From Abigail: Alpine Adventures! After two days in Chamonix, nestled among the Alps, we are done with the France leg of our trip and are headed to Scandinavia! Yesterday, for our first full day in Chamonix, we went to the peak of a mountain and witnessed a spectacular view. We could see Italy and Switzerland with just the swivel of a head. Then, we went on a 5 mile hike up a mountain, to a waterfall, and then back down. I did not particularly enjoy the uphill portion, but the waterfall and seeing the alpine scenery made it worth it. We ended the day with a delicious dinner at a traditional French restaurant. Today, we took a train to Mer de Glacé, a glacier in the mountains. We walked through an ice cave carved into the glacier, which was an unforgettable experience. After riding back down to the valley, Aaron, Athan, August, and I luged in an amusement park. I am not one for adrenaline-inducing activities, heights, or twists and turns at high speed, so this was quite out of my comfort zone. However, I didn’t want to have regrets, so I did it, and it was exhilarating. Athan sat behind me and manned the steering, so all I had to do was scream and smile. After lugeing, we explored the town and did some shopping. I bought an obscene amount of chocolate. Au revoir!