Swiss Made Dreams - Day 1

Swiss Made Dreams

My journey to my dream destination - Switzerland 
Day 1

Ok. So, this is one country almost everyone (at least in India) wishes to see. This is one country that has charmed most of Indian Bollywood directors to shoot their schedules there. This is one country that is famous for its exquisite wrist watches, army knives, cowbells and chocolates. And this is one country famous for its Banks and non-disclosure policy about peoples’ investments (although tourists don’t really bother about it).

Yes, I am talking about Switzerland, the place where Dreams are made and the place where the natural beauty surpasses all the hassles of modern day life. The country that banks upon its breath-taking views, oh-I-sooooo-wanna-do-it adventure sports, ice-capped mountains, scenic trains, it is not wrong if we call it the Heaven on Earth (calling ‘Kashmir’ the Heaven on Earth is another debate all together :-)).

So, it was my first visit to Europe (well, actually it was a business trip). And, Switzerland was not on my weekend travel list. It was way too dreamy to go there. And moreover, I was visiting Netherlands and was on a tight schedule. It would be difficult to visit Switzerland over the weekend as it was quite far and I had office on weekdays. After about 3-4 weeks, I came across the Eurail Website which re-jigged my entire travel plan (I had thought of travelling every weekend and see as much Europe as I possibly could). Eurail is by far one of the most convenient and can be the cheapest way to travel in Europe (curious readers can log on to www.eurail.com). So, I got myself a 4 country Eurail Pass for the 1^st Class. This entitled me to free rail travel within Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland for a total of 6 days (non-consecutive) and, also a chance to plan my itinerary to Switzerland. For all those who think Switzerland is not a part of Schengan Visa, check again ;-). It is.

My plan was to visit Zurich (well that’s what comes to the mind for all those who have been a fan of DDLJ ;-) ), Luzern, Interlaken and then hop on to the Glacier Express to see the snow-capped peaks from the glass windows of the scenic train. As per my itinerary, I would visit Mt. Titlis in Engelberg and Mt. Pilatus in Luzern. Since I was travelling alone (poor me, all my colleagues were very busy that weekend and couldn’t travel), I had a backup plan for rail schedules so I don’t get stuck anywhere.

The best way to check rail schedules in Europe is through the website www.bahn.de. It is the German Railways website and is by far the best website for rail schedules all across Europe. We have many others as well, still, I found this to be the best. Also, to keep the budget in check, I had decided to stay in a hostel as hotels in Switzerland are really expensive and for backpackers like me, it was fun and cost effective to stay in a budget hostel. After spending a lot of time on www.booking.com, finding a suitable accommodation option, I finally booked Backpackers, Luzerne as my abode in Switzerland (www.backpackerslucerne.ch). This is one of the best hostel chains in Europe. I got a bed for a price as cheap as 25 Euro a night. A room in a decent hotel can cost a minimum of 125 Euros a night. On top of that, my hostel was by the lakeside and had a kitchen where we could cook our meal or may be warm our food. Being a vegetarian, I had cooked some meals and brought along.

My journey began on Saturday morning at 7am and it was a 7 hour long travel to Basel, the entrance of Switzerland. Starting from Maastricht (in Netherlands), I had to change trains at Liege (Belgium), and then at Namur(Belgium). I literally had to rush from one platform to other at Namur to catch the SBB train to Basel (the doors just closed seconds after I entered the train). This train was full of passengers, from students to couples. I had a ticket for the 1^st class, however, I found a really interesting group of guys and gals in the 2^nd class who were scouts from Belgium and were heading to Italy via Switzerland. So, I chose to sit with them (a big advantage when you are travelling alone – you get to meet so many people). Remember, we don’t have seat numbers on tickets in Europe (unless the train is an exclusive train that needs reservation, like the Thalys), so you can take any empty seat. We clicked a lot of pictures together, played many games and talked about their itinerary. Meanwhile, the train was passing through Luxembourg, a small country which has some of the most beautiful sceneries in Europe and is also famous for being the best country in the world in terms of standard of living (Google it and you’ll know).

Time was passing and I was eagerly waiting for even a short glimpse of my dream destination. The train was then passing through France and I don’t know when I fell half asleep. Then suddenly, a cop dressed in casuals came to me and asked for my passport. Suspicious as I was, I asked for his ID card, and he flapped his ID card like they show in Hollywood movies. I knew I had to respond immediately. I showed him my passport and after verifying my visa details, he went away. Though only for a few moments, but yes, I was scared. It wasn’t that I had done something wrong, just the mere thought that if trouble arises, then I was alone (a disadvantage when you are travelling alone).  Moreover, the police in Europe are pretty strict in this matter and it is always a good idea to keep your passport with you when travelling out of your home country. Anyways, having survived the encounter with the French police, I could finally see the train entering Basel station. The thought, the mere thought, that I have entered Switzerland, was pumping adrenaline within me, however, I couldn’t see any real natural beauty around. Is Swiss really beautiful? There were no mountains around and no sight of the famous lakes or greenery. With my fingers crossed, I de-boarded to catch my connecting train to Zurich.

