THURSDAY, JUNE 23RD – TRAVEL FROM BAD RAGAZ TO INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND:

 

Decided to work out in that fabulous fitness room again today instead of jogging.  I know there’s no fitness room at the Interlaken hotel, so I’ll have to jog there.

 

I was packing all my things when I found a spider in my suitcase.  I must have chased him around the inside of it for 10 minutes.  It was small black spider and the lining to the suitcase was black, so he “hid” very well.  But I got him.  Can’t imagine if he had gotten away.  I would have been scared to open my suitcase!

 

We met in the lobby at 12:00 noon for our 12:30 pm departure.  Tim had accidentally broken a crystal wine glass in his room and was worried the hotel was going to make him pay for it.  I had the desk clerk ask him if he had broken a wine glass and then tell him he would have to pay 120 CHF for it.  Tim was horrified but agreed.  We got the whole thing on video and he’s definitely going to pay us back.  LOL.

 

It was about a 4 hour trip and we didn’t have to make any stops.  I worked the entire way.  The scenery was, of course, breathtaking.  We all felt “comfortable” to be returning to Interlaken because we’re very familiar with the hotel and the surrounding area.  I knew that the hotel had changed names, management and been renovated.  But, usually “renovation” means “improvement”.  We were all shocked by the changes to the hotel…and not in a good way….

 

The rooms are one-half the size they were previously, very dark, and have a strange “odor”.  The desk clerks were all very nice and accommodating but all very “new” on the job.  When I walked into my room, there was a bed.  Period.  No desk or chair.  I had to change to another room because there was no where to put my laptop!  Mine, David’s and Howard’s are the only rooms that are air conditioned.  Only David’s room WASN’T!  So I had to move his room as well.  There are no mini-refrigerators any more and the Bellamys have medication that has to be refrigerated.  David got a bag of ice and Howard put his in the hotel refrigerator – which is extremely inconvenient.   We were also supposed to have fans in our rooms but didn’t get those either.  At least the air conditioning seems to be working.

 

Before I unpacked anything, I checked the WiFi … and it was not working.  The front desk gave me a different server and password and it didn’t work either.  I gave up and walked over to the Indian Restaurant with David while the hotel supposedly “fixed” the problem.  The food was good and we sat outside because it was cooler than inside.  It started raining on us just as we finished eating.

 

We have coupons for the restaurant in the hotel but the menu didn’t look especially “enticing”.  Might try it tomorrow night because some of the guys had it and said it was okay.  I sat and talked to Jim for a long time and then ventured back into my room.  The WiFi was working and so was the air conditioner.

 

I got a message from Delta that I needed to finalize my flight plans for Sunday.  I had to upload “contact tracing” information.  Sent all the group a message to log into their accounts and do the same as everyone needs to have it on their phone.   David and Howard had to download the Delta App to their phones but I think everyone has finalized the paperwork now.

 

Had a message from Tracy Lawrence’s tour manager that their flight was delayed out of Nashville but they made their connection and are on their way to Zurich.  Should land at 9 am and hopefully be at the hotel by noon.

 

It is almost 3 am and I’m TIRED and going to bed now.

 

Jude