Day 1

the route...sort of

I spend a lot of time being curious and confounded by the world and the people in it. if i am not careful, i can get lost in pondering human behavior and all the influences and precursors to such behavior(s). so i knew joining a group of international hikers for a trek entitled "Mont Blanc Encompassed" would be...an indulgence of the mind, as well as the body.

The meeting point in Les Houches

9 personalities were before me in Les Houches; hints of personalities really, for how much does anyone know of anyone at "hello"? I was to learn more as hours and days went by, and i was to find the path (TMB) had its own complex personality. Of course we didn't exist in a bubble, but rather shared the TMB with many others, so it was a daily intermixing and mingling of attitudes, opinions, experiences, cultures, languages, expectations, emotions, ideas, needs, and histories.

How does it happen that 9 beings from 4-ish countries come together for 10 days of their lives?

The Jewel doesn't believe in coincidences, she did not see any aspect of this trek as a random happenstance. Miss Prim did not wait for the first day to find out about her trekking partners, she wrote to the company to find out who was coming and where they were from. From that information, Miss Prim formulated a hypothesis as to the make up of the group- "they must all be responsible working adults who have time and funds for a long holiday in August, and as they are joining a trek in France they must all be well traveled and speak multiple languages." The Chamois expected the others would be athletes particularly fond of mountaineering and intense physical pursuits, "why else would anyone do this trek?" she wondered. The Chamois does not believe in coincidence either, but she doesn't look for meaning in things. she would say, "life is what you make of it...and even then it can be awfully disappointing."

For whatever reason The 9 came together. While they weren't always physically sharing the same space, they were connected and certainly affecting each others space and experience in the world. so allow me to make formal introductions...

The Jewel- from Australia, she is a mother who is now out on her own exploring the world.
Miss Prim- from Denmark, she is a mother and grandmother, a former teacher and lover of languages.
The Missing Husband- from Denmark, he is married to Miss Prim. He is a father and grandfather, a former teacher and an injured athlete.
Oscar- from France, he is young but strong and stubborn and sweet.
The Guide- from France, he is a man of the Alps and a proud son of France.
Le Chamois- from Australia, she is a high level military official, and more mother to her siblings than sister.
The Lady- from France, she is a cancer survivor, a mother, and wife to The Gentleman.
The Gentleman- from France, he is retired from the fashion world and enjoying life with his wife.
Mr. Man- from Australia (and New Zealand), he is a father who has retired early to travel and settle in to his new home in the country.

view of Dome du Miage

Day 1- Les Houches to Refuge de Miage (at about 5000ft elevation).

the end of day 1

back in the country for 3 weeks and still my photos are in disarray. granted there are significantly less of them; i can no longer quantify the number as "obscene" rather it probably now qualifies as "an overabundance of photos." so without further explanation here are some from the first few days.

view from a window overlooking Lyon.

view from a train- on my way to Chamonix.

walking through Chamonix

Chamonix, Mont Blanc is off to the left.

Guides are held in high esteem in the Alps.

a break along the rushing mountain waters.

another view of the water, the town and the snow.

North Face Ultra Mint Blanc

http://www.ultratrailmb.com/page/20/UTMB%C2%AE.html

Check out this site to read about this amazing race that covers most of what I did...but in significantly less time. Athletes from all over the world compete, pics to come.

Belleville, Paris

Travel day- Annecy to Paris on the TGV...arrived starving and ill prepared for Paris; from quiet and organized alpine villages to a cacophony of sounds, sights and masses of people. Paris and New York always assault my senses and send me reeling, and yet I thoroughly enjoy them both.

A tiny hole in the wall Pho place caught my eye and after checking in at my 5th or 6th hostel in Paris, I headed directly to 1 of the vacant seats for hot, steaming Pho. Somehow they managed to cram 18 seats into this little shop.  Tiny by my standards is small, tiny by Parisian standards is miniscule...by the end of the meal I had a new family!

Opted for Belleville this time around. Had spent an afternoon here and was glad to find a hostel not far from the park. Learned that Belleville has quite a history-  before being absorbed into Paris it was a hilltop village known for its vineyards and wine. During the Workers Uprising of the 'Paris Commune' the last barricade to fall was in Belleville. In fact the area is still home to the Parti Communiste Francais and two of the largest trade unions. It also has been home to many waves of immigrants, from Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Tunisians, Algerians, North and Sub-Saharan Africans, Chinese and Vietnamese. You can see the diversity as you oass by stores and shops with signs in varying languages and contents of all types.

And yes a new hostel experience because I have yet to find one in Paris I would return to. Hum, hostel living....it is an experience, on the one hand they all have that hostel-quality...and at the same time they each have their own flavor. This one is new and has very gregarious employees at the reception desk which I apreciate. Nothing worse than bored or apathetic hostel staff.