Zurich, yes, the name made famous by the super block buster movie DDLJ. I can’t explain how I excited I was. During the planning for the trip, I had analysed the weather forecast and was aware that thunderstorms were expected anytime. Undeterred, I boarded the next train and within an hour, I was standing next to the Zurich sign board on the train station. I was exhilarated. I checked out the tourist counter and picked up a few maps. There were 2 cute girls also there (don’t remember from which country they were) looking to visit some zoo in Zurich. We chatted about our itineraries and started heading in our respective destinations. I had chosen to go on a walking tour of the main highlights of the city as I had only 4 hours in Zurich (had to resist hard to accompany those pretty 20 somethins’. I didn’t have much interest in the zoo was altogether a different story ;-)).

Just outside of the station, I saw the famous Swiss Trams on the roads. After walking through the market, alongside the river stream, I reached the Zurich Lake. And there I could see all the action. Yatches, cruises, young guys and girls diving into the lake just for fun, a fountain far away somewhere, the skyline of the mountains and the hustle and bustle of the city in bright daylight. Those zoo girls also met me there ;-) They were there with their large zoom lens DSLR camera basking in the sun next to the lake. Overall, it was awesome. Rain, thunderstorms…not even a remote possibility.  I thought weather forecast sucks even in Switzerland :-D.  

Having a strong influence of DDLJ, I was hell bent on shopping for Swiss cow bells and swiss army knife. So, I got small cow bells for my family as a souvenir. After some more local shopping (there’s lots to shop in Swiss), it was time for me to head towards the station to catch my last train for the day to Luzerne, my night stop in Switzerland. And suddenly, something happened which I could not foresee happening. 30 minutes into the train ride and it was time for a heavy downpour. So heavy, as it was, I thought, my whole itinerary would be a disaster. How can I go atop a mountain in such a bad weather. Swiss weather forecast in fact, had turned out to be very accurate. I was mentally prepared that if such a scenario happens, then I would cancel the adventure part of the trip and happily see the city of Luzerne or in worst case scenario, enjoy the rajma rice I had brought along, in my hostel. I had a backup plan for almost any eventuality (You never worry about such things when you are travelling with friends ;-) There is never a silent moment then. :-) ). Basically, I had chosen to enjoy, no matter what happened.

Luckily, by the time I reached Luzerne station, the storm had subsided. I took a cab to my hostel. By the way, the cab itself was a Mercedes-S class. For the people who have been abroad, this is no big deal. Well, it was for me, then. I reached my hostel by the lakeside. It was dark by that time so couldn’t really see the lake. However, the hostel was pretty big and nice. It had 2 kitchens and numerous rooms of different categories. I had a 4 seater dorm. Contrary to my expectation, it was pretty comfortable. I had an American in my room who I chatted with. He was on a vacation to Europe and had been to Spain and was headed to Italy after Switzerland. It was a good experience meeting and getting to know people from different nationalities. After going through the tourism pamphlets I picked up from the hostel, I went to sleep. Had to get up early for my first main Swiss attraction – Mt. Pilatus. :-)

End of Day 1…. :-)                                                                                       ...... to be continued......

