lesleymurphy

6 Tips on Working from Home

March 18, 2020 by lesleymurphy 3 Comments

Working from home. Everyone’s doing it. Well, not everyone. Shout out to all the healthcare workers, grocers and so many others out there on the front lines making sure humanity doesn’t disappear altogether. SO much love to y’all!

I travel for a living, but obviously all that’s off the table as airlines continue to thin out their schedules and tourism vendors continue to close their doors for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19. When I’m not traveling, I’m working from home. WFH. It’s been in my vocabulary and on my schedule for many years, six to be exact. When I quit my job in Argentina to start The Road Les Traveled as a full-time blogger, I logged hour after hour in my living room trying to build a business. Many of y’all are used to going into the office. You’re around co-workers, printers, set schedules, business attire and the like. Coming from someone who has literally worked from every surface of her home, I’m here to tell you it takes a lot of self-discipline! Here are a few things I’ve learned through the years…

Get into a new morning routine and stick with it. You already had one a week ago, but I imagine it looks very different now. Time for a refresher! I wake up around 7am every morning, I eat breakfast and catch myself up on the daily news (Pacific Standard Time always makes me feel behind on the day since we are three hours behind EST). I’m answering emails by 8am most mornings after putting on my WFH uniform consisting of yoga clothes. Again, I travel for a living so I don’t have pets and I don’t have a baby. Perhaps your routine looks a lot different depending on your responsibilities. Maybe you do well with morning workouts or a journaling session. Everyone is different.

Create a space for yourself. I can’t stress this enough. For me, supercharging my space gives me a jolt of creativity. If I sit down every day to a dull, messy corner, that’s not exactly going to get my juices flowing ya know? I’ve found that greenery, a dry erase board, colored pens, my crystals and candles – definitely candles – make for my type of space. For you, maybe it’s using a pilates ball over a traditional office chair or opening all the windows to bring the outdoors in. It doesn’t have to be a complete remodel by any means, but even a nice pop of color or fresh flowers will make for a brighter, creative mind.

Alone time is the best time. I love my fiancé, but the best thing we ever did was to separate our offices when we moved into a new place together. It’s amazing how just being in the same room offered so many distractions and thus, wasted time. I’d have a phone call or he’d be trouble shooting a drone for an upcoming shoot. I’d ask him his opinion on a photo which threw him off his train of thought. Having boundaries helps keep everything on track.

Make To-Do Lists. One of the most satisfying feelings in the world to me is marking off an item on a to-d0 list. AhHhHhhhHh. THE BEST. I don’t know where I’d be without my Notes app or better yet my Erin Condren personalized notebooks. They keep me in check and help me prioritize my daily tasks like nobody’s biznass.

Limit distractions as much as possible. It may be tempting to have the TV on in the background, even if it’s on mute. Yeah, no. You gotta cut that out because the next thing you know…BREAKING NEWS: CORONAVIRUS UPDATE pops up and boom. It’s all over from there. I think it’s a great idea to keep your phone out of reach as well since this always throws me off my work game. I’ll reach for it to look up something on my calendar and the next thing I know, I’m three months deep in someone’s Instagram photos.

Set a time to leave the house. There are some days when I don’t get around to this, and it’s no bueno. Getting out of your home (office) is important to feel like you created space. If I only walk from my desk to the couch to the shower and to my bed in a day, I feel claustrophobic. Taking time to carve out a run by the beach (a great lunch break) or have happy hour with friends (end-of-day treat) is imperative to a healthy WFH lifestyle.

The below schedule is one of a million different ways a WFH day could actually end up for me. I may have brand calls or sunset shoots, but this is a sample day in the life of me 🙂 Hopefully you find this helpful as we continue to navigate these crazy times together. How are you doing WFH? Let me know if you do things differently!

The Lowdown on the LEEP Procedure

March 11, 2020 by lesleymurphy 59 Comments

*immediately starts googling LEEP procedure*

After continuing my gyno’s email, I was reverted back to how I felt before my preventative double mastectomy. Scared, nervous, sad, frustrated. All valid feelings to have when you don’t know a single other person who has been through either surgery! Ahh the unknown. Hello darkness my old friend. These feelings were more or less short-lived. In both instances, I immediately threw myself into prevention mode. Within 40 days of hearing about my BRCA+ results, I was on an O.R. table. Within two weeks of hearing about my HPV infection, I was back in stirrups.

