This next post has taken me awhile to write, so, settle in and make yourself comfortable as you read 3 weeks worth of travel in and out of Switzerland:
It all began with me catching a timely ride with my mate from The Netherlands. We endured a long drive in a small Suzuki swift. Going through the German highway was forest filled and a treat for the eyes. As we crossed the Swiss border there was a clear shift in air quality and freshness. I appreciated the clean environment that was surrounded by mountains and forests hugging small towns. I could already feel that Switzerland was a lovable country with its sweet houses and epic scenery. We arrived at night to Mullheim for a Crazy night party with 4,500 other people (that was triple the normal population of this village). I have to be honest, the Swiss would not be the first I invite to a raging party. Considering how many people were at this event it was very quiet. The night only seemed to pick up closer to 2am - a few people started dancing. There was not much reason for us to stay any longer so we retired to catch up on some sleep. If I can say anything it would be that travelling non-stop and meeting new people constantly becomes super tiring. I was in need of a solid sleep.
Despite a good sleep I did not get enough. For the next few days I was with my mate (Jelle), his friend (JJ) and the friend's brother (Hansel). The guys' choice of the day was to chill and head over to Germany to see the flower island, Isle of Mainau. The afternoon was filled with walking around and pitstops for beer - when in Rome. The island itself consisted of well-manicured flowers including sculptured flower designs of animals and shapes. I personally prefer a more free and natural look of nature. The best thing on this flower island was the Smetterling (butterfly) house. After soaking in the sunshine we popped around to Konstanz. A very lovely city but with a boring vibe to it. This place had a lot of potential with great photo spots but the people seemed to give it a dull and lifeless feel. Maybe this was too harsh of a view but it was my initial impression. We had dinner by the seaside before going home to watch a movie.
Each morning we had a relaxed start with no rush. This was a great way to be in my last month of travel. By midday we were ready to explore the more mountainous areas of Switzerland and went to Brulisau to climb Hoher Kasten with a beer at the top. The walk itself was pleasant and not overly busy. My favourite part of walking in the Swiss mountains was the melody of cowbells - like wind chimes echoing through the valleys. The day delightfully stretched on and before it got too late we went to relaxed at the Bad Ragaz tamina spa. If there could be something I'd endorse for New Zealand to increase it would be the spa/sauna culture. Such a great excuse and place to unwind. We went to JJ and Hansel's second house in Wangz to drink and indulge on cheese fondu.
Our morning began with the common staple diet for Europe - cheese and bread. Even though I need a break from bread I do admit that I fret my return to kiwi land. It means farewelling the easy and cheap access to incredible food (especially cheese). Once we were all fueled up we decided on an active day of mountain biking. To be fair, it was electric mountain biking but do not frown upon it till you try it. You are still able to physically challenge yourself and the e-mountain bikes allow you to stay out for longer. However, every shop we went to had run out of bikes to rent. We searched around Flims and Laax and stopped for a coffee break to assess our next move. We finally located a store with enough bikes around 2pm so we set off to explore the towns and areas nearby Flims. There were some beautiful sights for the eyes, such as biking past Caumasse to view the beautiful blue waters. There was a few places that made us feel as though we had the true mountain biking experience such as downhill riding through the forest, and the rocky, narrow dirt tracks. Other than that, it was pretty casual riding that was made better with the company - and I proudly boast that I maintained the lead for at least 85% of the adventure. When we got back to the shop we decided to pick up some beers and go cool off at Cretasee (one of the nearby lakes and my favourite lake I have discovered, yet). When we got back to the house we were too late and too lazy to cook so we went to the local pizza joint for a giant family sized pizza.
In the morning, some of the team were slightly weary so we decided to split up. Jelle did some gardening while JJ and I took Hansel out for a makeover day - inclusive of shopping and a new haircut. The day was quiet and left JJ and I in need of some active adventure time. We dropped the fresh looking Hansel at home before exploring up a nearby hill. It was a lovely view of the area which was enclosed by a lush set of mountains; Switzerland has mountains-galore. When we arrived home we enjoyed a Swiss inspired meal and drinks. When travelling, I recommend trying as much typically-local food as possible. Food's as much a part of the experience as the place.
