Date: 2008-03-15
To: London
Miles today: 0.0

I caught a train to Zurich, and it sure was something.Climbed up from lake geneva, and you guessed it more tunnels, they are obsessed with tunnels here for the trains. The views of the lake were stunning, the towering mountians above 2000m above the lake are on the French side. Look out over the lake and their is France, dont really get that back home in port phillip bay, just Frnakston on the other side.The train weaved its way over the plains, and they were rather hilly, so green and full of amasing homes and farm houses, it was stunning, just like you would imagine, and over our starbort side the entire time were the alps accompanying us for most of our journey, they are so huge and so white. Passed out of the French speaking areas and into the swiss german, and the people getting on the trin had that harsh accent, it is not something I could ever talk. Some of the towns we went through were so stunning, a bunch of late tenage girls got on the train, 6 of them, and only one spoke english well, so she interpreted for the rest. They had so many questions about australia, and they all had their picture taken with me, I am a tourist attraction over here, so many people in Switzerland really love Australia.Passed through Bern, and it was a bit industrial, but still beautiful, and then we went through some more tunnels and the train exploded into action. We had been gently cruising along twisting and curving around the country side, now the train took off. I looked out the woindow and the scene was a blur, cars on the freeway were passed like they were standing still, finally i was on a fast train that was travelling beyond 300km/hr, it was such a thrill. We were in mountainous terrain, but that does not stop the swiss, they just build tunnel after tunnel, and the track is perfectly smooth and straight. You would not have spilt a drop of water from a cup on the table in front of you. Eventually arrived in Zurich, great to be back on some familiar ground, swang by Nicoles and picked up my bag. I had a flight the next mornign at 7am, but the first train did not leave until 5 am, I was worried it was not long enough to get through all the stuff at the airport, but after all we are in switzerland the kings of efficiency. The lady at the tourist information suggested it was enough time and there was no need to head out to the airport and book expensive accomodation out their, so headed for a central backpackers at a much cheaper price. In my room was two boys from Pheonix catching the same flight, so we all went to bed super early, and got up at 4am to charge off. The Swiss are so stunning, their is no place like it on earth, i was talking with my plane budies, and they were just as impressed as I was. It is about the only place that I have visited thus far where I think I could live for any extended time outside of australia. Everything is nearing perfection, even something as simple as a car park will have a number up saying exactly how many spaces left. Escalators go super slow, but as soon as you hope on they speed right up, it is efficient. it is all about working perfectly, conserving energy and minimising impact upon the environment, but they manage to make everything look so good to, beautiful designs, it is a real special place, although a bit expensive, but every paradise has its downside.I am back in England, and people seem more friendly on this visit, but I think after travelling around continental europe, my bench mark of expectations has been lowered so I am expecting less from a society.I must say that at times travelling can be very lonely, staying in a hotel in my mind is the pits, you do not meet anyone, and I dont like the pub scene so much as I am to exhausted from my daily activities. In a hostel always people to meet and interact with, much prefer that type of lifestyle, just great to interact with others, and so many people are full of so much information and good will. There has been some real experiences so far, like when I was sitting downstairs at the backpackers in Barcelona and a guy pulls out some powder, aranges it into lines, pulls out a 10 dollar europe, rolls it into a cyclinder and then starts sniffing up the lines. Never in my life had I seen something like this, not happeneing just a metre in front of me. I was so shocked and disgusted all at once, the things you see travelling. I watched this guy getting high, his eyes started to wobble, he drifted off into his own little world, and you realise how vulnerable someone is in such a situation. It is not just the drug their is the whole process of buying it, and the path that takes you on. Along the streets of Barcelona men of african decent were continually asking if you wanted some charlie. TO begin with I had no idea who charlie was, had to ask others in the backpackers to inform me. For me it was really sad to see someone to descend into this world, the guy involved was really nice, but when he started trying to rationlise what he was doing and how harmless it was, I just had to shrugg my shoulders, some people sure know how to delude themselves. On the other hand it did get me thinking, and in many ways what I did to my body of the last 2 years was just as dangerous for your health, and that was piling on the kilograms. Since I have started to reduce my size, my old swagger and confidence have started to return, feel sl much more healthy. I lift my 10 kilo bag and it is such a heavy thing to lug around, and slows me down so much, and that must be the amount I have lost so far. Now when I sit on the toilet, half my rear end is not hanging over the seat, I can get my shoes on with out starting to sweat, I dont have to bend myslef in half like a contortionist to get around my big belly. I can now see my toes, my undies dont feel liek they are strangling me anymore, my flexibility is returning, and all just in time for the big walk. Not long now.