What’s a LEEP Procedure?

When I received that lovely email from my gyno, I did even more digging. I am insanely curious and have to know everything about everything…which can be good and also very bad. Turns out, the internet can be a scary place. Please allow my little corner of the internet to be vastly different.

It all starts with an abnormal pap smear. I’ve had abnormal paps for the past three years. My doctor has called me back all three years for a colposcopy where she took a closer look at my cervix (the narrow end of the uterus at the top of the vagina, yay anatomy!) as well as a tissue sample for lab testing. This is usually accompanied by minor cramping and then boom. All is said and done! It’s not what I’d choose to do in my free-time, but prevention is key. This year, I got got the triple threat of a pap smear, a colposcopy and a LEEP.

LEEP stands for Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure and named after the tool used which has a wire loop on the end. An electric current heats the wire loop so your doctor can remove (excise) some cells on your cervix. I know – that doesn’t exactly have a friendly tone to it, but it all sounds worse than it is. Because my colposcopy lab results showed pre-cancerous cells caused by HPV, I needed a LEEP in order to shed those cells for healthy tissue growth. Otherwise, cervical cancer could develop, and ain’t nobody got time for that.

What to expect during a LEEP

I got undressed from the waist down. I covered up with a pink drape. I exchanged pleasantries with my gyno and her team. A nurse placed a grounding pad on my thigh because we were working with electrical currents. Then I braced for impact.

The insertion of the speculum was probably the most uncomfortable part for me just because it was larger than normal due to its special insulation to protect against the electrosurgical current. Next up came the local anesthetic to numb the area of the cervix. I’d heard this was painful and produced a bee-like sting, but I hardly felt any pressure when the needle went in. Phew. From that moment on, it was smooth sailing due to complete numbness. The loop was then inserted to take off any pre-cancerous cells, a special paste was applied to stop the bleeding, two tampons were inserted to act as band-aids, and out came the ugly speculum! All of that probably lasted 6-7 minutes.

The Aftermath

I felt dizzy afterwards so I stayed on the exam table for a bit. This is typical of such a procedure because manipulating the cervix causes a reaction to make your blood pressure go down (vasovagal syncope). I’ll have a check-up in two weeks and another pap smear in three months.

Helpful Tips

Take ibuprofen before and after.
A heating pad helps with cramping.
Bring a positive attitude – ridding your body of bad cells before cancer hits is a GOOD THING.
Talk about it. Having a support system is huge, and I’m so glad I put it out via Instagram b/c so many women shared their stories which made me feel like I wasn’t alone.
A few minutes after the procedure, I felt fine to walk. I could’ve driven after a few more minutes of rest but was happy Alex was there to drive!
Any man or woman who has ever had any sexual contact with another person can get HPV. The virus is spread by skin-to-skin contact.
I got the HPV vaccine in college, but that only protected me from certain types of the virus.
Side effects of a LEEP include bleeding, discharge and mild cramping. Cervical insufficiency is very rare, and there is a small increase in the risk of premature births and having a low birthweight baby.
It’s recommended that women who are HPV+ get screened once a year and women who are HPV- get screened every 3 years. I’m a firm believer in the EVERY YEAR MODEL.
No running for a few days, no baths for two weeks, no sex for 6 weeks.

Simple Ways to Bring the OUTdoors IN

March 6, 2020 by lesleymurphy 1 Comment

So far this year, I’ve spent more time at home than I’ve spent traveling. UNHEARD of…and I don’t hate it. One of my 2020 resolutions is to be more intentional with my travels. Why are we going? What are we doing there? How can we help? I don’t want to travel for travels sake, especially if it’s just polluting the planet one flight at a time. I’ve come to love domestic life, even more so when I get to bring my favorite part of this planet – the great outdoors – to live with me inside 🙂

Great outdoors, greater music

Go ahead. Press play for all the eargasms. Birds chirping and nature sounds will boost your mood, help you relax and transport you outside (a plus if you’re trapped in an office or working from home!)

Follow the sun

Growing up, I always remember my dad coming into the living room and immediately opening the curtains and windows. He’s a lover of light, and now I’m the same. It literally brightens my day, and I’m immediately connected to the environment that these four walls are separating me from.

Roses are red

For the record, I very much dislike red roses 😉 but I adore orchids. They don’t require a ton of maintenance and give a pop of color (depending on what you choose). I always call fresh flowers a happiness bomb 🙂 Studies have shown that flowers reduce depression and increase positive emotion. SCORE.

