Worming through the Alps: ferried through a railway tunnel, 2003

After our misadventure and a fitful night in Milan, we drive north towards Interlaken, Switzerland. We have a rough idea of our route but we must have missed a sign somewhere. The Alps stood before us but how to we get across them? The directions all point elsewhere. 

When in doubt, ask. 
We notice a restaurant/bar with convenient parking lots. So we enter with  inexplicable unease only to be greeted heartily by a jocund, bearded, stocky male. That helps to settle our nerves and, in halted English, ask for directions. We need not have worried. He spoke fluently with a strong Italian accent. Apparently we were nowhere near the road that would take us over the Alps. 
With an impish glint in his eye he reveals a surprise. He utters the magic words. Nearby was the entrance to a tunnel, a railway tunnel, an inclined railway tunnel that would take us to the Swiss border!

Excitement
Still under the spell we drive forward following the signs for the station. There's a huge parking area that could fit 50 cars. As we purchase our tickets an attendant tells us where to park. It's done in such a way that the order in which you park determines the order in which you board. Is there valet parking? Will there be a separate carriage for the passengers as in ferries?

Surprise surprise
We are asked to drive forward when the lights in front of us turned green and then follow the arrows. We find ourselves on a ramp over which we drive onto the train. Once parked we are told to put the car in first gear and switch off the engine. There was probably some contraption by which the car was secured to the flatbed. 
Once all the cars have been loaded and its time for take off the real  thrill begins. Within a few metres we are in a pitch-dark tunnel. Only our car alarm light is blinking. The musty air seeps in through the slits in our windows. The experience could have been creepy had we been less adventurous or had a fear of heights and dark spaces. The ride must have taken less than 10 mins but it remains one of the most remarkable experiences in our travels.

Experiencing the Alps inside out
Instead of driving through the Gotthard Pass as per our original plan we were riding through the Gotthard tunnel taking us from Airolo in Italy to Gotthard in Switzerland. When completed in 1882 it was the longest tunnel in the world at 15 km. Starting at 1142 m above sea level, we rise up to 1511 m and then descend to 1106 m.

The less the fizz the greater the figure in francs
We didn't realize how excited we'd been until we felt parched. Conveniently a big store looms up in front of us. We steer clear of all the aisles and head straight for bottled water. We are stunned by the variety not only in brand names and sizes but also in price. We go for the cheapest. This is Switzerland and what significant difference can price make to the taste? 
Back in the car, with tongues practically hanging out, we eagerly unscrew the top. Drink takes a mouthfull and gags. We have bought carbonated water! Uncarbonated water is the most expensive. Deduction? Carbonated water is hugely popular. We leave the bottle open hoping that the water would become 'flat' but even when we reached our hotel in Interlaken we couldn't palette it. Not till the next day!

Blowing a fuse
That night we heated up milk in our rice cooker to sate our thirst. Never mind that it burnt and blew a fuse. We got away with it. The hotel simple replaced the fuse, not bothering with an inquiry.

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