10_DESCEND
We knew it would be long and tough and we would end up dead tired. I began to feel pain in my legs, since I had slipped and hurt my knees on my way to Obersteinberg, when I ventured off-path a little (big lesson taught). We hiked down the plateau of Oberhoresee back to Schaflager, where we took a last glimpse at the retreating glaciers. From there we took a different path to descend the mountain. We headed east and made a steep descend of 300m to Im Tal. We hiked very slowly and I had to stop and rest pretty often. After all the pain and sweat we reached the level of the rapids (a). At around 17:30 first clouds of the day appeared (b). At Lager we hiked further northeast in attempt to get closer to the Holdri and Talbach Falls. We passed through woodlands and some really muddy paths (c). Then came the mighty glacier falls rumbled down from heaven (d). After the falls, we had nothing in mind but to go downhill as quickly as we could, despite we were both pretty worn-out. After several more river crossings we crawled towards Trachsellauenen (e). By around 19:00, we finally got to Trachsellauenen, the last stop before reaching the village of Stechelberg.
11_STECHELBERG
This was our first chance to truly appreciate the mountains in different time of the day (a). As we walked out the valley, we watched the peaks of Jungfrau turned gold in colour (b). About 30 minutes after Trachsellauenen, more timber houses and pastures appeared along the way. At some occasions, we had to stop and wait for local shepherds to rush their cattle through as they usually blocked off the paths with ropes. 30 minutes before reaching Stechelberg, we had a last look back to the Jungfrau (c). Inch by inch I dragged myself out of the mountains. Seeing the lights and houses of Stechelberg somewhere 100m below us was quite encouraging. At last we made it to Stechelberg at around 20:30. I am convinced that we had taken far longer than any other hikers to finish the trail. Given this was our first time, plus the luck of having perfect weather the entire day, we were both proud and happy as we entered the village. We ended up having a big dinner of sausage soup, fondu and steak at Stechelberg before heading back to Gimmelwald by bus and cable-car. Outside the restaurant while waiting for the last bus of the night, we finished the day with some star-watching.
7_GLACIERS
Half an hour beyond Obersteinberg we reached a plateau at Schaflager. Traces of retreating glaciers dotted along the the foot of adjacent mountains. Clear sighting of disappeared glaciers raised every hiker's deep concern. Bare glacial deposit exposed as ashes beneath tiny bits of thinning tongues. Some experts warned that Alpine glaciers would disappear entirely by 2050. Judging by what we had seen (despite the time of high summer), perhaps the experts were already over-optimistic. 
8_OBERHORESEE
Another hour of steep climb took us to our final destination - a tiny glacial lake at the altitude of 2065m, Oberhoresee (a). As inexperienced hikers, we were overjoyed by reaching this remote destination, almost six hours after we left Gimmelwald. We seated ourselves on a rock, took off our backpacks and jackets. Right away we found ourselves busy taking photos in front of the tiny turquoise lake, in which the Jungfrau imprinted her sacrosanct reflections (b)(c)(d). No one among the dozen or so hikers who rested around the water dared to take a dip into the close-to-freezing water. Some hikers took out their food, some their binoculars, and some, including AC, preferred to take a nap on a rock - an experience that she later described as "eyelid and snow-mountains" (all you can see are the snow-capped mountains when you open your eyes, as simple as that).
9_ALPINE HIGHLANDS
Behind Oberhoresee stood the summit of Breithorn and her glaciers. For 30 minutes we lingered on this peaceful highland around the lake (a). Wild Alpine flowers, mainly in white, purple and yellow, carpeted the ground up to the snowline. Honeybees buzzed and butterflies fluttered up and down (b). Again our hearing was dominated by the sound of running water, mainly from the glaciers of Breithorn and beyond. At Oberhoren we got a chance to cross a small bridge and headed up to the hut at Schmadrihutte(c). That would take us probably another 60-75 minutes. We didn't take it. We had to conserve energy for the long descend ahead. Mini waterfalls cascaded down the mountain, along a path that led us to loop around the highland (d). At around 15:30, we decided to journey back down, as we had no plan to stay the night outdoor.