Good wood

The ground we walk on and the spaces we live in affect us deeply. Hardwood flooring is the only way. When my feet hit the ground every morning, I love connecting to the earth. Of course, I’m not actually outside, but hardwood evokes a warm, natural feeling compared to carpet or laminate floors. I’m not telling you to go and redo your entire floor plan, but…

You are what you eat

I haven’t mastered gardening yet, but having a few potted herbs in the kitchen makes a difference in my culinary experience. Connection to nature is an essential ingredient to my health and well-being, just like basil is an essential ingredient to my pasta dishes.

Oil to bed, oil to rise

Oil to bed, oil to rise, makes a woman healthy, wealthy and wise! Gotta love a good Pinterest quote. Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent and flavor – their “essence.” I love to use them as alternate therapies – lavender helps me sleep when my mind can’t stop racing and ylang ylang is a good insect repellant and a yummy flowery scent. Mmmmmmmmm.

Greenery around the work station

I die for a creative space of my very own. Four years on the road will do that to you. Now that I have my very own office(!!!), the first thing I did was pick out small plants and their respective home planters for a boost in creativity. I have to be completely honest here, the plants on the upper ledge are fake since I thought I’d definitely kill them in a matter of days. If we gotta fake it til we make it (or purchase a ladder), I’m game.

A green thumb

I’ve heard plants are harder to keep alive than dogs and babies. I don’t want to offend anyone here (trigger alert) esp. since I don’t have a dog OR a baby, but PLANT PARENTHOOD IS HARD. I have a fiddle leaf, a monstera and a dancing queen. The slightest change in their appearance sends me into full-on CPR mode. I’ve consulted in complete strangers on Instagram, brought in the hard hitting experts, bought apps and overnighted all kinds of remedies via Amazon.

The bottom line? Plants are finicky. They will go through their natural cycles, and we as humans can only do so much. Overwatering is a thing (as is under-watering obviously). Get it right. Plants need light – but not too much. They can start doing weird things if you move them into a new environment. Don’t be alarmed. They’re adjusting, just like we do. In the 9th grade I did a science project to prove that good music and plant growth is a positive correlation. Plant A Group listened to Mozart. Plant B Group listened to Good Charlotte. Plant C Group was the control. The results were STAGGERING. Mozart music aided in plant growth while Good Charlotte stunted plant growth. I got 4th place in the class. I’ll take an honerable mention.

Resources

Shout out to the plant people who helped along the way. If you’re struggling with your own plants, slide into their DMs.

My 8 Favorite Books from the Past Year

March 4, 2020 by lesleymurphy 4 Comments

Not to say I wasn’t a good student. I graduated with honors and a 4.0 before heading off to college, but reading never came to me like an easy breezy after-school activity. For fun. You know?

Somewhere around the ripe age of 30, I picked up a book called Scary Close. I’d just gotten into or out of a relationship (it was all bad and very short-lived so I can’t exactly pin point the placement), and I remembered a friend saying this was his favorite book he’d ever read. At the time, the only book I’d read for fun at that point was Eat, Pray, Love – yet another memoir I picked up after a previous breakup. (Okay, and Harry Potter.)

There’s a reoccurring theme here. Apparently I seek 1) an escape and/or 2) self help when sad, and that’s very okay. Here are my favorite books in varying categories if you need inspo, a creative jolt or something to pass the time at 35,000 ft.

To Love and Let Go by Rachel Brathen

This book is filled with lessons of a lifetime, all somehow tightly wrapped up into 322 pages of darkness and light all the same. My yoga teacher wrote this beautiful story from the pages of her profound life. From losing her best friend in a car accident in Costa Rica and, at the very same moment, turning incredibly ill in Aruba herself, Rachels voices how imperative it is to love fiercely and grieve deeply through our lifetime. It’s true that what we resist persists. Rachel taught me that whether it’s pain, anxiety, fear, or loss, “Don’t fight it. Experience it. Feel it all. Lean into it. Surrender to it. Breath into it fully. Open your arms wide and welcome it all. Let go. It will lead you to the light.”

