The Rest of the Story

After skiing down the next slope which was an intermediate, I remembered that I did know how to ski but I was still shaken. Up another lift and we were at the top of the Lauberhorn, the famous World Cup GS. I wasn't interested in skiing it because I could see that one more hill and I was at my original goal, Kliene Scheidegg where I was supposed to relax and read a book while Mark got his fill of famous ski race runs. It was now 2:30 and my little breakfast was long gone. I could tell Mark was undecided as to what to do so I grabbed a quick bite of cheese brot and a rivella and ran to buy a 112 CF ticket on the Jungfraujoch railway, the highest train in the world, the top of Europe. mark needed to have some time to ski the Wengen downhill etc. Off I went still higher up into the mountains only this time I was on a very steep train track.


I got to the top and it seemed empty. It was so weird. Everywhere I went, I was alone except I started noticing that a large group of Asians where following me. There was construction and I would end up in dark hallways and room full of building materials. No signage or what was there was incorrect. I did get up the the Sphinx and again my fear of heights took over and I could not get close to the edge to take pictures. I paced back and forth in the middle and finally got the courage to go to get two quick pictures and the make my way back to the bahnhoff station. I had a hard time finding it and there wasn't anyone around to ask. I finally found it and it was the last train down.


Mark and I made specific plans about where to meet quieting my fear of being lost in the Alps. When I got off of the train, it was getting dark and I could see the snow cats starting on some of the slopes. We had a very long way to get back to the car in Grindelwald! I did not want to ski down, I was still emotional about my encounter on the Eiger. But I knew Mark would want to ski down. He was not at the meeting place and a moment of panic passed by. I went to find my skis to see if his were there too. They were not but my skis were stuck in the ground with a note on the bindings. It said, "Lorna I will meet you at the train station in Grindelwald Mark". I thought it was romantic and thoughtful of him knowing how I would be so worried. The thought of taking the train down the mountain excited me. It is the most beautiful 40 minute train ride and I didn' have to ski down all that way.


The train got to Grindlewald but I did not know there were two stops and I could not tell which one to get off at. we had ridden the gondola up so I wasn't sure. I thought the Grund station was the one but Mark had said the Grindelwald in the note. I tried to ask a guy but he was sure I wanted the next stop. I jumped back on and as soon as the train started to turn the corner and go uphill, I was nervous. But the I thought maybe Mark was surprising me with a dinner at the restaurant we had eaten at several years ago in Grindlewald. I got off the train with my backpack, boots, skis and poles and looked around, no Mark. I didn't know what to do and it was almost dark. I heard the train start up and at the last second me and my gear jumped back on.


The train employee said "you have to get off," the first person to speak to me in English before hearing me speak. The train was moving, so I just stayed on. There was only one other little family on the train with me. We pulled into the Grund station and there was Mark behind the turn style waving at me. It was now 6:45 pm. It had been a very long day but we found each other and I was safe and hungry so we drove to Interlaken to find the Grand Lindner Hotel where we stayed years ago. We asked for the same table that we loved right next to the river connecting the Brienz with Lake Thun. We had our romantic dinner and it was wonderful. We were the only ones in ski clothes in that fancy place but we didn't even care. We were together and happy with each other. We drove back to and my European insomnia kicked in and I was up for many hours.


I love traveling with Mark and the more we are together, the more we want to be together, but today I do not want to ski. I need a break. He went to repair some timing systems and is still not back. Another day of not being on the first lift. I did hear him telling Barbara that we had quite the adventure yesterday. I am so glad he thinks that! Now he will always refer to my "favorite run" under the Eiger with a certain fondness even though it was his recurring nightmare.