With yodelling on the timetable

And off we go. The route takes us through a landscape I’ve known for many years. Waterfalls cascade down above the valley, and as we drive along the road, new views of the surrounding mountains in the Haslital keep opening up. Sometimes you can even spot chamois. I enjoy pointing out which mountain is where and which valley a road leads into. There’s the Plattenstock; over there the road heads towards Grimsel; and further back lies the Urbachtal. I associate many of these places with stories, people or a particular tune. Even after all these years, I still don’t take this view for granted. It’s a delight to gaze at this panorama every single day. The weather is constantly changing the landscape. Sometimes it’s bathed in sunlight, other times clouds drift over the peaks. It’s precisely this variety that makes every journey a little different. I arrive on time at the Brünig Pass summit, where I wait for the next passengers from the trains coming from Lucerne or Meiringen.

Whilst driving, I sometimes think back to how it all began. I grew up in a farming family. I was already sitting on a tractor by the age of six or seven. When I was twelve, I once rode along alongside a driver. I was immediately fascinated by those big vehicles. Even back then, I knew that I’d like to do that myself one day. The thought never left me. I worked at Grindelwald Bus for around 40 years. I travelled all over Europe on the coach, including to Slovenia, Croatia and the Netherlands. Today, the routes are more local again. After the Brünig Pass, the journey takes me on via Ballenberg to Brienz. I already know some of the passengers; others I’m seeing for the first time today. I’m not always very good with names, but I hardly ever forget faces. I quickly notice when someone is feeling unsure, needs a bit more time or requires assistance. Then I help as best I can. For me, driving a bus therefore means more than just getting people safely from one place to another. A brief chat or a friendly greeting are also part of the journey. Even today, a short journey can become a shared experience.

Around midday, I make my way home. The old house dates back to 1607 and is situated in a peaceful spot amongst woods, meadows and just a few other buildings. Many parts of it were originally built using wooden nails. I’ve been living here for two and a half years – although I’ve known the house for decades and never would have thought that one day it would belong to me. After my shifts, I enjoy the change of scene. Instead of the sound of engines, bus stops and chatter, here I can hear the birds chirping. There isn’t much time, though. Depending on my shift, a break lasts half an hour or a full hour. When she’s at home, my partner sometimes cooks for me, which I really appreciate. After that, the next shift is already waiting.

Sometimes there’s a bit more time between two journeys. Then I have a coffee, eat a piece of fruit or practise for an upcoming performance. Yodelling often happens quite spontaneously. Singing has been a part of my life since I was a child. As a teenager, I worked on the alp; later, I joined a yodelling club. For more than 30 years, yodelling has also been part of my everyday life as a driver. Of course, I prepare differently for a concert performance. On the bus or during a break, the notes often just come naturally in the moment. Then people stop, listen or take out their mobile phones. For me, this now feels completely natural. Some people have a beer during the break; others yodel. As for me, it’s pretty clear which I’ll choose.

I’ll be out and about until around 6 pm today. My schedule dictates when I need to be where. Drawing on both my professional and personal life, I like to use a metaphor about timing – it’s become my motto. Not everything can be forced. Some decisions take time until the right moment arrives. It’s like an apple tree where not all the apples are ripe yet. If I try to pick one too soon, I’ll end up biting into a sour apple. I try to remain patient and trust that everything will fall into place as soon as the time is right. It’s like a journey with different stages. That applies to yodelling and to driving the bus. I’ll be retiring soon. Who knows what my timetable will look like after that?