Switzerland, especially Lauterbrunnen, is expensive for dinner (also pretty much everything else). At a restaurant just a pizza will set you back 20 to 25 francs plus a beer for another 5. If you want to move up to ‘real’ food, a steak for example, it climbs up to 45 to 60 francs. That’s about $50 minimum to eat a rather small steak which wasn’t cooked by me on a BBQ. The hotel im currently at (Hotel Oberland), is one of the best places in the valley to eat, if not the best. I usually go for their traditional Swiss rosti and a Feldschlossen beer, which totals 25 francs (~$27). This is quite reasonably priced and it tastes freaking fantastic.

Unfortunately as much as id like to spend $30 every night on dinner, in the scheme of things I just cant, unless I want to be eating sugar packets in 4 months. So I have to improvise. This involves getting down from the mountains and to the supermarket before it closes at 6:30pm (this is a mission in itself). Buying a packet of sliced meat, usually prosciutto, some philadelphia and depending on my mood either some sundried tomato bruschetta stuff or lettuce salad stuff. If the bakery is open ill grab some buns otherwise I have to go for bread. Take it all back to my hotel, get out the trusty Victorinox swiss army knife, and assemble it all. This still costs about 12 francs. Although I end up throwing heaps out because I cant refrigerate the left over phili and other stuff, so if it was two people it would be even cheaper, some might say half the price. Too bad im a loner.

The breakfast situation is thankfully a different story though. Most hotels include a breakfast buffet with their prices, and Hotel Oberland’s is wicked. Breads, rolls, croissants, meats, yoghurt, cereal, fruit etc. Eat as much as possible for breaky, then all I have to do is eat muesli bars and mars bars throughout the day.

My reward for being awesome: Lindt.