The next day we rushed around to clean up the house and took a drive to Austria. It was a sunshiny day so we took a stroll up a mountain to a lake - Lake Lünersee (one of the largest natural mountain lakes in the Eastern Alps). It was a good workout as we swiftly made our way up and down the mountain with a quick dip in the lake. Luckily, we arrived back to Switzerland right on time for me to jump on a train, in the nick of time, to see my cousin and his girlfriend in Luzern. I arrived at the train station, after a non-noteworthy train journey, to meet my family. We enjoyed a drink together, some popular ginger drink (Moscow Mule), but then I began sleeping at the table and we headed home.
I had the chance to have a day off and welcomed it with open arms. I slept in and had a day at home catching up with family and self care. There was not a lot to report on this day other than what a challenge it had become in this last month to keep my blog notes updated. There reached a point in travel where I wanted to enjoy the people I was with and the moments I was in. I do recommend keeping track of your journey in some form though, such a nostalgic thing to look back on. When my cousin (Kieran) and his girlfriend (Tamara) finished work we sat down for a classic Swiss meal of Swiss sausages and rosti. We enjoyed catching up and watching a movie. Although, the most memorable point of the night was stuffing ourselves full of premium Swiss chocolate (including shamkuss). Honestly, I thought this would be overrated. I've tried Lindt and Lindor chocolate but real Swiss chocolate is mouthwatering good.
The next day we caught up with the other cousin (Belinda) with a buffet breakfast and a lot of talking. We hustled over to the docks to hop on a boat for a day of seeing the whole of Lake Luzern. There was no lack of laughing, drinking (Swiss wine, of course) and playing cards. For lunch we grazed on cordean bleu, seaetsliefanne (cheesy cream dish with veges and dumpling like things) plus ice-cream coffee with cherry liqueur and cherry liqueur cake. After a 6 hour boat ride we got off only to board another boat for a sunset dinner. We stuffed ourselves like turkeys for thanksgiving dinner. As we waddled home we lounged around for a chill evening.
The morning woke us up with a rumbling thunderstorm that growled all day. This was a perfect opportunity to catch up on life admin. I've felt more inclined to relax toward the end of my travels. This doesn't mean that I am not up for adventure it just means that I decided to take the time to look after my health and invest my time with people. In the afternoon, Tamara and I went to the Rhine to chase the end of the sunshine. It was an impressive waterfall despite the drought caused by Europe's heatwave. It was an incredibly hot time in Europe and I can only imagine what kind of summer awaits me in the Southern Hemisphere. We returned to an overcast Luzern which cooled us down instantly. The rain was thankfully received in Switzerland with all the dryness. Tamara and I decided to refresh with a dip in the lake before going for dinner at my cousin's work. Our eyes were bigger than our bellies as we happily munched on food covered in melted cheese. I felt lethargic going home but I easily slipped in to a food coma that night.
My last day in Luzern I decided to visit Zurich to see a friend. I wasn't too impressed to see another big city. Maybe there are secret corners and local secrets to explore but, overall, it was not too stimulating. We went directly to Lake Zurich for a swim in the choppy lake. I have been surprised at the high amount of available swimming spots (in nature) I've been able to do throughout my trip. The most interesting thing about the city was a backstreet cafe. However, it only took 3 hours for me to be done with the city and catch a train back to Luzern. I had the whole night to chill with Tamara and pack while I waited for JJ to arrive. We had organised a spontaneous weekend getaway to a mysterious location. A trip anywhere in Europe was an exciting prospect. We had decided we would start driving and see where we wound up. As the clock chimed at 11pm I heard Megatron (the big bus roll up to be my personal limo) arrive with JJ rearing to go. We drove until we felt sleepy and parked the Megatron at a freedom camping spot. We were heading towards the south of France.
