-9-3 23:27