Day 35 – Lama

We’ve given up storing extra beanies and thermals in the backpack and replaced them with extra chocolate and sun cream – crazy.

Today bus to Lagazuoi, winding up from Cortina through chalets and then various passes, through forest (and grass), till we reach the tree line and consistent snow. One of those roads where the bus honks before going around corners to let oncoming traffic know, and sometimes a car has to back up so we can all fit.

Gondola up to Lagazuoi (2800m). It’s a batching machine, and our first queue in Italy. Riders go through the turn style, numbers counted by e-ticket, into a holding room, then into the Gondola. Di’s the last one in the batch and I can’t get through the turn style – so we go up separate.

What a view; the Cinque Torri, the Sella Rhonda all breathtakingly beautiful – massive rock monoliths basking in the morning sun.

The “Hidden Valley” – only hidden by virtue of the horribly inaccurate web directions, otherwise, known and visited by the hoards of people disgorged from the gondola every fifteen minutes.

It’s beautiful. Eight and a half kilometers (1200m fall) of rolling trail down through stunning cliffs, frozen waterfalls and a gorgeous little hutte – with lama. Despite the many skiers at the top, it’s so long that we quickly find ourselves’ alone amidst the millions of tonnes of ancient stone and silence – eerie silence. At the end there’s a ‘horse-tow’, best ski lift ever.

We lunch back up at the top of Lagazuoi (fried potato, onions and ham) and meet these nice Germans, Lena and Oliver, who are, variously; arborists, swing dancers, spelunkers, snow skiers, skuba divers and professional photographers – awesome.

Di’s legs are jelly so she keeps talking with Lena and Oliver while I go and visit the lamas again.

It was a wonderful day and we wind down after dinner in the bar with our favourite happy hammond player, tonight in taupe inside out dinner jacket and red bw tie.