kandersteg

15/1/15

Even though it was our day off Charlotte and I woke up at 8 am, we didn't want to miss breakfast!  Kandersteg had more of a selection of cereal available (I had Milo Cereal), and they had three different types of cheese for packed lunch, but they didn't have a toaster?!  Also the highly raved about coffee machine at breakfast wasn't all that amazing either. What I did enjoy was handing my dishes over to someone else to do and leaving without having to wipe tables down or clear away food!

Charlotte and I went back upstairs and stripped our beds and swept the floor.  Then we went downstairs and checked out.  We left our stuff at Reception when one of the staff came to inspect our room and we had to go with her.  Apparently it was all clean and fine.  Before we left we went into the Shop and bought some badges and pins to go on my camp blanket and also our scarves we wear at the Chalet (or Neckers as everyone here calls them!)

 

Charlotte and I headed back into town, with the help of a map we had got from Reception.  Our plan was to head up to Oeschinen Lake or Oceoeschinensee.  It involved hiking into town and then to the gondola station before catching the gondola up a mountain.  Oceoeschinensee is elevated 1,578 metres above sea level, surface area of 1.1147 sq km, with a maximum depth of 56 m.  In full winter (when it snows and is slightly colder than it is now!) the entire lake freezes.  Unfortunately when we got to the top of the gondola, there was more snow than there was at the bottom of the mountain and it was quite windy.  We decided not to make the hike, of which the suggested time in nice weather is 30mins, to Oceoeschinensee and instead stay around the gondola station before heading back into town.  

Us at the Top of the Gondola

Map

The View

We walked back into Kandersteg, which is actually smaller than Adelboden, and explored the town whilst we waited for the bus back.  The bus only runs once an hour so it was important that we didn't miss it! We boarded the bus at 10:57 am and headed back to Adelboden through Frutigen.  It was approximately an  hour trip in total on the bus ( I fell asleep) and then the 20 min walk back up the hill to Our Chalet.  Some how Charlotte and I timed it getting home at 12.20, ten mins before lunch.

After lunch Mara, Charlotte and I went Airboarding/Sledging.  We walked to the gondola station then took the gondola to town and then to the top of Tschenten.  Charlotte and Mara had planned to split the cost of hiring an air board, but unfortunately it was too windy.  We had bought two sleds with us and we had to hire a third before heading down the run.  It was still a little too windy to Sled and after two runs I decided I had had enough.  I sat at the top of the hill whilst Mara and Charlotte went down once more.  I managed to entertain myself with snow and my phone  (taking pictures) until they came back and we headed back into town and to the Cheese Shop.  Nikki and Bryon met us at the Coop afterwards, and kindly drove us back to the Chalet, so I didn't have to walk up the dreaded hill twice in one day!

Off Sledging 

Scenic photo of the day : Taken by me :) 

 

The Cheese Counter

Dinner was at 6pm, we had Bratwurst and Mashed Potato (YUMMYY!!!) and after Dinner, Sarah and Katrina had organised some evening program for the staff.  It involved playing games of 44 Home, Hide and Seek  in Main Chalet and Werewolf (also known as Mafia).  

44 home

Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek and Werewolf (also known as Mafia)

The night before some of the volunteers had slept in a tent outside Stockli as a part of their Staff Challenge.  They had kindly left it up for those who didn't get to sleep in it the night before, including Charlotte and I.  We all layered up - I had tights and pj pants, ski socks and a thick pair of wool socks borrowed off Rachael, a singlet, a tank top thermal, a thermal t-shirt, my hoodie, a scarf, a pair of gloves, my dr who beanie plus my orange beanie, a sleeping bag and a double thickness wool blanket to keep me warm.  And even though I may have looked like a snow man (thanks mum!) I was warm!!  Before we went to sleep we had a 'caterpillar party'.  A party where you all get into your sleeping bags and wriggle around to music.  It all made us very tired and thankful to go to sleep!