4_PATH TO OBERSTEINBERG
At the altitude of around 1800m we reached an open slope under the steep cliffs of Tanzbodeli. We followed the signed pathway towards the east side of Tanzbodeli and reached an overhanging pathway where we came face to face with the majestic Jungfrau (a). Glacial water streamed down the snowline, making us wonder how much longer before all these glaciers are gone (b). We came so close to these famous peaks all by ourselves, as if the two of us were the only visitors to the 'magic mountain'. Comparing to the year-round busy Jungfraujoch mountain railway station on the other side of the summit, where I visited ten years ago with my parents, this Jungfrau in front of us stood as if a different mountain (c). The high path ended at another green slope fenced off for cow grazing (d). This was the point where I mis-read the map and thought we should have followed a higher path. As I attempted to find our way through the grazing slope to reach my imaginary higher path, a shepherd appeared from nowhere and instructed me the right way - a short descend below the slope to the restaurant of Obersteinberg.
5_LUNCH
We reached Obersteinberg at around 12:45. On a bench facing the Talback Falls, we had our lunch - 2 cans of corn-beef, 1 can of tuna and 1 loaf of bread. We bought most of our food supplies the day before from the Migros supermarket at the Basel railway station. We knew that we would not find any grocery shop at Gimmelwald, and nothing would be open in Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen by the time we arrived. Unbeatable scenery. Simple but delicious food. Pure glacier water. Zero complain.
6_STREAMS
After lunch, we turned our back towards Jungfrau and made our way further south towards the glaciers of Breithorn. We passed by numerous waterfalls (a), crossed the Tschingel Litschina (b) and other glacial streams at several occassions. As we approached closer to this deep end of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, the peaks of Jungfrau and Monch formed a magnificent backdrop behind us. At this time of the day, this west face of the mountains was completely bathed in the afternoon sun (c).
1_ARRIVAL
75 minutes of bus ride, 150-minute-long wait at London Stansted, 75 minutes of flight time, 120 minutes of ICE service, 20 minutes of mountain railway, and we still hadn't reached our destination. By 20:30 we reached Lauterbrunnen and had our first glimpse of the mountains. Rain began to pour as we stepped out of the station. We had an hour to kill before the next bus arrived. Despite the rain and darkness, we strolled to the southern end of the main street to see the Staubbach Falls, one of the valley's many glacier waterfalls. The bus finally came. In 20 minutes it took us deep into the Lauterbrunnen Valley to the cable-car station at Stechelberg. In complete darkness, we made a short lift from the valley floor to Gimmelwald, our final destination of the day at 1370m. Flocks of tourists pass by Gimmelwald everyday without delay, enroute to the panorama restaurant at Schilthorn, where a few scenes of 007 were shot back in late 1960s. By around 22:20, we finally arrived at our pension. London-Stansted-Basel-Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Gimmerwald. All it took was 13 hours from London Victoria to the heart of the Swiss Alps.
2_MORNING
A peaceful night in the timber chalet.
Next morning, we woke up at around 06:00. Out the window we watched the sky gradually brightened, and discovered the beauty of the surroundings - mountains, cliffs and waterfalls. At 07:00 we went out for a stroll and were exhilarated with the clear sky (a). Local farmers were already starting their days. Bell tone of goats and cows. And the sound of waterfalls and rapids. It had been so long since we last enjoyed such tranquility and freshness of the nature. After breakfast, at 08:30 we began our day-long journey into the mountains. We exited the village (b) and descended to the rapids below where glacial water continue to carve the river valley. A black cat with thick fur followed us from halfway, until we crossed the river that he finally gave up.
3_ASCEND
Our day's first challenge began immediately after the crossing. For the next two hours or so we wound through dense evergreen forest and continuously ascended up the mountain for about 500m in altitude (a). As the mist gradually cleared away in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, our morning excitement was overwhelmed by physical exhaustion (b). Though freshness of the air, fragrance of the soil and the sound of waterfalls made our bodies relax as ever. At occasional clearings we looked across the valley to the north, where the village of Gimmelwald appeared like a dozen tiny timber toy houses on a lush-green hillside (c). By comparing where we stood to the level of Gimmelwald, we tended to estimate roughly how far we had made uphill.
I have missed the closing ceremony while hiking the Swiss Alps, and I guess it's kind of late to say anything about the Beijing Olympics, other than I am super happy on how our fellow Chinese have managed a great event.
Don't know (and will never know) what the experience would be like if I were to witness and participate this spectacular event in Beijing... just like what we, a group of secondary school friends and Chinese diaspora, once made a casual promise in 2001 that we would go to Beijing for the Games in seven years of time. Seven years have passed. Each of us has pursued a distinct path of life. The Olympics opening ceremony has been spectacular as promised. What turned out unexpected are perhaps the changes that each of us has gone through.
Farewell, our growing years.
10_DESCEND
11_STECHELBERG