Planning for your Trip Abroad

Planning for your Trip Abroad Is planning for any trip really required? Well, the answer is No. You don’t need to plan in case your trip is casual and you have no qualms about time getting wasted in standing in queues, or some part of trip getting cancelled due to bad weather. Also, if you are highly flexible, like you are comfortable eating anything outside, do not mind if you went to see A, but ended up seeing B as you didn't plan it and A was closed, or you reached late as you didn't know what’s the best way to commute to A, then you don't need to plan. If you are not comfortable with any of the above, you like it or you don’t, you need to plan. It is important to plan in case you have a tight schedule; still you want to pack a huge itinerary with a lot of constraints like bad weather, means of transport, sight-seeing timings, availability of food as per your liking etc. Below are some tips to consider while planning for your international trip:            1.       If you are a vegetarian, always check your meal preference in flights. International         flights offer various types of meals for travelers like Asian Veg Meal, Hindu Meal, Jain           Meal etc. So, depending upon your sentiments or liking, check the airline’s website for           the available meals and book the one you would like. 2.       If you are a vegetarian and are in a foreign city, you may want to research on the Indian restaurants over there and pick the one nearest to you. You will be amazed to find a huge number of Indian restaurants in big cities abroad to ensure you do not miss Indian food and also get meals as per your preference. 3.       If you want to see more in less time, researching a bit on the means of transport like metro, trams, local buses and finding the best day pass for you would save you a lot of time standing in the queues. Almost all foreign cities offer various passes to suit your needs which are not only cheaper, but also save you a lot of time. You can also use one pass that works with different means of transport. 4.       Checking out the weather conditions at the place you are travelling to will ensure you are fully equipped to handle it and do not have to make cancellations at the last moment. You can adjust your itinerary based on the forecast and make the most of your time. Check out the accuweather app on your android and applestore. It is pretty handy. 5.       Different countries use different power sockets. So, do not make the mistake of assuming that your electronic devices will work there if you do not carry a universal power adaptor with you. This small device which has sockets for all major countries built in is one of the most important things you need to include in your travel kit. 6.       You might want to carry a small umbrella with you to safeguard you against unpredictable rains. 7.       Another small device which is worth carrying along is a portable weighing scale which you can hold in hand. It is extremely light weight and occupies very little space. It come in handy when you are not sure of your luggage weight before reaching the airport and do not want any last minute hurdles at check in counter for weight issues. Just check your luggage weight at your hotel and remove or re-arrange items accordingly. 8.       When travelling abroad, carrying a document containing all the important contacts like your airline local office number, your office contacts, your travel agent details, your hotel address and phone number, some phone numbers of local taxies etc. is very useful in case of emergencies. 9.       Your travel kit should include your passport, air tickets, travel insurance, copies of your visa and some foreign exchange. This kit should always be handy. 10.   Some countries allow food items in your luggage, however, some countries can be very strict like not allowing unsealed food packets or pickles etc. It does a great deal of help if you can check with someone living in the destination country who may guide as to what food items to take and what to avoid. 11.   Always plan your connecting flights so that there is enough time between the flights. This helps when your incoming flight gets delayed and you have to go through security checks for the connecting flight. Little planning can save you from missing any connecting flights and incurring additional costs to buy new tickets. 12.   Always ensure to check with your airline about the permitted hand baggage and check in baggage weight limits. Some airlines are lenient with the hand baggage, however, they can be pretty strict with the check in baggage. Many international airlines are strict about both hand and check in baggage weight limits. 13.   Check out International SIM options which might be handy when you are in a foreign country and need to speak to your family in your home country. Certain SIMs like GO SIM work in all the countries and you don’t need to worry about buying a separate SIM for every country. Other options include Matrix SIMs. Choose as per your budget. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” As I quote the above line by Ernest Hemingway, I hope your next foreign trip will be a lot smoother and you will return with memories to cherish and share. Feliz Viaje!!!

Making the most of your International Holiday

Making the most of your International Holiday

We tend to spend a lot on our International holiday and then are left at the mercy of our itineraries to give us a feel good factor about it. Well, there are small little things which can give you ‘much more’ out of your holiday if you pay attention to the fine print. Take a closer look:

1.      Global Refund / VAT Refund: Most of the countries give a privilege to International travelers that they need not pay full VAT / tax on their purchases. The way it works is as below:

a.  The tourist does some extensive shopping (which amounts to more than the minimum amount required for VAT refund eligibility). He asks for a VAT refund form at the shop / store.

b.  The shop helps the tourist fill in his/her VAT refund form (which requires his passport details as well) and puts in the calculated refund amount on this form.     
c.   During his stay abroad, the tourist collects all such VAT refund forms from different stores he/she shops in. Remember, not all stores provide VAT refund.

d.   While at the airport to catch the return flight, the tourist visits the Customs Area and gets his VAT refund forms stamped after showing the goods he/she purchased.

e.   Then he/she visits Global Refund office at the airport and shows the stamped VAT refund forms and gives his/her choice about receiving cash / credit in card. If cash is opted, the same is provided to the tourist in the currency of his/her choice.

f.    The airport maps where Global refund offices can be located can be found at the Global blue / global refund website.

g.   Depending on the country, you normally get approximately 10% (or even more) of your purchase price back. Hey, what more do you want ??? J

2.  Register for Airline Miles: Whichever airline you fly with gives you the option to register with it to earn some miles. You can redeem these miles for either some gifts / souvenirs or domestic tickets with the same or partner airlines. Also, if you keep on accumulating these miles, you get upgraded to the next tier of the membership and then you have access to other facilities like Premier Lounges at airports, excess baggage allowance and so on.

3. Credit Card membership reward points: If you are using a credit card for your finances abroad, it is a good idea to register for its reward point scheme as well.  Since you shall be spending a lot (even if you spend less, in Indian currency it shall be quite a lot, still), you will accumulate a lot of reward points which you can again redeem for gifts.

4. Get Rail Passes or book online and look for Combo offers: You can save a lot of money by planning in advance and booking tickets online. Many official websites offer discounts / combo offers which you can avail and also avoid that queue at the ticket window.