To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins

Jed spent 16 months riding his bike from Oregon to Patagonia on a quest for a life with no regrets. I couldn’t wait to read his book. I found myself in an airport bookstore at 6am one morning, and I was stoked to find this book staring me in the face. It opens with the following: “I have learned this for certain: if discontent is your disease, travel is medicine. It resensitizes. It opens you up to see outside the patterns you follow. Because new places require new learning. It forces your childlike self back into action.” YES. My favorite book from 2019 is all about saying yes to adventure, getting along with all walks of life and a relatable love/frustration with South America.

The Heart-Led Leader by Tommy Spaulding

“The journey to heart-led leadership covers only 18 inches, the distance from your head to your heart.” I love the poetic way that Tommy Spaulding discusses leadership philosophy and love-driven results. When you take the 18 inch journey to heart-led leadership, you will define and redefine who you are. It transcends numbers and spreadsheets. Success is about building hearts, not resumes. Love is not only the key to a fulfilling career but also a catalyst for continued success in business. If you want a feel-good book with a lot of life-changing take-homes, read this now.

Scary Close by Donald Miller

This is the single best book on relationships EVER. After finishing the book, I told myself I’d read it once a year as a refresher. Did that happen? No. But seeing as 2020 is the year of my wedding, there is no time like the present! Donald Miller is all about dropping the act and finding true intimacy. This book resonated so deeply with me because at the time that I read it, I’d just gotten out of a relationship with a guy who didn’t know true intimacy. He never really showed me who he was, a “relationship” filled with too many layers and zero vulnerability. This book shows us how freedom rings when we stop acting and start loving.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I’m pretty sure Fox 2000 is already in the midst of making this book into a screenplay THANK GOD. I know movies are never as good as the book because we all dream up different versions of the literature in our heads, and it never ever plays out waaa waaa. HOWEVER, thinking about the sheer amount of dreamy outdoor scenes from the marsh makes me giddy to get to theaters…and this is my formal acceptance to play the role of Kya. The innocence and imagery are crazy beautiful here, but more than anything, I found myself rooting for Kya. I found myself in Kya. She goes to the beat of her own drum. She doesn’t conform. She takes The Road Les(s) Traveled always.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I need everyone to pick up a copy of this brilliant book ASAP. And then I dare you not to be inspired. It’s impossible! The immense lessons on creativity and leaning into fear are the best party favors a reader could ever ask for. I read this book on my Kindle app and found myself taking screenshots of basically every single page for inspo. Here’s one of my favorite excerpts out of many. “In order to live this way – free to create, free to explore – you must possess a fierce sense of personal entitlement, which I hope you will learn to cultivate. Creative entitlement doesn’t mean behaving like a princess, or acting as though the world owes you anything whatsoever. No, creative entitlement simply means believing that you are allowed to be here, and that merely by being here, you are allowed to have a voice and a vision of your own. Defending yourself as a creative person begins by defining yourself. It begins when you declare your intent. Stand up tall and say it aloud, whatever it is: I am a writer. I am a singer. I am an actor. I am a gardener. I am a dancer. I am an inventor. I am a photographer. I am a chef. I am a designer. Speak it. Let it know you’re there. Hearing this announcement, your soul will mobilize accordingly.”

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I don’t know which book made me shed more tears – this one or To Love and Let Go. My ugly cry on various planes was REAL. When Breath Becomes Air is a beautiful memoir of Dr. Author Paul Kalanithi’s life and his battle with metastatic lung cancer. He takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster with him, and I found myself going from frustration, hope to sadness in mere minutes. To paraphrase the introduction by Abraham Verghese (as the book was posthumously published) – to read this book is to feel that Dr. Kalanithi still lives with enormous power to influence the lives of others even though he is gone. The book made me think about human mortality and become increasingly aware of how unfair and uncertain life is. Moral of the story: live every damn day.

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

I’d recommend this book to anyone, but I’d especially recommend it to those who have anything to do with bringing people together – teachers of any kind, wedding planners, CEO, managers, priests, corporate event planners, etc. This book will take you though imperative steps on why and how we gather – because it matters. It will teach you how to exclude well, and while that may sound harsh, over-inclusion is a symptom of deeper problems and a lack of commitment to your guests. The Art of Gathering forever altered the way I look at my next meeting, LimitLes trip, and dinner party. Like so many other books on this list, the real-world applications are there for the taking.