(WEEKEND GETAWAY) FRANCE
Misty mountains and waterfalls were our surrounding view as we woke in the morning. We still weren't sure where we were headed so we got in the car and drove. JJ had the bright idea of exploring Saint Marie de la mer. It was a bit of a drive but arriving in this sweet touristic township was worth it. With the bright lights and buzz of life happening, JJ and I found it difficult to find a suitable spot to park Megatron for the night. With restaurants beginning to close, we decided to go for an extra drive to a nearby lagoon - with the hopes of waking up to a flood of flamingos outside our windows. The best part to our long driving day was the stimulating and deep conversation that filled the gaps between our car karaoke. I was extremely thankful to finally stop driving for the day.
In the morning we opened the curtains to a boring yet quiet carpark, no flamingos in sight. The beach that we thought was nearby was a decent walk away. Our tiredness from a long drive the day before had us pack our things quickly find the closest beach via car. In hindshigt, we should have walked but neither of our tired minds were thinking clearly. Instead, we headed back to the town of Saint Marie de la mer for freshly baked pastries. We tried to go to the beach, however, all the nearby beach parking spaces were packed up. We decided it best to wait until another beach. We walked around the town, had our feet nibbled by fish, with tappas for dinner. There was still a few daylight hours that gave us time to discover a new place to sleep. En route to our new destination we still hadn't seen any flamingos. So we decided to stop at a well known flamingo hiding spot and were astonished with the crowds of flamingos. We were lucky to see a bunch of beavers and other critters hanging around. With a short drive ahead of us we decided to make our way to a beach as our location for a quiet night. We arrived just after sunset for a night swim and stargazing.
After a restful sleep we chose to gear into full relax mode at the beach. There was a galore of swimming, sleeping in the sun, and playing paddle ball. When we were finished with a day of drinking beer and sunbathing we drove to a delightful village nearby Grenoble. We discovered the sweetest hidden spot in time for sunset. The night spot was right next to a river, hidden by forests with no one in sight. We set up for an evening of drinking redwine, eating cheese and sitting next to a crackling bonfire. The stars looked incredible.
The next morning we had a nice breakfast and walk around the village. We had a long drive ahead of us to Bern and didn't spend too long at the village. We decided to make a detour to Geneve to soak at a spa with a drink in hand. I wish there were more Spa/Sauna locations back home. With the time ticking on and a couple hours drive ahead of us we headed to Bern. I arrived to my cousin's house late that night, barely awake and crashed straight away.
BERN
I was pretty tired with all the late nights/mornings and early wake-ups. I welcomed a chill morning for life admin while my cousin was out. When the early afternoon snuck around I had planned to meet my cousin for a drink and walk around the old town. The old town of Bern had a modern and neat look to it. We walked up the church tower for a view over the town. My Autny was waiting for Belinda and I so that we could all enjoy a celebratory drink together. We decided to have dinner that night together so I went home and got ready for dinner while my cousin and Aunty finished their tasks for the day. My cousin, her boyfriend, the flatmate, my Aunty and Uncle all came over for catch ups and drinks. When the Aunty and Uncle left, we induldged in rachlet and coupious amounts of wine. If I could start a business back home it would have me selling rachlet sets - it would go down a treat.
The next day we slept in, no surprises. My cousin got the day off work so we could go to a lake in the mountains (location to be confirmed - I forgot the name of the place). It was a beautiful lake; once we found a quiet place away from people. The water was refreshing and a stunning blue water. Once we came down, via the gondola, we had an icecream as a presnack before dinner at the Aunts. We drove to my Aunty and Uncles house for the best, restaurant quality, three course meal. It was amazing to have real time with family after so long of travelling around. We ended with coffee to prep us for our adventures in to town to see the alternative area. We called it in for an early night to catch the train before it ended.