5. Register for Hotel Membership: Most of the good hotels abroad generally belong to one or the other hotel chain. It’s a good idea to register for their membership as well. This can give you approximately 10% off in the hotels of the same chain or you may be lucky to avail some free stays as well.

     6. Be alert about the many offers and discounts that are ongoing in local markets. Things can be pretty inexpensive when bought during sales or ongoing offers. Look out for the word ‘korting’ which means ‘discount’ when in Netherlands. Many shops provide their membership card which can offer additional discounts on your subsequent purchases.

      7. There are exclusive shopping destinations like ‘Designer Outlet’ which have almost all brands’ factory outlets and offer a range of discounts. Do check them out.

      8. Do try local souvenirs, local food especially French breads / pastries, Dutch and swiss cheese, winter woolen accessories, jackets, swiss watches, swiss army knives, chocolates, perfumes, local French fries with mayonese…. The list is endless.. J

As a general tip, when shopping, search for things that you cannot find or buy in India. I am sure you will find many such things to shop for. Then, when you return to your homeland, these souvenirs can be a source of delight and a sweet memory about the exotic destination you have been to. Also, the feeling that you could get some freebies and irresistible offers will make you smile even more.

Buon Viaggio!!!!

Travelling to Europe

Travelling to Europe

Travelling to different parts of the world may excite many of us. The mere thought of vacationing in Europe brings a wide smile on our faces. After all, Europe has some of the most beautiful countries in the world. Let’s take a look at the geography of Europe –

The geography of Europe can be understood in different parts:

1.      Scandinavian countries – comprising of Northern European countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Finland lies in Fenno-Scandinavian region. Iceland is also a part of European Continent.

2.      Central Europe – comprises of  the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Austria

3.      Western Europe – Ireland. UK is not a part of European Union although it is counted in the European Continent.

4.      Eastern Europe – Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria

5.      Southern Europe – Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece

The most beautiful parts of Europe are Central and Southern European countries. Northern Europe is characterized by extremely cold climate followed by Central Europe. The South is on a relatively warmer side, although it can also snow in Southern Europe on some occasions.

Central European countries have the richest economies along with UK in the west. The Eastern and Southern countries in Europe are still struggling to keep up with their Northern counterparts.

Being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on many sides, Spain, Italy and Greece offer some of the most beautiful locales for tourists. However, the Queen of all in terms of beauty is Switzerland, which in spite of not being surrounded by any sea, is still able to charm the travelers from all over the world who seem to be smitten by the sheer beauty and tranquility of this country.

The best time to visit Europe is from June – September. The other parts of the year are relatively colder and only advised for the adventurous travel freaks who would like to enjoy skiing, snow-boarding and other snow activities.

If you are single and with a bunch of friends looking to explore Europe in the minimum possible time and with the least possible budget, the best way to travel across Europe is as a backpacker. Just pack in your back packs, plan your itinerary in advance, book your tickets/passes and you are ready for a trip of a lifetime.

Some tips for travelling in Europe:

1.      Take a back pack along and be prepared to walk a lot since most of local sight- seeing in Europe is covered on foot

2.      Plan your itinerary in advance. Since almost everything (from tickets, to tourist information etc) is available on the internet, you can plan your itinerary pretty extensively. This planning will save you many hours of your precious time from being wasted in looking around for information / standing in queues to buy tickets.

3.      City maps and guides are freely available at every major railway station and are a must to have if you are travelling without a guide.

4.      Pack only essential stuff. You don’t want to restrict your movement because of a heavy back pack.

5.      If you are travelling a lot, getting a rail pass is a good idea. Eurail Passes are a very popular and convenient way of travelling in Europe.

6.      Always keep your passport, insurance and flight tickets handy while travelling in Europe. You may be asked to present them by the local police authorities.

7.      If you are a vegetarian and can’t do without Indian food, you have the following options:

a.       Look out for Indian restaurants at your destination in advance and make a reservation there. There are many Indian restaurants in all major European cities, however, smaller cities may not have any.

b.      Prepare your food yourself and take it along

c.       Alternatives are McDonalds, Subway, Dommino’s and other local fast food joints

d.      If you chose to stay in an apartment / hostel at your destination, you may cook your food there itself

e.       Try some European delicacies like Cheese Fondue etc. Try to get a break from Indian food as well for some time. Remember you are in Europe exploring some new culture and food ???

8.      Always keep an eye on your finances. Europe is really expensive and your purse can get empty pretty fast if you don’t manage your finances well.

A Euro Trip can be a trip of a lifetime provided you plan well and are open to a culture much different from India. Surely, you shall be back with memories to cherish for life.

Bon Voyage…!!!!!