Honorable mentions: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding, The Bucket List

Currently reading: Educated by Tara Westover

My Favorite Yoga Clothes of the Moment

February 10, 2020 by lesleymurphy Leave a Comment

You just connected your mind, body, and breath and therefore, completed a moment of yoga. This practice is both a universal and personal practice. Every single human being is capable of practicing yoga, and it is as accessible as air.

I went to my first yoga studio 9 whole years ago. Guess what? I hated it. For whatever reason, I went back a second time with the same girlfriend who took me the week prior. I still hated it. I went a third time…and I loved it. I always tell people to try multiple studios and multiple teachers before you decide that the practice isn’t for you.

Cut to present day, and I adore the presence yoga gives me because I’m constantly writing about past travels while planning future trips. Being on my yoga mat provides a few minutes out of my day when I am truly living in the present tense.

As a yogi with 9 years of practice under my belt (or tights?), I’ve done my fair share of “market research” on yoga gear. I will be the first to tell you that the right clothes don’t make a good yogi, but what I wear on the mat does make a difference during my practice. If a bra doesn’t have enough support or if I have to adjust my yoga tights, it takes me out of the present moment, off my mat and into my head.

Bra Support

After my preventative double mastectomy in 2017, my girls need more support than they did when they were normal and, uh, smaller. The Nike Indy luxe sports bra feels like a second skin and gives me enough support during a sweaty vinyasa class. Plus, the sewn-in padding offers lots of yummy cushioning. The Dri-FIT technology, adjustable straps and bonded seams make for the most comfortable clothing I’ve worn while practicing. As for the color, I was a bit nervous it would blend into my skin tone. I typically go for bright colors, but being in Middle Earth (a.k.a. New Zealand) made me crave more muted tones that would blend into the landscape. I am SO happy I went with red bark!

Fitted Top

There’s nothing worse than when my shirt goes over my head as I move into downward facing dog. I either like a form-fitting top for yoga or a bra-only situation. The Nike yoga tank is lightweight and versatile – going from yoga studio straight into brunch if need be. I also really love this curved hem. I find it super flattering as it accentuates my natural shape.

High-Waisted Tights

Like the Indy Luxe sports bra, these 7/8 tights have a body-hugging feel that make for a second skin. The high-waisted design gives me the ability to move for a full hour without having to adjust. Yep, I need pants that are 100% malasana squat proof 🙂 The Nike yoga luxe tights are made from incredibly soft, stretchy fabric with sweat-wicking technology. My favorite part is that they’re thinner, lighter and stronger than traditional Nike yarns, providing a gentle compressive feel that hugs my body so I can breathe, stretch and move in any way that speaks to me – from sun salutations to savasana.

Guide to Zermatt, Switzerland

January 30, 2020 by lesleymurphy 2 Comments

Even though it was 11pm and we couldn’t grasp the sheer beauty of this place as we rode the train in from Tasch, I knew exactly what was in store. My time in Zermatt during summer months was blissful, but I love how places completely transform in new seasons. Different temps, same fondue 😉

Country: Switzerland

Population: 6,000 inhabitants; ~2 million visitors yearly

Language: German, French, Italian, Romansh

Currency: Franc

Climate: Subarctic; cool summers with snowy, cold winters

Here’s a summer vs. winter moment, and I’d recommend BOTH 100%.

Arrival into Car-Free Zermatt: Fly into Geneva or Zurich – both are similar distances to Zermatt and are well connected to the Swiss rail network. Both airports offer many train connections per day to/from Visp where you then have to change trains to arrive in *car-free* Zermatt where sustainability is of central importance and electric buggys are in abundance. If you self-drive or take a taxi from the airport, your ride will end 5km away from Zermatt in Tasch where you’ll take the shuttle train in (lasting only 12 minutes).

Eat

Cafe Du Pont – This cheese house was mountain-themed and super friendly and homey. I needed to be rolled out of there after eating my body weight in fondue, but #noregrets. Pro tip: fondue for 1 person very much feeds 2 people.

Brown Cow Pub – So nice we went twice! This spot is great for a lil après ski beer. We ended up sitting next to a guy who ordered the cheeseburger so what did we do the next day? Went back for the burger.

Stockhorn Grill – Mmmmmm. I could’ve gone back and back and back to this restaurant. The beef skewers are honestly hard to beat.

Papperla Pub – The tag line for this place: ‘Apres-ski, the place to be.’ Open from 2pm-2am, this place is POPPIN – bottles, booties, live music, Jäger bombs, everything. It’s loud and fun and if you’re into that, head here.

