Well. It’s official, mum said it couldn’t happen but I have fallen in love!

With Zurich that is… It’s charm and amazing lake make up for the fact that food prices will quickly have you eating out of trash cans.

I got into Zurich super late, my bus got in at 9.45 and then there was the lack of wifi and impossibly huge train station that I had to navigate. So by the time I got to Dorian’s (couch surf host), it was 11pm.

Dorian and his housemate Luca were awesome, they had made fondue for me for when I arrived and were extremely relaxed. They are basically on couch surfing to mix things up from time to time.

My first day in Zurcih I pottered around the city, discovered that I can get wifi at any university around the world thanks to eduroam and the fact that my old UQ login still works (SUCCESS).  Drank a one-million-franc coffee… Oh yes that was something that surprised me… I had no idea that Switzerland has a different currency.

I was also blissfully unaware that Zurich is built around a giant and very beautiful lake. Dorian took me to the best grill and we got Swiss sausages and bread and chilled at the Lake, hand feeding swans and ducks.

Later that afternoon after more pottering we went park drinking with a tonne of people at the lake, according to my guide this is what happens whenever the weather is good and you can swim in the lake.

Day two I went up the top of a cable car, called poly(something) and ate my breakfast with a view over the city. Walking through the narrow cobbled streets of old town it’s not hard to find a cool coffee shop, restaurant or bar around and the vibe of the city is contagious. I certainly wanted to stay a while longer and was regretting my poor planning that restricted my time here.

Regrettably boarding my night bus, I have a two hour layover in Strasbourg that I am not keen for.