Although I agree that speeding should be kept in check, in my humble opinion, the level that the Swiss take the speed-control to is actually dangerous. I spent so much time looking at my speedo, I could have easily missed seeing a car pulling out of me or a pedestrian (who just walk out in to the street with out looking).
With only a few grey hairs more, we found Kerstin’s street easily enough, and amazingly without incurring the wrath of the police. What we did not have her house number written down. Yes, it was on the computer but that is a major hassle. Luckily Tam still had the mobile phone and we simply called. Turns out that we were only a few metres way.
Other then the draconian approach to speeding fines that Zurich is something out of a “Star Trek” idealism. There is little to no poverty, everyone is happy, they get paid well, and the city is clean, beautiful, and has low crime. Even prostitution is considered a legitimate (and Taxable) job!! The down side is as a tourist (on a stringent budget) this is a very expensive city. A simple meal could cost us our entire daily budget. Thanks to having a local host we were fine.After viewing the city and the Alps from the deck of Kerstin’s flat, with the red kites soaring
overhead, we spent our time exploring the city, and searching out the all important flag sticker for the panniers. The city of Zurich although as far inland as possible has a very maritime feel. The river, “Limmat” (not sure of the spelling) runs a dominate course though the city, starting in a massive lake.The city is built around this lake and the social life of Zurichian seems to be based (at least during the summer months) around both the river and lakes. There was myriads of people walking, eating, drinking and of course melanomatic sun worshiping.
The view of the lake with the backdrop of the Alps, reminded me very much of home back in Tasmania. (Although the alps are much bigger!) So although I could barely understand a word that anyone was saying I felt very much at home.
My extremely weak German was made to feel even more useless, as the Swiss speak a dialect of German that is as far from high-German as one can get. Most Germans have a hard time the Swiss, where could this possibly leave me, but once again our local guide Kerstin saves the day, and does most of the speaking for us.
The most amzing thing is that Zurich completely lacks a feeling of threat. I cannot recall the last time I was in a city that held no sense of threat what so ever. Although I have not had any directly bad experiences in the UK there was always an underlying sense of violence. Even on our first night we were invited to a BBQ at a friend of Kerstin’s. (Thank you for a great night guys). We were walking in a city at night though the “red light district” at times and not once was there any sense of danger. I left Anubis exposed for several days and never once worried about it. Why this is I have no idea. But I there is anything that I will take from this part of the trip it is that.
The highlight of our time in Zurich is the “swim” we took. There is a government sanctioned area which is the out put end from their hydroelectric power plant. Here the current must be at least 20 kph (if not a lost faster). The fun is walking as far as you can up to the gates and riding the current back down to the ladders. You can not really swim it is more of a controlled “being washed away”. I felt like a kid again and was having a blast playing in the current and diving in to the warm rushing water. Twice to-date on this trip I have felt more like a kid than I have in years… My advice to anyone visiting Zurich.. is go for a swim!!! We spent the rest of the night sitting on the shores of the river enjoying the warm summer air and the company of friends. Our final day in Zurich was a relaxed one where we just stayed around the flat, and relaxed (and wrote a few over due blog entries). We left Zurich in style by going out dancing at a local alternative club. I have nothing but fond memories of Zurich. I am not a city person, preferring the open spaces, but if I ever had to choose a European city to live in it will be an easy choice, now.
Just as we were leaving Kerstin, mentioned the H.R. Giger museum.
Giger, was made famous for designing the Alien, for the sci-fi movie franchise of the same name. He has been my favourite artist for as long as I can remember. Although dark and disturbing images proliferate his work, his work is strangely beautiful, unique, and powerful. He has been described as an occult artist, and I can see why some call him this but I simply love his unique works and original take on almost everything. 
There have now been many people that have tried to copy or assimilate his style but all have failed. There is only one H.R Giger!Instantly our plans changed, we will no longer head strait back to France. We will spend a day and go see the museum. It was an easy ride, if not plagued with fear of speeding tickets. For times sake we took the motorways the entire way and it is as boring as it is in every other country. The directions on their website are rubbish. It is far simpler then they made to our take the road to Gruyeres, there is only one road in, take it and park and walk towards the chateau. The museum is on the right.. you cant miss it.
The village itself is stunning in its cuteness, it is a walled city that has maintained its charm and atheistic. At this time I could not care less.. I was going to see real H.R. Giger works. I was almost giddy. Those who know me well know what a rare thing that is.
Once we made it to the museum, you are greeted by a couple of my favourite statutes, and bar decorated in the style of the Aliens set. 
It was expensive, it killed our budget for the day, but I got to see something that I thought I would never do.
I was not allowed to take photos in the museum itself but I loved every second of it.I have to thank Tam here for indulging me. We even went in to the bar for a hot drink when the skys opened (again, we really should charge for drought busting). We camped just below Gruyeres, setting up in the rain where the lighting was so close and loud that I hit felt the need to hit the deck more then once and was ducking involuntarily at the thunder’s proximity.
The next day (Saturday) saw us heading over the Alp to head back to France. The ride started like any other, us avoiding main roads and getting some what lost. I was still thinking about the Giger exhibit and really wanted an other look, however, once we hit the mountains all was forgotten. It was not (just) the stunning beauty of the mountains that wiped away the thoughts, but the vertigo inspiring mountain pass with sheer cliffs above Martigny.
We were head up at what felt like a 45° angle (but was more like a 15°). Anubis was working hard, and we kept climbing for at least 20 minutes. The road conditions were great for the first part. It was the fact that directly next to us was a drop of hundreds of feet strait down and getting higher all the time, that made it forbidding. The mountain pass that entailed a climbing a incline with a sheer drop to our side, both Tam and I started to experience a sense of vertigo. Leaning into turns, which makes you look down a 500m drop is a unique and bloodcurdling thing.
Anubis’s temperature was climbing and it started to worry me when we came up to a caravan going 25kph. Now the slower speeds meant that Anubis was working even harder and not getting the air flow that he needed. Luckily shortly after there was a place to pass and we were free…. Not.. it was not more then 500 metres before we came up on a cement truck, going 15kph. We were stuck there for an hour. This meant that the already over worked Anubis had to work even harder cus I could not get out of 1st or 2nd gear. Pass you say?… You try passing on a bike that is as nibble as a elephant with one leg and a bad knee, on switch back roads where you do not have more then 20 m visibility and on almost every turn a car was on my side of the road. Mainly do to the fact that people do not give bikes an entire lane. The temperature of poor old Anubis was at the half way point, back in Old Blighty it never got beyond the ¼ way point. But then again it was over 30°C and Anubis has not seen these temperatures since Spain. Eventually we were able to pass and pass again the next slowly moving obstacle, and pass again the next slowly moving obstacle….. When we finally passed the last obstacle were we able to enjoy the twisting roads and stunning scenery.
The added stain and heat may have affected Anubis more then I feared, shortly after we reached the peak we started to hear a clicking noise. I thought it was emanating from the front, Tam the Back. De javu?? The mountains are amazing. We come to the end of the pass both believing that we are already in France, but we arrive at a toll booth, as we were doing out best to stay off toll roads we were more than a bit confused. Seeing no option other then go back over the pass, we decide to pay the toll. Presently surprised, when we found out that it was a place to buy your Swiss vignette, our sticker proudly displayed we were waived though. That night at the campsite (already in France) I looked at what could be the cause, and the only thing that I came up with was that the chain was very loose, Yeah that could be it! Tightened the chian, and hoped for the best. It was then that I noticed a broken spoke. More on that saga in Viva La France!!
