Party town! Some, if not all of my experience is not paying too much attention to details. This entry is no exception.I found a campsite down a hill, next to a river, with a view of the Eiger’s north face. The tent could have done with a little more drying after Lyon, but is was fine. It has had it’s best days. Every moring, there are more green flakes from the sleeping area. Stuffing it in to my ruchsack won’t be doing much good either. The inside was damp on the floor this morning and I can’t work out if that was from underneath or condensation. I think I’ll give this one some tlc and keep it as a spare. But I will buy a new one whilst I still have some funds.

As always when I visit there will be many, many things that I could have done. Then again, I wouldn’t have got up to what I got up to yesterday. As soom as I spotted a cable car next to the campsite, I knew what to do. Other times, I might have passed the chance by, but not this time. There were a number of marked trail walks, but none of that appealed to me. I was more interested in the tobbogan run. But first, a beer, some photos, and some blogging.6CH on the run paid for one ride on the 750m track with a drop of 56m. Looking at people on the ride, I don’t think enough people were taking it seriously enough. I wanted a good run on this. Behind me was a Norwegian lady and her young child – no problems with them catching me up yet – and a middle aged lady in full hijab. So off I went. I pulled the lever between my legs back to check that the brakes worked, and then pushed it forward in to free fall.Not soon after starting I learned that not using the brake was much more fun, and I wasn’t going to fly off the edge – probably. But then braaaaaaaaake. I’d made up the distance to the rider in front, and I slowed to a halt breaking one of the rules. Everything was fine and ready for another go. Yeah, there’s plenty of room in front and no sign from behind.Urgh a Japanese couple snogging on the train to Interlaken Ost. I didn’t pay for first class to see this. That’s the second time he’s done it!So off I went for a second time. This one was a faster run and my breaking distance was longer. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. That was really close. Luckily, half of me remained in my sled and my only damage was a friction burn on my right knee. As much as I wanted another go, I realised I was a danger to myself and every on else. So back to the bar for sausage, fries, and wiessbier.Waiting for the cable car back home I started chatting to a family from Maidstone who come here every year. The father said that his son suffered third degree burns on a tobbogan ride a few years ago. Spending the money on food was a much better idea.National Day CelebrationsThe party starts on the national day eve and they like a firework. I saw a lady in the street selling rockets that were taller with me and the largest payload I’ve seen on sale. In the centre of town there was entertainment from a two piece band made up of an accordion player and a singer\guitarist.It was well worth haning around for with another beer and more sausage. Then a brass band.

After that, there was a short speech in many languages thanking everyone for turning up.There was a cow bell procession. These things normally involve lanterns and candles. It can make it look like a far right rally, which it wasn’t.

Finally, there was a yodler (I miss not having a spellchecker!). He was great, but it was past 2200 and I wanted to get back, taking a slow walk through the weekly street party.I’m on the train to Zurich now and I have a charger. The CO-OP had them for sale!I’m sure Zurich is lovely. It does look nice, but I’m feeling it after walking around so much in the last two weeks. I would go for food, but I ate a nice chicken, red curry rice dish in Bern train station. Sometimes, you need to find a cobbled square and sit outside with a coffee. The techno music is a welcome backing track. It’s 1613 and soon it will be 2140 and departure time. My big rucksack is in a locker at the station. I think the 9CH was a bargain, but I wish I’d taken some stuff out of the other rucksack. I’ll factor plent of time in to get back, get my bag, and find the train.I have a few things to do when I have wifi at the station:

1. Book in to the Hilton on the 2nd
2. See what 30,000 points gets me in Budapest
3. Reply to my hostel and hotel review emails!
4. Remind myself that I’ve had enough to drink over the past few days.
5. Remind myself again.

I haven’t mentioned the proper fireworks last night. I’d nodded off and then it took a minute or two to work out there was a firework display. I poked my head out of the tent, looked right, and had a perfect view. I’d gone off these displays, but this one wasn’t too much or too little. Well done Grindenwald.