Oh Goodness, Fiona

By now some of you may have heard that Fiona and I became separated on a train in the Goms Valley. I had planned for us to get off at a popular skiing trail in Biel. Lots of skiers were getting off and on. Fiona hesitated and the train door close between us. Then, the train continued up the valley with her inside on her own.

Luckily, Fiona and I made friends with one of the other passengers before I got off. The passenger saw my frantic plead to stop the train (but the train did not stop).

Christian Tschopp, the Train Chief, was alerted by the lady, and he ushered Fiona off the train two stops up the valley and had Fiona wait with another train employee. Here is Christian's account:

"After the train has left Biel we were arriving in Gluringen. Again I went out of the train while a women was running towards me with a dog..She was very nervous and told me that the dog was left in the train and she asked me what to do...So we took the dog to Reckingen and I gave it to the woman who worked at the ticket counter.... I really was very happy when i saw you and Fiona again at afternoon in the train towards Brig...."

I was able to contact the train company. And in about 20 minutes, they told me Fiona was two towns away, 8 km away by ski trail. I V1'ed (skied fast) to retrieve her. Fiona, was not phased. As usual, Fiona had convinced the woman to take her outside and pet her soft coat in the sunshine coming through the window.

Fiona and I ran/skied around some more that afternoon. We hopped on the train to return home. I was surprised to see Christian checking tickets again for the return trip home. We shared stories and are now friends thanks to Fiona.

Thanks to Christian, the support staff on the Gottard Zurmatt Bahn help line, and the dear women who cared for Fiona when I could not.