Day Trip to Chamonix in France
I was supposed to bring the HR Managers of Asia in Montreux for a day trip. Everything has been planned already but on the last minute they backed out for sudden change of schedule on their business trip. Lumi, my officemate and good friend helped me plan the getaway trip for my bosses. When she found out it’s not pushing through anymore, she invited me instead. Without second thoughts I accepted, I really wanted to go there even by myself but of course it will be not as fun as having somebody to go with you. So we set the date for our trip. Unfortunately it has been raining almost everyday here in Geneva and the trip to Montreux will not be as fun with this kind of weather so Lumi and her husband thought of somewhere else to go and they thought of Chamonix in France.
I already received my work permit just last week. This will entitle me for a transit to any Schengen territory as long as it’s less than 5 days so the change of plan turned out to be better!
At past 10 am, I was ready to leave to go to our meeting place and at past 11 we were heading to France already. It’s only 1.5 hours drive from Switzerland. The other reason why I’m so excited about this trip is I want to see how they guard the borders of each country. 
We passed the border of Switzerland and France and yes there were police in but we weren’t checked at all. I was informed that going to France from Switzerland is not a problem at all but going from anywhere else to Switzerland is the tough one. It’s okay, I have papers anyway but was just curious how they search or check each car.
We reached chamonix at past 1. We went to the village and wow there are nice shops in their small village. Lumi said Chamonix is the ski resort for the rich and the famous and as I expect shops were quite expensive. We’ve ate in one of the nice restaurants there. I wanted to taste the fondue but remembered that I wanted to order that after finishing my lunch =( we had ice cream after meal. Yes at 2 degrees and with 3 layers of clothes we still had ice cream. I need to know if the Movenpick ice cream is still the best for me or there is something better in France and as expected Movenpick is still the best…. 
I saw the teleferique again, wow I can just imagine the view above 3800++ meters but there are so many posts in between and I can just imagine the sway I need to experience again everytime the teleferique pass by the post. As we were roaming around the nice little village they asked me if I want to get closer to the glacier, thinking they are inviting me to go nearer by car of course I said yes. Not expecting what will happen next….
I was dumbfounded when they brought me to the Telesiege. It’s a chair lift going the same height as the teleferique which is almost 4000 meters. I wasn’t so keen in riding that chair, I can’t even bring myself to ride a teleferique again what more to ride just a chair on that height. Of course I have no choice and a bigger part of me want to try that telesiege so with a brave heart we paid for the ride which is 10 euros, around 15 francs. I remember this telesiege, i’ve seen it in one of the James Bond movies. When we were preparing to hop on our chair I got more scared because the chair doesn’t stop at all, you have to hop on it while it’s still moving. Thoughts like what if I’m not yet settled and I fell =( so with a heavy heart I prayed and stand on the waiting area for our chair.
It wasn’t very fun hopping on that chair lift that doesn’t stop but the ride was fantastic! It wasn’t even scary, the constant speed of the telesiege was comforting and it’s slow so you wouldn’t feel the height and change of altitude. The view while going up is so great. Everything is within your reach. It was really a great sight. 
The view going up was really something but the view from the top is something that you need to try to remember every detail. There were a number of people hiking, it was a nice place for a romantic walk. You can smell the trees, you can enjoy the nice weather at 2 degrees and there’s just the nature and you. I missed somebody so much when I saw how magnificent the place is. I was excited to take pictures not for myself but for archie who I know will be so happy to see them. I can just imagine the excited face when we reach the top of the telesiege. And for you bhabie these are some of the pix i’ve taken. 
The trip going down is nicer. The beauty of nature is right in front of us. It was a very nice trip. Looking forward to exploring more of France.
