Les Houches

TOP Highlights from the past three days:

1. Stepping off the bus in Chamonix - After a terror of a night in Courmayeur, I (Anthony) was not at all myself having received what we can only describe as a very toxic dose of food poisoning. Kate was also unwell so we made a quick decision to cancel the following two days of walking - quick yet difficult and disappointing decision. These two days were forecast to be, and subsequently were, very wet. When the rain comes down here in the alps, it buckets. So really, it’s a double win that we became so unwell! Right?

2. Public benches and lemon water - Given we survived the short bus trip through the Mont Blanc tunnel without puking, it was an absolute pain when we found we had to wait 3 hours for check-in to our respite accomodation. However, things turned around when I slept resting on Kate’s comfy thigh lying on a public bench in the middle of town (and didn’t even wake to a small boy apparently poking my shoe). Then, when finding fresh lemon water in the hotel lobby, I instantly felt it was the right place to be!

3. Watching a French kids movie - Even with our limited French language skills, we were able to enjoy the highlights, lowlights, scary, sad and happy bits of Sammy 2. Adorable, it’s like a French ‘Finding Nemo’, but with slightly sinister moments.
Particularly liked the song that went ‘let’s quit the BS and depressing stuff...’ Something for everyone!

4. Monopoly Deal card game - This was one thing we deliberated over when doing our final pack in Orsières, and it turned out to be a bit of a life saver for us biding time. It truly is the game of champions! Who wants to play?!

5. Chamonix - Having the opportunity for us to stop and slow down in a famous and somewhat charming resort town, with a raging river that cuts its way through the centre. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people with ‘all the gear and no idea’ - at least I’m not carrying new crampons, helmet and an ice axe.

6. Getting our glow on - As we sit here at our final last minute booking that has saved us, in a little hotel aptly named Le Saint Antoine, we watch the glorious Alpen Glow. A classic alpine sunset, which alights the glacial capped peaks that surround the Mont Blanc massif, taunting us with the colour resembling a peach Melba. Ironically, this was the desert house special that despite our improvement, our bellies would not allow.Read more