Cafe Fuchs – If you’re an early riser, it’s challenging to find breakfast spots that open early. Fusch opens at 7am for all you skiers out there.

Restaurant Pinte & Arvenstube – This traditional timber chalet is oh so cute inside with scrumptious pasta and other offerings on the menu.

Grampi’s Pizza – Truth be told, I didn’t actually eat here…but it wasn’t for lack of trying. A favorite amongst locals and tourists alike, Grampi’s Pizza was always crazy packed. Go early, get a res, do what you gotta do to try this za.

Chez Vrony – The Swiss side’s tastiest and prettiest slope-side address at almost 7,000 ft elevation offers (you guessed it) the best fondue, meats and treats around.

Le Gitan Zermatterstubli – Fancy some champagne and truffles? *raises hand* mMmmMmm. Alex and I stopped in for a cappuccino but really wanted to make it back for dinner. Ohhh well, love a good reason to return!

Ski

The concept of skiing has always been so funny to me. We strap sticks onto our feet and throw ourselves down an icy mountain. Seems safe enough right? But alas I adore it, and I’ve been waiting for this moment for yearsss. Skiing the Swiss Alps is a huge bucket list item for me. (Fun fact: you can even ski in the summer here!) And the fact that one can just SKI INTO ITALY are you kidding me?! Pinch me. Traversing between two countries atop this monstrous mountain range was my dream come true. The adrenaline, the scenery, the love behind the lens, the real winter games. It’s all here.

Skiing both the Swiss and Italian side: head to the Matterhorn Express (very walkable from our apt discussed below), rent equipment here and head up! My advice is to then get on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, the world’s highest-altitude 3S cable car (12,739 ft!) to gawk at 14 glaciers and 38 mountain peaks from above. You can then ski into Italy, no passport required! Eat lunch at Igloo Cervinia for goulash, penne, beer, wine and limoncello. When you’re in Italy, you get it all. Indulgence is the name of the game here.

On the way back, it can be a bit overwhelming. I found skiing here incredible, but there wasn’t much signage like there is on U.S. mountains. Thankfully we met Bonnie, an Oregon native who’d been in Zermatt for 30+ years. She’s 75, she might be in better shape than me, and if it wasn’t for her, we most likely would’ve gotten a bit lost. On the way back, you’ll take 2 Cervinia lifts, then the massive cattle-like cable car, then you’ll ski down and hop on the Furri Gondola into Zermatt.

Stay

Chez Nous – The above photo was the entry to our place of lodging…straight from the pages of a winter wonderland! This Airbnb was one out of my dreams with the best Superhost around. Lizzie welcomed us into the cozy complex around 11pm at night. She mentioned that because it was so late and that it still wasn’t exactly high season, it could be hard to find places open for dinner. I was so hungry, so she brought in eggs and a yummy loaf of freshly baked bread with the most mouth-watering chocolates EVER. Maybe I was hungry, maybe it was just that good – but it was one of the best mountainside dinners I’ve ever had. One of my favorite things was waking up to our Matterhorn view every morning + the location and close proximity to everything. Please, by all means, stay here 🙂

Wear

My pink GMG coat is currently on major sale! I straight up l-i-v-e-d in this coat all 5 days in Zermatt. It’s extremely warm, soft and a unique shade of pink.

Budget Friendly

Mountain Luxe

Matterhorn Museum – The museum provides fascinating insight into village life from many years back, mountaineering and climbing the Matterhorn. My previous stay in Zermatt during summer months coincided with the 150 anniversary of the Matterhorn’s first accent by Englishman Edward Whymper and two mountain guides from Zermatt. It was a dramatic affair as four other members of the roped team were killed on the descent when one slipped and pulled the other three with him down the north face. The three survivors were later accused of having cut the rope below to ensure that they were not dragged down with the others, and it’s a mystery that’s still talked about today.

Sunnegga Express – Take the Sunnegga Express tunnel funicular up to Sunnegga (7,500 ft in elevation) for amazing views of the Matterhorn. This is a great spot for families or if you’re crazy like me, a sunrise mission (above photo taken in 2015!) 🙂 An alpine breakfast buffet at the cozy restaurant is waiting.

Don’t leave without buying (and devouring) many Toblerone chocolates (all in the shape of the Matterhorn if you need it spelled out for ya).

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