Day 8 – Champex to Trient

I woke to the sound of pouring rain at 6.30am . I looked out the window and it was a grey clouded sky filled with more of the same .   It wasn’t  looking good for my determined plan to take the high route.  I kept thinking it will lift as I sped down to breakfast . A delicious start with eggs!!  Joy .  Scrambled on warm wholemeal  rolls.   I grabbed my pack  and wrestled into full rain gear.   Off to meet the Jeff, Steve and Jay.    Their faces said it all as I appeared down the hill .   Jay was as determined as I was and we kept lingering not wanting to give up on it too soon .  At this point another walker went by and said they had closed the high route to the Fenettre D’Arpette due to an impassable mass of ice up there.   He also said visibility would be nil and so no views to be seen at all .   We had to accept it and move on .   Jay and I took a good hour to move on .  Both of us really wanting to take this route – it was the first variant I had missed and I was disappointed.
Luckily the official route today is still spectacular up to Alp Bovine at nearly 2000m.   The path heads up through thick forest and contours the mountain side as it enters Le Barmay valley.  It becomes steeper and crosses some high alpine pasture.   There is snow all around and it looks  like aChristmas card scene  – so stunning .  My disappointment was now completely gone as this was such a magnificent stretch of the walk and I was loving it!  Finally the trail walks right into the remote  welcoming stone rustic loveliness of Alp Bovine refuge. My favourite cup of tea stop so far!  Tables outside were covered in snow so walkers were all bundled inside . It was warm and a huge round table in the middle held the best selection of cakes and pie I’ve seen.  It was like when Mother has her baking day in Milly  Molly Mandy!   My gloves were off and I took 10 minutes to choose – settling on apple crumble cake and steaming hot tea.   It was heaven .  Steam coming off drinks and hikers and the smell of baking making  us feel we had dropped into someone’s home .
Tearing ourselves away from the warmth and the cake ramble we all headed on to Col de la Forclaz. A beautiful walk along forested mountain side.   It was misty and gorgeous and eventually after reaching the Col the long descent into the Trient valley and my next stop for the night in the small hamlet of Trient.
The refuge here was full to bursting and as I stood in the line to check in the large group from Ohio who were always so welcoming and friendly to me – the cheese sharers – were having a bit of commotion – they had booked a private room not a bed in the dorm ( where I was)  I was on the long slab that Zoe had rescued me from on my earlier hut nights.   I asked the flustered girl on hut check in if there was any chance of a smaller room of seperate bunks but she shook her head and said briskly Full Up!  I was squeezed into a row of 8.
The Ohio bunch were kicking off now and the leader was ready to jump in , leaders wife had to calm him down and put him outside to cool off .  The thought of being in a dorm was causing him to go every shade of pissed  off purple .  Leaders wife through clenched teeth hissed – let me handle this ! I chimed in and said good idea because you are going to end up with the campers in the field out the back in a minute .   His wife probably chose the wrong time to give him the two dinner  choices .. pork stew or fondue and vegetables . He was too mad about his room to even consider his tea so he just shouted “Neither!! God  Damn it ! “. It was hut rage .   I’m chiming  in again with  “pork defo go the pork , just say pork ! “  So he shouts from the door “ PORK !! God Damn it !! “
His wife finally gets the poor girl checking us all in to move things around so they have their own private room with bunks .    I shout to the purple leader it’s sorted you are safe to come in – they head up stairs as his humour begins to return and I do a quick impression of his melt down .    “PORK God Damn It !”   He is laughing as he heads up stairs with a red wine already in hand.  But then 5 minutes later as I’m just heading to claim my 60 cm sleeping spot another hut miracle happens .. leaders wife pops her head over the bannister “ pssst psst ! Sally!” I look up and she beckons me up and says “go grab your stuff!  you can come in with us – we’ve both decided we can’t have you on that slab !  “.   I say are you sure !? It’s your private room you’ve just fought hard for !? But leaders wife was insistent and leader chimed in from down the hall – in his booming American accent “get your stuff Sally , and that’s final “.   No way was I arguing with that and off I ran and was moved in to their lovely room in my own bunk with a set of shelves and a drawer !!  I was over joyed .  Leader and leaders wife then produced a range of nibbles from their bag and a full buffet of snacks appeared with a glass of wine . I couldn’t believe my hut luck !  We had a lovely chat then leader guarded the door while we quickly showered because there was “ No God Damn lock for you girls!”  
I had an hour before dinner so I headed to the refuge next door to have a quick drink with the Steve , Jeff and jay . They could not believe my good fortune after having spent a good hour taking the mick out of my night on the slab .  I headed back for dinner and Ohio leader and wife had moved me from my allocated spot to be with them . They had bought wine for the whole table and refused my offer to please let me buy them a drink.   I was asked to then hold hands and join them for a prayer which leader spoke to the group .  It caught me by surprise but I joined right on in .   I had my own bed tonight – someone was looking out for me so the timing seemed quite good.    The food came and was placed in the middle for sharing ,  leader heartily  loaded his plate with both the pork and the fondue . I looked across and said well for someone who wanted neither you seem to be managing there .  
It was a fun night with very interesting people – we headed up to bed and face timed their son at college for 10 minutes  and I got to meet him so by the the time we said goodnight I felt part of the family .    We fell asleep after sharing my emergency back pack biscuits  – it was the very least I could do to thank these generous people .      Another day of unexpected magic moments for me xx