We arrived in Courtelary train station, after our 2 hour train journey from Geneva. As we were deciding what to do first, whether to get a coffee or go straight to our host Pierette's place, Pierette herself walks towards us from further down the platform!
Pierette is a flight attendant for Swiss Air, and had just arrived back in the country from either India, Bangcock or New York, I can't remember to be honest, she flies everywhere alot and works 85% of the time apparently. I'm not to sure how she worked that percentage out, but anyway, I digress. Her daughters (Noemie and Maude) were waiting for her outside the train station with a car, so we all piled into the 90s space cruiser and drove to her place just five minutes down the road.
The first day was really all about sleeping. Kate and I had been awake for nearly 22hours straight, so we peaced out after breakfast and slept til the evening.
Work here really varies from clearing up, gardening, and walking dogs. It's strange for me to be back here again, as nothing has dramatically changed from the time I was
here last. Kate has been bonding with the three dogs and two cats they have here, and we are really thinking about getting our own little dog when we get home, maybe something like a dauchund that pees all over wooden flooring and chews leather.
 |
| Dog walking jams |
We've taken road trips, visited a zoo, seen more rain than we would have liked, gardened, cleaned, and cooked. We have been to horse shows, chalets, hiked up and around more hills than we ever have in our lives combined, and seen so many trees. It's
truely beautiful here.
On our road trip to Evolene we stopped in Montreaux, where they hold an annual jazz festival. The weather was beautiful, and the lake there is huuuuuge (it's practically a sea). They had a hang gliding competition there which was mad to watch, as people were gliding in from the top of this mountain to land on what was basically a floating table! We walked about abit before getting back on the road to the Alps and the apartment we were going to be staying in there.
Once we arrived in Evolene we were blown away by its pure magestic quality. The scenery was breath takingly large, and postcard beautiful. Everywhere you looked was something to take photos of, and here are some of our favourites below.We hiked up hills, and talked to cows. Kate found a poorly cow in a barn, and took a picture of it! Neither of us were dressed for hiking, but somehow my canvas plimpsols (provided by Nick, thankyou) were great nonetheless.
Few bits of drama like dropping our food in a large rubbish bin on our way out of town, then spending around an hour trying to dig it out with a shovel were actual highlights, and although caused headaches at the time, made the trip insanely memorable.
Seriously - Hooking a rufuse sack with the edge of a shovel whilst Kate holds the bin lid open and I hang inside it as local residents drive past was actually insane. The credit for getting the bin bag out goes to Kate, who's
steady hand saved the day.
 |
| Montreaux |
 |
| Evolene, kitchen. |
 |
| RC church |
 |
| Kate on a bridge, Evolene. |
 |
| Alps. |
 |
| Evolene Roman Catholic church |
 |
| Our apartment building. |
 |
| View from our window, Evolene. |
We got back to Courtelary, after getting lost on the way home, and started work the next day. We've shopped in some amazing second hand shops, bought some cheap ass shit, and seen some incredible furniture - all pretty damn cheap, and alot of it antique. Switzerland seems to have this habit of charging through the roof for everyday items, then dropping prices to beyond cheap for second hand shops. Plus as noone seems to want to dress in Calvin Klien 90s jeans, or over sized navy cardigans we can pick up bargins everywhere.
Cont by Kate
We have been spending alot of time fruit picking & making jam. Pierettes family own a chalet up in the hills of Courtelary, so we take the dogs up there for a few hours pickimg cherries, red currents. The chalet has been there since 1600s, it has no running water or electricity but last time we went Sam made a fire & we cooked on it for our lunch .
Today we drove to Pierette's nephews home in a small village near Neuchatel. On the way the car broke down, but as luck would have it we broke down outside a self service ice cream shop! Pierette went into the shop brought some eggs,fresh coffee and ice cream. When we went to leave the car wouldnt start. Pierette Sam & myself all tried to fix the car ( a small cable had come lose )but we couldnt so we called a garage & they sent a guy out straight away . Within twenty minutes we were on our way, the purpose of our journey was to meet Pierettes nephews Help exchange guys two guys from Australia. They were going to be coming back with us to Pierettes & stay with Sam & I over the weekend. We have planned a road trip for tomorrow to a open air museam & we would take them back on Saturday.
 |
| Marsha |
 |
| Sam & Cameron |
 |
| Sam & Ollie |
When we arrived the guys, Ollie and Cameron, showed us round & they took me to see three beautiful ginger kittens! We also met Maude and Julian (Pierette's nephew), and their two lovely children (Marsha & Zara - Zara was a baby, and baby small with gorgeous ginger hair, Marsha had beautiful blonde hair, all curly!). They told us the story of how today the two goats that Pierettes nephew owns had run away. We had tea & ice cream then headed for home. Sam & I made dinner for our new friends we had some wine & around 9pm took the dogs out for a long, wet walk. We have planned that tomorrow we will get up at 8am the guys will get some fresh bread, and we will have the eggs we bought today for breakfast & I will make a picnic for the roadtrip/openair museam.
 |
| Ice Cream shop |
 |
| Broken down, avec le chiens. |
 |
| Kate, just before she put the kitten in her bag and ran away. |
 |
| Sam & Pierette |
