Montreux experience

Barely starting on its routine dance across the Genevan sky, the blinding sun took a peek over the horizon; defyingly eating the darkness that had shrouded the city. A single long shadow was cast as a man stepped off the train onto the railway platform, littered with leaves and coloured into a darker shade by the condensation of morning dews. He looked over his shoulders to admire the city's mountainous backdrop. He had come with a single objective.

If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.

He grinned to himself as he recalled the words of Sir Issac Newton; repeating the words to himself as if it was a personal resolution. His eyes were keen and piercing, but the pronounced eye bags under them betrayed his weariness. It had been 2 days since he had a good sleep, but he has no time to lose. Like clockwork, he whipped out a map and began planning his attack. He allowed adrenaline to consume his body, rejuvenating it. Placebo effect is how the mind beguiled the body to wok harder. 10 hours was all he had and that was all he needed. Any delay would jeopardise his exit strategy; and postpone his much needed rest.

He took his first step towards this objective.

Rochers de Naye - 5hrs 15min. He brushed aside this misleading information. He was sure that he would be able to scale the mountain is less than 4hours. If he stuck to his plan of a 4hour ascent, 2 hour at the summit and 3hours descent, he would have an hour to spare.

His climb was fraughted with fork roads which would each lead to an unknown destination. Anxious to reach the top, he instinctively chose the path that leads upward. Along the way he met a old lady who encouraging told him that when she was young, it took her slightly over 3 hours to scale the mountain. Hunched and frail, old but experienced, she gave him no reason to not believe her. Caringly, she asked about the load on his back. Confidently, he smiled at her and told her it was not a problem. She responded with a kind smile, supportive but not convincing. Having lived her all her life in the mountains, she should know better. But she just waved him off, letting the man discover the secrets of the mountains himself.

view from the half way mark.
Lunch time - sandwiches for the stomach, feast for the eyes.

There was a biathlon at the top of the mountain range!
just a little bit more.
awesome.
Took me 5hours to reach the top. Nearly literally on top of the world, I remembered the old lady. Our acquaintance was brief, but my admiration for her is deep. 3 hours are all you need. The old lady must have been a heroine of some sort when she was young.

I was there standing on the shoulders of Giants.