RARECATION 13: ITALY (Lake Como) - Switzerland (Maloja) - (PART 1)

This trip, to me was an exciting one. 

The drive up to the destination was scenic too! The sun finally decided to show up, it promises a day of trouble free and no drama.

A1 "California" and "Temerloh" at the gas station

doing a 'time-lapse' using the GoPro

I remembered back in 1995 when I got my driving license. We celebrated by driving around a few states in Malaysia. Started off from Ampang, then to Kuantan, Pahang. Took the coastal road to Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu and next to Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The last leg was the drive up the "Lebuhraya Timur-Barat" (East West Highway) and we clocked about 1000km around that area, from Ampang. We exited near Grik, Perak...short stop at Kuala Kangsar before we took the North South Highway back to Kuala Lumpur. I enjoyed the drive..but more so with the journey. 

So the drive up to the Swiss Alps, to me at least, it was nothing short of a 'drive' down the memory lane. Different location, but still in essence...the journey will be an exciting one. Lots of things to see and surely there will be something new to learn and experience.

Leaving the Lake Como region

Mezzola Lake (maybe...)

Sometimes we took the wrong route. We trace back until we were on the right track to the Italy-Swiss border. But the Google Map app was pretty accurate. We did not use anything else besides it. We did use Waze from Salzburg to Munich...but both apps gave the same result in terms of routes (quickest). But quick would also mean routes that were quite odd. But we did get there, in the end.

 Radzi of Tanzania 

Abang Rashid with his favourite pose...looking out

Back in the 80's, the time taken for us to travel back to Muar, Johore (dad's hometown) would take us around 6 hours plus. Longer during Eid. 

So how do we keep ourselves (me and my brother) occupied? We would sing, tell stories, read aloud a book of our choice and the last one would be dad, telling me to write down an essay, what I saw DURING the JOURNEY. Usually a few days later...but having anticipated that..I paid attention so he (my dad) would not say things like "is that all?" Ohhhh the horror!!! But that created a habit which I cherished to this day. ENJOY THE JOURNEY....

One by one, we passed the small towns and housing areas towards the border. Once a while, we would be overtaken by the locals, with their honks blaring at us. Clearly unhappy with our slow and steady progress, driving well within the speed limit. Anyway, it was still early in the morning that we reached the border..

the Italian - Swiss border

Back in Switzerland again! Once more, we passed those nice tunnel  which doubles as snow barrier/cover. The nice sceneries, road with yellow iron post on both side (I was told by SN, that is the road  marker for snowplough in winter). 

note the tall post, beside the shorter white one..

We continued along the route while enjoying the sight. So far no request to stop by the roadside from the co-pilot of "Temerloh", yet. In the "Naija" camper van, Me and Kak Mona would be busy snapping pictures for keepsake. The scenery were truly mesmerising. We passed a small dam on the way up (in an area calle Löbbia). From that point onwards, it felt more steeper and the road smaller. 

There was a point in our journey where the road was just a series of hairpins. Zig zagging upwards and we had to manoeuvre carefully as not to scratch the paintwork of the camper van (picture below, no.2)

starting point of the hairpins...
patches of snow along the road

last corner before arriving the town of Maloja 

We arrived at a small town called Maloja. Parked the camper van at the nearby parking space and this greeted me...it was breathtaking. 

snow...up close just like shaved ice
for ABC or Cendol

Obviously all of us were like children in a candy store. All were running here and there, snapping pictures, taking selfies, updating FB and do their best at building a snowman in autumn.

Well, I did stop half way building a miniature one..and use it as a ball. Radzi took the picture of me kicking the unlucky snowman. 

bye Olaf!

From this point, the summit looks really close.... 

Pah and Coke in the distance...
and the blue Maloja signboard

Since we were quite early, the group decided we continue our journey. Not sure if we will ever reach St. Moritz, but to be able to play and touch the snow...I was satisfied. 

I took quite a number of pictures here, but I prefer for you not to be agonised with my bad photo composition..I only downloaded these few for your pleasure (I hope so).

But to end this post, one last picture.... 

The flag, bench and the viewing platform (boulder)