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Its day 2 of my first weekend in Switzerland. Although I miss my daughter almost every other minute, I am trying to be rational with myself.. Nothings gonna change for 2 months, so why be miserable. Make the most of this time.

Saturday was a tiring and long day, well spent in Breinz – river cruise and mountains. I wanted to take Sunday lightly, spend time talking to family over Skype, eat leisurely, browse the net and head out for something light.

A  friend suggested the old town Baden which is half an hour train ride from Zurich. The charm about visiting such non tourist spots is comparatively lesser crowd and a rustic charm of the old city. I boarded the train after lunch.

The half an hour scenic train ride where we passed a golf course, rows of trees and Swiss houses kept me hooked to the sights outside. When I got out of the train, and walked the cobbled streets, it was like walking in a quaint old town.

The cafes were crowded with locals, enjoying their drinks and food in the cosy summer sun. Not long before the canopy of trees and warmth gives way to the winter chill.

 

 

The must see place listed on trip advisor was Stein Castle- the ruins atop mountain which gives a spectacular view of the city.  I set off on a long and arduous journey- panting, puffing in the scorching heat. The path was desolate and at one point I was really scared- what if someone comes and attacks me. The fear of a woman traveller from India- its hard to shake it off though Switzerland is one of the safest places.

I reached the top and the views were stunning. I was too tired to pose for a selfie though-with sweat trickling down and my clothes damp.

After spending sometime on the top, I came down and roamed the streets. Had some amazing frozen yoghurt, there wasn’t much to do. I saw a book store and went in excitedly only to find most of the books in German. There was a English section and what do I see? My favourite author Sophie Kinsella’s new book- you bet that was enough to get me excited. I picked up the copy and boarded the train back to Zurich.

There is a different kind of joy and learning in travelling alone- first of all you are being yourself without any pretence or compromise and secondly you are challenging your inner self each moment by shedding inhibitions, taking that pic least bothered about what others think, eating alone, find out out stuff right from planning the travel to making every bit of the experience memorable – for you owe that to yourself.

I look forward to learning, unlearning and having a riot in the days to come.

Linking up with #Quoted Stories 12