31st August 2010

Well today we move on. Time to say goodbye to Maria and our apartment at Grinzens, Innsbruck, and head into Switzerland. The weather is again cold and cloudy, and there is snow low on the mountains.

It is a great disappointment about the weather because the drive from Innsbruck was just amazing. Mountains abound and the snow so low, we could have stopped and had a play.

We crossed the border into Switzerland and had to stop and buy our toll pass. In switzerland, you pay CHF40 (about AUD$45) for 12 months and that covers all tolls. Cheap eh, compared to what we pay in Brisbane. And when you drive over here, you can understand why they charge a toll. On the drive from Innsbruck, we went through 2 tunnels through the mountains, each about 7km long. And they are only small ones.

We finally arrived at our destination, Samedan, a small town in the Engadin Valley near St Moritz. It is only a small hotel, 4 rooms only but with 3 storeys. Hotel rooms at the top, cafe and bar on the 2nd storey and the kitchens etc. on the bottom (partly underground). Nice place but expensive. AUD$200 per day with breakfast. And this would only be a 2-3 star hotel. Some of the others are easily 300-500 per night. I chose this place because it also gives a tourist card that offers free mountain lifts in the whole valley plus free use of all public transport. Only a handfull of hotels offer this free card. We have a great view from our floor to ceiling windows of our room and a small balcony. But too cold at the moment to sit out. The only thing that I have to complain about the hotel is the cafe. It specializes in specialty cakes and slices and has a huge selection of home-made chocolates. And I can do without the smell of cooking cakes and bread wafting up to my window first thing in the morning.

We went for a small walk after we unpacked and checked out the town. Luckily the tourist office is just across the road. Lots of info on some hikes, so it will be all go tomorrow.