The quiet day was much needed after the rushed Austrian experience of the two previous days and I slept very well. The morning was again picture perfect with the sun blazing again. We had a trip planned to Adventure World (Abenteuerwald Saas-Fee) so the fine warm day was greatly appreciated as I can imagine working your way through a tree-top rope obstacle course wouldn’t be as much fun. It was a short walk from the tourist office to the park on the out-skirts of town and looking up into the trees on arrival the obstacles looked a great deal higher than I had expected. 
That wasn’t about to get in the way of a bit of fun so we signed our lives away on the indemnity forms and harnessed up for the safety run-down. I must admit I found it a little strange that after the quick safety demonstration we were let loose on the course by ourselves. It didn’t take long before we were testing the safety ropes and swinging from the rope lines through the forest canopy. 
As we progressed through the course each section became increasingly more difficult with the passes we needed to cross consisting of swinging ropes and foot holds. It was hard going so with arms burning we came closer to the end of the course and the promise of the giant zip-line across the gorge. We could hear the excited screams of the group ahead as they crossed the gorge adding to our eagerness to get there. We caught our breath after finishing the course and stood looking over cable crossing. It’s at times like these that thinking deeply about the safety as well as the possibility that gear failure would pretty much lead to a long fall to death, isn’t the best option! We didn’t hang around too long contemplating scenarios and before we knew it we were flying across the gorge at a great speed of knots. 
It was an exhilarating experience as our hollering echoed around the sheer rock faces of the deep crevice below. The video Mark made on his crossing gives you a little idea of the fun we had. (VIDEO TO BE ADDED WHEN I CAN) Zipping across this line with the back-drop of the Alps behind and the crisp cool air rushing by was a sensational experience.
After enjoying the rush heading to see how the Japanese team would train wasn’t the most exciting way to follow. Even after a day of beautiful sunshine the afternoon clouds had me feeling the chill as the afternoon grew older. I was happy to have a nice hot shower before heading out for a quick dinner then hitting the sack as I was still feeling the effect of the big weekend just passed. With the time remaining in Saas-Fee before heading to South Africa drawing closer to the end, a great opportunity presented itself to head even higher into the mountains surrounding Saas-Fee. The walk out of town to the Felskinn lift was once again, a pleasant walk through the village which seemed to throw new views and vantage points at you each time you venture out your front door. We rode the lift, which was made “famous” in the start of the music video clip for “Last Christmas” by George Michael http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W4-B06nMB4 up the side of the mountain to Felskinn Station seated at 3000m above sea level. The climb saw a gradual change in vegetation which at around the halfway mark gave way to snow fields. I gazed down and wondered how it must look when there is nothing but snow below being carved by winter skiers and snowboarders on the piste. The contrast from the start of the ride to when we alighted the very large cabin (capacity of 90 people) was very clear not only in the visual aspects but the temperature. Snow completely surrounded the lift station and we could see our breaths in front of our faces. The views down the valley to from where we came were stunning but we didn’t have long to stand and admire the scene. We plodded along a path covered with thick snow, then through fluoro lit tunnel to a train which headed underground further up the mountain to Allalin.
Being 3000m above sea level then boarding an underground train seemed strange which was made even stranger by the angle the train climbed up through the tunnel. As we kept climbing the view that we had just turned our back on was in my mind as I started to wonder just how good the view higher up was going to be? The views weren’t the first thing to hit. The cold coupled with the almost blinding effect of complete snow covering was an assault after travelling up through the dark tunnel in the heated train. As my eyes adjusted the views that came into focus were as dazzling as the pure white blinding snow. The peaks that were so distant from the valley below now surrounded us as we stood at 3500m on viewing deck at Allalin.
Allalin station boasts the highest revolving restaurant in the world which wasn’t open but I think the food wouldn’t need to be that great considering the views which I’m sure would demand more attention than the culinary offerings. It would be an enjoyable place to spend a meal. Mount Allalinhorn dominated the backdrop but in every direction the ragged snow covered peaks of the surrounding mountains made for one of the greatest panoramas I could have ever imagined. 
We had a Rivella drink inside the station before heading in to have a wander into the ice cave drilled into the glazier. As the stairway descended down the ice-walled tunnel into the deepest part of the cave with an ice covering of 12 metres topped with 5 metres of snow, I thought this isn’t the kind of place you would find a comfortable claustrophobic!! My travelling partner Mark took a video walking through which gives you a little insight into what it was like. (VIDEO TO BE ADDED WHEN I CAN) We caught the gondola back down with the temperature rising the closer we came to the Felskinn station encouraging me to explore the various paths I’d viewed from the air. The first stop was a beautiful looking old water wheel on the banks of a cold stream fed by melting ice from the heights we’d just visited. It was, as the saying goes, as pretty as a picture, so funnily enough I stopped for some pictures.
I walked down to the bridge crossing the stream and again stopped for a picture. I wasn’t really thinking about how slippery the log I was standing on could be until it was too late, and I had a bit of heavy fall. I was just incredibly happy I fell onto the bridge and no over the edge into the freezing, and fast running stream as that may have ended my wanderings abruptly!! 
The walk was again most enjoyable. Walking down the hill back into town I thought to myself that I was definitely going to miss this place when I left but at the same time I was excited about the prospects of the wanderings much further afield which lay ahead. 
The next couple of days passed by swiftly with the main points of interest being the Corpus Christi procession through the streets of the village and the trip down the mountain to Sion for the Japan v Ivory Coast clash. The procession to celebrate Corpus Christi is said to be one of the most beautiful in the valleys of the Canton of Valais occurring on the Thursday after Trinty Sunday. The local people dress up in various traiditional costums as well as military uniforms to march to the band starting out from the church in town sqaure after high mass, finishing with a visit to the local cemetery. I enjoyed watching the colourful procession as it filed passed my hotel and again later in the day when I observed the group having their photos taken on the steps of the church. The next day we headed out of town again and it took around an hour and half to reach the match venue in Sion once again passing through the most amazing vistas all the way down the valley to the base of the mountains. As a wombat with a knowledge and great appreciation of tunnelling, I must some say I was highly impressed with Swiss efforts. With some of the tunnels we passed through extending as far as 3.5km I had to take a picture or two to show my fellow diggers back home. 
The ground had quite low grandstands which allowed the view to the castle on the hillside behind the ground to be clearly viewed from the end of the ground. The view proved to be a great deal better than the game which proved to less than inspiring, finishing in a two nil defeat for the Samurai Blue team. Once again the Japanese team didn’t look too good and their inability to score a goal – even in the three 45 minutes sections – failed to fill those hoping the team would do well in the world cup with a great deal of faith. The trip back up the mountain kept me once again transfixed to the view passing which helped make the trip feel a great deal shorter. As we arrived in Saas-Fee knowing it pondered the fact with sadness that it would be the last time I’d climb the winding road up the wonderful village nestled in the Alps. I headed to the hotel and spent much of the evening packing my bags ready for the long trip ahead the next day. I knew I also needed a good night sleep as I was thinking the Saas-Fee – Geneva – Paris – Johannesburg – Cape Town – George journey was going to be extremely draining.
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