Hitch hiking around Switzerland

Or rather, just down the hill a little. The 8.12 bus from Villars didn't decide to show its face for half an hour, so taking the fact that shops in Switzerland are closed at 12 and that the particular shop we wanted - the Salvation Army shop in Aigle - is only open for an hour and forty-five minutes from 9 under consideration, hitching seemed the best option.

It's a common mode of transport (modus operandi if you will, thanks Aileen!) around Europe, my Dutch informant Joska tells me, and our experience went by without incident. Our lift was a guy in a little suzuki who spoke french with a german accent, and once he found out that we didn't speak french marvellously we rolled down the gorgeous hill in silence. I hope I've mentioned how amazing the scenery is.

And I finally found an internet cafe! Of sorts - a jazz themed bar playing alternative early nineties rock with a computer that's free with the beer. It's eleven in the morning and while I know it's five somewhere, I'm still on coffee. It doesn't worry the other patrons though. Give me a few minutes more of internet and I suppose I could.

L'Abri is amazing, I really wish that I allowed more time to stay. It's a great shame though that while it provides an amazing place for thought and community, the student funds only cover 30% of total costs and with the financial turbulence or whatever the usual donors aren't. So even when it snows they can't afford to put on the heating, and there's only two showers a week.

I'm getting good at my sponge baths and I've bought a hot water bottle.