I've known about the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB for some of us) for a long time. A few years ago friends of my parents hiked it and had to retrace their steps due to snow. It lodged in my head as a mythical, mysterious hike for experienced hikers only. It's neither of these things. It's considered the most popular long distance trail in Europe, so that should tell you something. Though I don't understand how they will know something like this, as it doesn't require any registration, and camping is allowed. (Note to self: check how they know. Or perhaps it's just a marketing ploy? well, it worked on me). When I was in Aosta valley last year I've decided that I should do it. That I will do it. I jumped into planning head on (oh, how I love planning: reading maps, understanding logistics, learning everything there is to know. For some this takes the fun out of the trip itself, for me, it's part of the fun. I'm a logistics nerd. And a nerd in general. Go Nerds !).
The Mont Blanc in a moment of clarity. I'll be hiking around it for 10 days.
I started planning early. Real early. Were people around me bored by my endless chatter about the trek - very likely. Did they pity me for having nothing else in my life, so much that I'm talking about it 9 months before the start time? I hope not, but I think the answer is yes. Why is it that with kids, we let them show their excitement, but as adults, we are expected to hide it, be cool, calm and collected?
Did they pity me for doing this on my own? I could say it's my own choice, but that would be a lie. There are very few people in my life. Even less so, people who are interested and willing to join me on a multi-day hike, even one so cultured and organized as the TMB. And I can say that I prefer it that way, but that is a results of years of solitude. You do get accustomed to it, to doing everything on your own. Or not doing things at all.
There are a lot (A LOT) of resources online about the trail, how-to's on booking and planning and how many days and how difficult it is, so I will skip that. I'll only say that I dove into reading and planning like I assume an enthusiastic bride dives into planning her "big day". After planning, considering, peering over maps and making reservations, I find myself in the queue at the Tel Aviv airport, playing a game - who on this queue will be trekking with me? there's at least 5 people with hiking poles sharing the queue. I will see some of them on the trail.
The journey is uneventful, other than the plan arriving late. The transfer company (Alpybus - convenient, friendly, with an English speaking driver if this matters to you) is waiting for us. Turns out that out of 12 passengers, 10 are Israelis and we are all on the same delayed flight.
After getting stuck in Friday afternoon traffic heading out of Geneva into France (Geneva is famously expenses, people live in France and commute every day), I can tell we are nearing Chamonix as the view is getting spectacular - high mountains and lush valley.
Beautiful sunset welcomes us as we arrive in Chamonix, delayed and tired. Quick burger and beer in the pub downstairs from my AirbNb, soaking the UTMB atmosphere - lots of very fit men (and some women) chatting about the races. They are running, in under 46 hours what I will be hiking in 10 days..
Butterflies in my stomach mix with beer, burger and travel-day fatigue and I crash into bed. Tomorrow I start.
Sunset above Chamonix
Pro tip: lunch and snacks. There are several options for handling your food throughout the day (if you are staying in huts): 1. Eat in huts along the way - you can get warm food in large quantity, and it saves you from carrying lunch. The downside: it's more expensive, and you don't always have a hut in time for lunch - sometimes there will be none, sometimes you will arrive at the hut too early or too late. 2. Buy packed lunch from the hut you slept in - the quality here varies, but a typical packed lunch will have a cheese/ham sandwich, a snack, bottle of water. This is a cheap and easy option to ensure you have food for lunch. Some people complain it is not enough food. It's up to you. If you'd like a packed lunch, order it the night before and it will wait for you after breakfast. 3. Buy food along the way. This is my favorite option. It allows you to control what you eat, and also try local food. At the TMB you will have a place to stock up every few days. In addition to supermarket, in some places you will have specialty produce stores where you can buy local delicacies. I buy bread, cheese, dry sausages, cherry tomatoes, apples and chocolate. I bring light weight plastic containers as well as small plastic bags to store the produce. It's also a great way to supplement your fruits and vegetables intake, as these are almost non -existent in the huts. Oh, and don't forget a knife. If you can't bring one from home due to flights restrictions, you can buy a relatively cheap one from a supermarket. I bought one at the start of the tour and left it at the last hut, to give away to other hikers.
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