I just found a deal on my tickets to Switzerland!
 

I have never bought my tickets this early! Usually the planning starts a year out and I watch the fares go up and down and sweat it out, but I just bought tickets to Zurich from PHL (direct flight)for $700 for mid June. I am thrilled. That's the cheapest we've flown to Europe in 5 years. USAir is offering some pretty good prices now. I am excited and getting ready to book my hotels! Yeah! This year, we're spending 4 days in Bettmeralp, 3 days in Lotschental Valley (Falferalp) 5 days in Val D'Herens (Evolene and Arolla) plus an overnight in Zurich. Hiking vacation!

Linda,

Congrats on a good deal and I wish you a great trip. I love hiking in Switzerland. It's kind of the way I picture heaven.

gruezu

Sigh. Bettmeralp and Fafleralp---two of my favorite places.

I assume you will stay at Hotel Fafleralp, at the end of the road? Love that place. It is quite rustic, but we like it that way. Food was not top-notch when we were there, but that was 7 years ago, so hopefully things are better. We did have a nice Raclette dinner one night; I think it's a specialty there because they have the big cast-iron device for melting the cheese out on display in the dining room.

Hi guys! Enzian, you are hiking again in the Valais this year right? Part of the Haute Route? We were going to do part of that with the Herens tour, but we encountered snow in the Val D'Anniviers and don't want to limit our options, so we'll just pick our hikes according to conditions. Swiss pass in hand! If it rains, we'll take the train to Sion and hit the wineries. Yes, we chose Falferalp Hotel. Love rustic. I'm planning on Hotel Chateau Bettmerhof and the Kurhaus in Arolla and haven't yet decided about Evolene.

looks like I'd better learn to spell Fafleralp. I have a German class tonight, btw!

No, we are not going to Switzerland anytime soon. That's why I sighed. I may try to put something together for 2010.

Bettmerhof looks nice. I'm trying to figure out the location within the village. some of the shots show a lift right out the windows, so that's a clue.

We love the hiking there---truly spectacular along the Aletschgletscher.