Matt and Lyle left last Thursday. It’s been one week since I’ve seen a familiar face or place. Traveling alone in Europe isn’t scary. Even though I am alone, I’m not lonely at all; I’ve met several locals and fellow travelers. Some of the people here put my itinerary to shame. I met a young man yesterday who sold all of his possessions and has been backpacking around the world non-stop for over a year. I met another older gentleman who has spent eight months per year for the past 12 years traveling aimlessly from place to place.
I left Bern on Tuesday and headed southwest toward Interlaken. From Interlaken, I took a series of trains and lifts up to a small mountain town called Gimmelwald. This is one of the most untouched areas of the Swiss Alps and is certainly one of the most remote places I’ve ever been in.
![In Gimmelwald, Switzerland](http://jpopek.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_0441-300x225.jpg)
Both yesterday and today it has been raining almost non-stop. This makes hiking up mountains difficult especially when the thunderstorms arrive in the early afternoon. Despite the rain, I have enjoyed two full days of hiking.
![Hiking through the rain in the Alps](http://jpopek.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_0455-300x225.jpg)
![At times the fog was a little unreasonable for photos](http://jpopek.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG_0482-300x225.jpg)
I’ve been trying to climb the nearby peak, Schilthorn. Hopefully tomorrow the weather improves enough for me to reach the summit.