Today, the Swiss army turned up in force, as they always do at this time of year, to help turn the village from a small ski resort into the venue for one of the ski World Cup’s most exciting and exacting downhill races.
This year is the 90th running of the Lauberhorn. As the new year holiday makers leave, different groups arrive: in no particular order, volunteers, racers, support staff, race timers and the rest At least they don’t queue at the Co-op checkouts late in the afternoon.
Is life about queuing? In an attempt prove otherwise, the Idle Skiers returned to Murren today, accompanied by friends who live a mile or so away in London and even closer here. It was a good plan, with blue skies and almost empty slopes greeting us at Winteregg. In the afternoon, the sun hid behind gathering clouds, but it had been a good day still.
At Lauterbrunnen, on the way home, the train for Interlaken Ost was crowded as people left their holidays behind. In Wengen, the Co-op was empty for the first time in a couple of weeks.
A group trip of south Londoners notched up 7,177 vertical metres in 20 lift rides and 36 kilometres travelled.
Idle thoughts from a mountain 