Day 10: Europa Hut – Taschalp – Findeln - Zermatt
It was hard to believe today was the last day on the trail. It was quite bitter sweet. However, we couldn’t have picked a better day to end our adventure on. The sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I knew we’d be able to see the Matterhorn today for sure! I was ready.
There was much chaos and confusion in the morning as everyone hurried to get ready and get on their way. We had dressed, packed our bags, but on our shoes, and we all set to go. Brian just needed to pay the lady for the night’s stay and we’d be on our way. I was just about the head outside and wait for Brian when he called me.
“Hey, I need some money, I don’t have enough.”
*pause*
“WHAT?! I gave all my money to you, what do you mean you don’t have enough?”
The conversation that followed is not important. What’s important is that I knew no one in the whole joint spoke English.
I’m not sure how we were short cash. Leaving Gasenried we took money out of the ATM and we had plenty of money for the night’s stay in the Europa Hut, or so I thought. I’m not sure if he lost a couple hundred bucks or what. But all said and done, we were about $10 short. But I was still fuming out of my ears, as I tried so hard to be very careful to make sure we had plenty of cash the whole trip. I knew several towns only took cash, and ATMs were few and far between. I just felt like it was very irresponsible.
Luckily, Jeremy lent us the money. And after the situation was resolved, Brian took off on the trail and left Jeremy and I to hike by ourselves. I complained to Jeremy a bit about how it wasn’t the money, but the irresponsibility that I was upset about, and he assured me it was no big deal and talked about things that he and his wife fight over, as if to try and make me feel better. And at the end of the conversation he said something I’ll never forget:
“Well I’ve seen how you and Brian are with each other, and I think you’re very in love. In fact, I think you’re soul mates and are very lucky to have found each other.”
It was one of the most touching things anyone has every said to me. I’m sure I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. My eyes welled up with tears, and I agreed with him.
After a few miles I caught up with Brian and we apologized to each other and all was well with the world. While sitting there, in an attempt to be romantic (my first mistake) I told him what Jeremy had said,
“Jeremy said he thinks we’re soul mates.”
*pause* *laugh* “Ha. That’s kind of funny.”
“NO, he was talking about you and me, not me and Jeremy!”
“Oh. Yeah I thought that was kind of a weird comment!”
I don’t know why I even bother.
The rest of the hike was beautiful and uneventful. The Matterhorn did not disappoint, and we watched it all the way as we descended into the town of Zermatt.
Afterword:
10 hard, gorgeous, inspiring, life changing days were over, it went by so quick, but seemed like so long all at the same time. In the next 3 days we went on to visit the Big Cities of Switzerland: Lucerne, Interlaken, Bern and Geneva. And they were great in their own way and we saw some wonderful historical sites. But a big city is a big city is a big city. With buses and noise and trains and shops and people. And during those last three days, I couldn’t help thinking about our trip in the Alps. There’s just something about walking the countryside on your own two feet with your livelihood on your back that cannot be reckoned with in any way. It’s something about discovering the world, discovering yourself, and discovering others you can’t get from doing anything else.
