My first evening at the Hotel Arc-en-Ciel in Gstaad kicked off in style.

Weary from travel I devoured a litre of Swiss beer and two Pear Schnapps for starters. Veal sausages, onion and Rosti for food. It is standard fare in the mountains, and I felt I deserved it!

I spent a very enjoyable week in Gstaad with Nibby and his girlfriend Abbie. They have a lovely apartment above the town at Schönried with stunning views of the alps.

The gondola from Gstaad up to Eggli – a terraced ‘Gastrochalet’ – at 1557 meters is spectacular.

And although other chairlifts take you higher, it is a perfect place for lunch. The fact that a small bowl of gastronomique parsley soup costs £25, is well worth it for the spectacular scenery.