Someone asked me when I will be to old for a hostel. Not sure it is age that determines whether you can/ should stay at a hostel. I think maybe it is personal preference and state of mind. Things to note about hostels:

1. Hostels are a great place to meet other travelers
2. Hostels often organize activities or offer discounts to local activities
3. Hostels are all about communal living with a propensity for cliqueishness during university holidays
4. Hostels can be super inexpensive or as much as a low range hotel, especially in areas highly frequented by the backpacker set
5. Hostels may have quiet hours or they may encourage an all-night party atmosphere
6. Hostel reviews are like all other "reviews" - hit or miss
7. Wifi is not always free or consistent at a hostel
8. Breakfast of some sort or another is almost always included
9. Cleanliness seems to mirror the societal expectation of cleanliness
10. Bob Marley's music will be played ad nauseum at any hostel on or remotely near a beach
11. Most hostels will accommodate groups and families
12. If you are under 18 you will need to be with an adult in order to stay
13. In order to stay you must show a form of ID, generally a passport but other forms are accepted depending in the location and hostel requirements
14. Open and accessible kitchens can save you time and money, but not evey hostel has them
15. Some hostels allow their countrymen to stay but others do not. I find this to be fascinating.

And on that note i am off to meet the other travelers.

Until tomorrow.

Riding the Day Away

I told someone the other day I never go back. Meaning, forward or straight ahead are my preferred direction. Detours are appreciated and veering off is fine too but going back from where I came generally is not beneficial. Of course there are exceptions to this but they are rare; today such an exception occurred. 

I went for a long leisurely bicycle ride that was to take me around the lake. They have incredible bicycle paths here that take you under trees, behind houses, along the water, and through parks. They are wide enough for multiple bicycles and seem to be well utilized. I had heard it was 40-45 kilometers around the lake but had no map and honestly was not concerned. I figured I had most of the day to enjoy the sunshine and the spectacular views of the lake. 23 kilometers in I stopped to take a break, and eat a bit of food.

As I sat and enjoyed the view I wondered where I was and if the path did indeed go around the lake. I had seen a bicycle path around the lake but there were many paths and not many signs along the way. Then it happened, the worry...it just sort of slipped in there.

Where am I going? Where will this path take me? What if something happens to the bike? Do i know enough French to describe a bicycle problem? What if I am find a map and I am too far or too tired to ride back? What if, what if, what if???

As I am meandering my way through France these worries are as minor as they come.  So as a fairly reasonable person I recognized this AND the response of "well we don't ever go back" as both thoroughly unhelpful and a waste if energy. Rather I decided to continue eating and see how I felt when done.

Wouldn't you know that upon completion I was ready to go? not in the unknown direction but back from whence I came. And not out of worry but out of desire to see what I saw from a different direction. And what I found along the way were items I hadn't seen before and a different perspective of the path.

Sometimes it just makes sense to go back.

Oh what to do?

Ah I know...

Saying Goodbye to the Alps

The 10 day trek is complete, I did not fall off a mountain and my body has shown no signs of revolt as it did a year ago! Success! 

Said goodbye to the beautiful alps this morning and headed away to Annecy. Arrived in freshly (and quite thoroughly) washed clothes with two of my treking pals and we strolled the streets of the old town until one had to depart for the next in a string of French adventures.

One more day here, maybe I will take a bike ride around the lake, or meander through the streets, or sit at cafe to write and people watch.

Stories and pictures to come....do you know how  long it takes to upload 407 photos on a hostel connection?!

WiFi again?!

Another day with wifi, clearly we are in the valley and not high in the mountains. Arpette Switzerland- known for its ski slopes, blueberries and fondue.

Here are a few photos...more to come after the trek.

La Fouly

A few pics from this morning...day 7. We start off in about 20 minutes- 15 ish kilometers of walking in the valleys with a bit of uphill at the end of the day. A light day really, if it were not for the rain which will come in about an hour.

Alpine Adventure update

Arrived in Chamonix with a half day to explore this touristy village at the base of Mont Blanc. It is a cute little place with beautiful views. I explored, ate lunch along the rushing mountain water, and bought a new pair of trekking sticks. Then off to the hostel which I would rate as less than average.

The next morning I set off for Les Houches, the meeting point for the trek. 10 arrived, 9 set off- a French couple, a Danish woman, 3 Australians, myself, 1 French guide, and a mule.

We are on day 6 now and have lost the French couple. We arrived in La Fouly very wet thanks to a mid-day shower. We arrived to find hot showers and wifi access (the first so far)!

More to come after the trek...for now enjoy the photos :)