Geneva; Monday, 10 May, 2004

Monday dawned a completely different day with sun and not a cloud in the sky.

After checking out of the hotel and dumping the luggage at the station we headed down to the lake and decided to take one of the ferries across to the other bank of the lake before catching another one over to the international area of the city, where the Red Cross and United Nations are based.

After having a wander round the parks near the UN we caught the tram back to the centre and got some bits for lunch before catching the bus out to a park to sit in the sun and enjoy lunch.

After lunch and with the sky still clear, just some fluffy clouds collecting around the middle of the mountains opposite, we decided to go a view Geneva from 3000 feet.

Geneva is less than 5 miles from the Franco/Swiss border and regular buses take you to the boarder post. From there it is a short walk to the base of Mont Salève and the cable car station (you didn't think we were going to climb to the top did you!)

The views from the top are spectacular with the lake and the city laid out beneath you. You can look down the lake and on the day we were there make out the city of Lausanne about halfway along the lake. Looking across Geneva we could also make out the airport and the planes taking off and landing

We walked around to the other side of the Summit and looked across to the Savoy Alps and the peak of Mont Blanc.

We walked back to the cable car station at which point we realised we only had 2 hours 50 minutes until the flight... ... 2 hours 35 by the time the cable car set off... ... 2 hours 30 by the time we realised we had just missed the bus... ... 2 hours by the time we caught the bus... ... 1 hour 30 minutes by the time we reached the station with the information that there was a train in 4 minutes and then a 25 minute gap... ... 1 hour 28 minutes by the time we grabbed the luggage and ran for the platform... ... 1 hour 26 minutes as the train pulled out with us sitting on it panting. Thankfully we arrived at the airport 5 minutes later and checked in with plenty of time to spare!