Friday 31 May 2013

Our favourite was Fuchs

Itinerary
  • It was raining, it was pouring, the family was snoring. All woke up after nine which is still much earlier than the late mornings of the first few weeks where we would get out sometime after midday.
  • Interlaken
A stroll
A spaz attack
Seilpark for the BEST FUN EVER


Interlaken
After getting off the train, we crossed a street in the rain. Drew jumped the final curb, landed in a puddle and both scared and wet an old lady. After his lovely and gorgeous parents asked him to consider apologizing, he had a full on spaz attack about how awful we were and proceeded to walk at snails pace and be a cheeky little s?!?,? For a good hour as we strolled the Interlaken streets. Sigh.
The girl at the tourist information office gave us a funny look when we told her we thought we would go to the outdoor ropes / obstacle course that is Seilpark. "There is an indoor ropes course in Bern" she said. She told us about some other options including a large outdoor rural Switzerland museum or a chocolate making demonstration in a few hours across the road.
Then she said the magic words to Ree, " For the best coffee go to the café Paris just next to the markets. So off we went, Rain God against us, for some warmth, a snack and good coffee.

Inside AND warm....YES








Off to the Seil Park - Wear the Fox hat

So we calmly and rationally discussed the pros and cons (silliness) of going to an outdoor activity with sections high off the ground which requires significant balance skill on now wet and slippery equipment. The answer was obvious: Zoe and Drew threatened mutiny should we not at least attempt to see if the Seilpark was safe in the rain.
The full weight of parental reason was greeted with shrugs of derision from the aggressive little mutineers and so, unable to diminish their resolve, off we trudged. No buses go there so it was a 20 minute rainy walk of which for most of it, we didn't see another soul.
Movin right along, we turned left at the fork in the road and after a brief uphill turned into the forest as directed by the ever present Swiss signs.


I saw the sign, and it opens up my yes, I saw the sign



Walking into the forrest....what are those breadcrumbs on the floor



Then we arrived. There were a few people on the course and the owner promised us it was safe. The rain had just stopped, so we signed up and were ready for action. Unfortunately Drew is just under the 140cm height limit so was not allowed to do the high courses. He was allowed to do the training courses and the first two other courses which had very similar elements of difficulty - balance, strength, flying foxes but not more than say 10m off the ground. The other levels reached up into the tall trees but in truth, jumping or balancing at 10m was not much different than at 40m.


Missed it by that much



So ready for action



The various courses



Ice like slipperiness on a beam that moves whilst balance high enough above the ground for all sorts of fractures on "accidental dismount". Remind me how this is fun?



Took Drew about a minute to get across this section. Took me about 5mins



Tis was on the practice course


Its hard to see but, the reason you are safe is because of the magnetic safety lines you wear. Once you connect yourself at the start of each course, it isn't possible to disconnect more than one of the two connectors at any time. As you move between obstacles, you disconnect one end of your safety line over a small magnet, then reconnect it to the next line before the second connector can be undone and also moved to the next line. OK so that's probably gibberish but what it means is that once you pass your safety course, and move onto the actual apparatus - you're on your own. No safety dudes standing up high telling you what to do or explaining rules. Imagine this in Australia or Canada - everyone would be in a helmet with rules and guidelines and...you get the drift.
Hooking yourself in, high in the trees then ziplining by jumping off the narrow platform is so much more exhilarating when there is no attendant helping guide checking your straps and making sure you are safe. Maybe this is also good advice for Australia and also for parents? Personal responsibility - who would have thunk it?





Zozo on a rope bridge



These planks moved like a turning skateboard as well as a see-saw. Did I mention that the rain had made them banana skin slippery?



Leaping off a flying fox



Photo shmoto - here is an edited conglomerate of a bunch of small videos I made at Seilpark. Long, redundant and boring but a quick edit is a good edit.









This tunnel is unstable and high enough



Ree and Zoe - the Foxes


So thanks to the militant children, we had a sensational afternoon of fun. The rain started again just as we finished so thanks also to the Rain God.
Another evening of laundromat action as tomorrow we leave Lauterbrunnen.




Enough

2 comments:

  1. i felt sick just watching-


    grant

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    Replies
    1. The difference between sickness and fun is one jump from a high up tree. Sooooooo much fun

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