The next day we got in a raft and went down the Ara with a lot of beer and snacks. The logistics for this were simple yet poorly executed but, the most important thing was that, we made it. It was one of my greatest days on travel. After rafting we went home to get my gear before going back to town for a drink with Aunty before they farewelled me on the train as I was bound to Müllheim one last time for another adventurous weekend with JJ. I arrived before he finished work and we enjoyed a drink and some catch up time.
The next day we woke up early to make the most of a weekend adventure. For our first destination we popped over to Germany (Konstanz) to do a little bit of shopping before going to Therme Erding - a massive Sauna/Spa near Münich. It was an experience. The Germans know how to Sauna. If you want to read more about the type of experience I had, enjoy this read: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/german-spas-the-naked-truth-6269555.html. We were completely relaxed but fully exhausted as we drove to a dull campervan campsite near the water and not far from Munich after deciding we would spend our weekend in Austria.
(WEEKEND GETAWAY) AUSTRIA
We woke up for a full German breakfast (once again, more bread and cheese). The way we really woke up was a dip in the lake. Then we took a drive to Salzburg for 4 hours. This sweet town had a river running through the city with the view of a castle, old style church, and famous lock bridge to which tourists flocked. There were darling markets lined alongside the river. This town had more life to it than the Swiss towns I had experienced. We had a drink and and decided to find a secluded chill place to park Megatron. On our way we found the best place to park that looked serine. However, it looked like private property so we went to a hut nearby to ask the locals if we could park on their land. We were declined. But the lovely Austrian guys invited us to sit for a beer and a yarn. They told us about the beauty and wonders that awaited us in Austria. They said one of the best adventures for enjoying the area, other than lake diving and mountain biking, was to go canyoning. This area was recognised as an epic spot to canyon in Europe. With that in mind we went further in to the forest to star gaze and have our bbq dinner. Despite how my travels seemed flawless, I did get really sick that night - and it was not a pretty sight. Turns out drinking most days of the week and little sleep has a tendency to disagree with my body.
When we woke up we went straight to the canyoning place that was conveniently located at a hotel with a buffet breakfast. We had to wait a few hours before our tour so we went to the nearby lake for a swim, drink, and game of paddle ball. Our time for canyoning had arrived and it was amazing. Jumping, swimming, walking, and sliding. It was a great activity choice for the day. We got recommendations on where to sleep that night from our tour guide after over a beer. We were tired after the days events so discovered a quiet place not far away at a river located in the middle of nowhere. We watched moonrise with our bbq dinner and more red wine. Who knew it could go down so easily, like water. It was a restful night sleeping on the bedside of the river under the stars. Unfortunately, it got slightly brisk around 4am so we hurried in to the camper.
The next day we enjoyed the quietness of Bad Ischl and a europe style, long brunch. We walked around before making our way to Hallstat area to see the Ice Caves and enjoy the view of Dachstein mountain at 2108m. All the sights of Austria was a dream. Each corner you turn could be on a postcard. It was a sad time departing Austria, but mostly because we had to endure a long haul night drive to Müllheim - only arriving a minute before midnight.
(Müllheim) SWITZERLAND
Lucky for me, JJ had work the next day so I had the day to chill out. Before JJ went to work, he dropped me at Konstanz (walking over the border to Germany) to have a self-care day of getting my legs waxed and nails done. It was such a mission getting my legs waxed in Europe. Everywhere was either closed or not a walk-in wax but i was glad to do it in a cheaper country. JJ picked me up and took me back to Müllheim on his break which still gave me time to relax and before he finished work. It was an early night considering our late night and long adventures of the weekend.
My last 3 days in Switzland was spent with the best company and relaxation. I was fortunate enough to meet a friend of JJ who had horses. A lovely older lady who let me ride with her to exercise her horses. Other than that I needed a reason to lay low as I picked up signs of a summer flu. I wasn't surprised that my body told me to rest after many late nights/early starts. My final day in Switzerland came too quickly but I was excited for my final adventure.
Next Stop --> London, England
>>Live Simply, Simply Live<< MB
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