We experienced a seriously significant change in climate over the time period of 3 hours just after lunch on New Years Eve. We stopped for a quick lunch at the Autogrill on the coast just before Genoa at 12 noon. The skies and ocean were beautifully blue and the temperature was around 16' as we drove away from the coast, sadly. We were lucky as most of Piemonte retained its blue skies and we could see some of the Alps on the left as we drove north into the clouds!
By 2pm it was totally cloudy as we drove through Domodossola - hoping to catch the auto train to Brig... we were on time for the 14.17 departure but the queue suggested we would not make it on to the train - so we decided to drive over the
Simplon Pass. It was raining as we started out so I was a bit disappointed I may not see the full vista... but by 1700m the snow had set in and the road was completly white,as was everything else!
The pass at 2005m was a total whiteout and it seemed as if we were in the middle of nowhere in our warm and reliable A5. Thankfully the winter tyres and the ABS braking were a brilliant combination, so we could relax and enjoy the slow drive down the other side. White on white with white extras...
We saw almost hidden houses and cars. The snow continued into Brig, where the train line emerged.
As the road was closed before Gopelstein, where we would normally have caught the train to Kandersteg (this time a 200km road detour), we were very happy to hear that the train was travelling direct to
Kandersteg from Brig.
We waited for an hour in the snow and finally drove on board the train to take us across the snowy hills and through the mountain to emerge at the picture postcard village of Kandersteg.
It was a very short drive to the Meike's grandmother's house where we were able to relax with good company, food and wine. It was such a lovely house to enjoy a raclette and watch the infamous '
Dinner for one' before we celebrated the new year of 2012
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