Luke Freeman

Friday

We arrive in the soaking rain about 10pm and start trekking to the accommodation by foot… the place was very hard to find but we finally got there around 11pm… soaked.

So we quickly sorted out our accommodation (found out that we needed to pay an extra $9 per night), showered and got our beds.

We ventured downstairs to find that there were some Yanks and Brits drinking and talking. Within no time we were getting on splendidly, and getting into trouble for the noise.

Saturday

We awake to find that the mountains are still covered in cloud and its still raining. After eating a huge European breakie (and acquiring some for lunch) we headed into town to check it out.

“Swiss Art and Craft” we soon discovered means expensive watches, knives and chocolate. So we still decided to browse all the Swiss Art and Craft, taking free samples. After walking around town, checking it out we finally decided to go white water rafting with the Brits later that afternoon.

The white water rafting people picked us up from our hostel and we headed off to the white water rafting base. Once at the start of the rapids we were teamed up with a Yank and Canadian to form a team full of testosterone! You can imagine the outcome of our team (with our Canadian guide too) up against a similar team… lots of racing and outdoing each other. We rocked though!

After getting our free beer we were dropped back to the accommodation, cooked dinner (2 minute noodles) and soon found ourselves in the middle of a game of Kings Cup.

Sunday

Ben and I headed out with the other Aussie (Chris) to go hiking. We were recommended to go to the Trummelbach Falls so Ben and I went there. The Canadian and American that we met the day before were at the falls too (with a couple more randoms).

Incredible!

The falls were absolutely incredible! It is hard to explain them in a way that does them justice but the long and short of it is a waterfall that had cut through the side of the mountain, resulting in a series of chutes that the water took inside caves to make its way to the bottom.

We then headed back to finally go hike a mountain, although it was still too cloudy to see anything. Only half an hour into it my migraine was getting very bad and I started to lose vision and feel ill. So I turned around and headed back to the train station to get some food into me (I hadn’t eaten properly for some time).

Eventually I got back to the accommodation and slept for a few hours until my head started to clear a bit.

When we started to think about dinner we realised that everything was closed because it was a Sunday! Eventually we found out that the camp ground next to us had a convenience store so we picked up some pasta and pasta sauce.

After eating dinner, talking for a while and swimming in glacier water (4 degrees) I made the break for bed to try and get rid of my headache.

Monday

Time to use the 30 minutes of free internet from McDonalds, use the postal service and of course…buy some Swiss chocolate! After coming back from town I took the obligatory skinny dip in glacier water in a quiet part of the lake, 5 min from our hostel. I only lasted about 10 minutes before seriously fearing for my future reproductive capabilities.

Back in the hostel we started playing table tennis! I eventually started to get into the swing of it and not play too badly for a rumb dower…holding my own at least. This lasted for quite a while before we went and started on dinner. Another round of pasta and sauce…this time with a bit of meat and veg!!

After that we somehow ended up doing physical challenges as you do! The one I am most proud of as usual was my limbo ability. Even with my horribly ruined spine I managed to beat the shortest guy (5ft) and all the girls (one was a dancer). Ahh… trust the rowers to end up with a physical challenge!

In the end, absolutely everyone had lost something or another and ended up having to skinny dip in the freezing lake! Haha, at least I knew what to expect! It seemed like that’s all Corbs and Ben wanted to do all day was to make people get naked in the lake, so they finally had their way - good thing it was pitch black!

Tuesday

Finally after 4 days in Switzerland the clouds lift and we can see the mountains that surround us! What an amazing, beautiful place!!

Just in time for us to pack our bags and get on the train to Munich (or Munchen as the Germans say).

Monday morning we load up in the car with our bags and head to the train station, say our good byes and jump on the train to London to meet Ben (who left with Zoe on Sunday arvo). Corbs and I arrived in London to use the free wireless in McDonalds to catch up on things. I end up on the phone to Mastercard and the Commonwealth bank to find out why my cards aren’t working. So now I have my parents posting me 3 cards to Vancouver!

We meet Ben at the train station and jump on the …

Well, as I mentioned earlier we were knocked out by Cambridge last Wednesday at Henley. Here’s the run down of our last few days at Henley.

Wednesday
After a disappointing loss to Cambridge I went across the road to enjoy a Guinness with my parents, had a enjoyable chat about my plans for the next while… I’m still terribly confused about what I’m doing with rowing, study, travel, work etc - not sure about what I’m doing and the timing of it. Honours or not? Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and/or Macquarie? Rhodes? Masters? Thesis topics? Being in Sydney? London? Boston? Vancouver? Do …

Well… we got beaten by Cambridge yesterday so that’s it for me.

Now I have to learn how to spectate

Yes, I have been very bad at updating this, I’m sorry.

So here’s the run down…

We flew out on Wed afternoon. Nanna, Pa, Auntie Jo and Angus took me to the airport to see me off (which was really nice). After stopping over in Bangkok and getting a Thai massage (Corbs had a guy massaging him and it was rather amusing) we arrived safely in London on Thursday morning GMT.

After waiting another 2 hours because Zoe’s plane was delayed, we located our car and drove to Henley (via Staines BC to pick up some gear). The car is the SMALLEST seven …

Last night I managed to recover all my old blog posts from 2004 onwards!!

They’re all imported into this blog now (without comments)

Well, I know you’re probably feeling neglected my poor blog… good thing you don’t have feelings!

So, where have I been? I’ve been finishing off Uni for the semester!!! IT’S ALL DONE!

Trained out at the riff (Penrith) yesterday - ’twas windy and cold ;( - but the pieces were getting faster throughout the day, quite proportionately to the rate, which is encouraging.

Anyway, I’m about to take Jesse to the movies as any good brother should - it’s his Birthday present from me

I’m sure going to miss my family, also some close friends and the rowing season - but apart from …

I can’t remember who told me this:
“by the time you realise that you are an adult, you’ll be at least a dozen life-changing decisions into your adult life”
Aint that the truth!

Here’s a quick crash course in patience:
Find something of incredible value to you, develop and understanding of its worth, then have it removed from you by means out of your control. Discover when you’ll be reunited, then wait… and keep waiting…”

It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do.

Surely after that you’d have a better understanding of patience!

Things may be hard at times but when it comes down to it…

…I’ve got it so damn good!

The things I have coming up in my life are so worth waiting for!