Germany & Switzerland

Reading time: 8 minutes

Themes: Adventure, exploration

05 - 06 July

I had an extremely long train ride back from Sweden to Frankfurt, almost the same trip I did weeks before on my first trip to Scandinavia. You would think that riding 16-20 hours on a train would be close to impossible because it is - close to impossible (maintaining adequate mental health, that is). Unfortunately, I had to manage it twice in one month. Coming back to central Europe was quite an adventure. Around 1 or 2 in the morning, the train I was on, nearly empty at that point, was parked in the Fredericia, Denmark train station until morning. Fredericia wasn't my final destination, but it was the farthest south I could go in one day. I stepped off the train into the dark streets accompanied by the faintly glowing street lamps. I had never seen a city so dead at night though I had only been in relatively large cities up until that point. It was the kind of place where you wouldn’t be surprised to see a werewolf wandering the streets.

I looked around for an ideal place to pitch my tent for a second time on my trip, to no avail. After a half-hour or so, I decided to post up in the train station yard for the night. Now, this might sound insane, and that's because it was, but my tent was concealed by about 3 feet of shrubs and trees on the hill directly next to the first set of train tracks. The track I was camping next to contained trains that were out of commission for the time being - except for their wifi, an unexpected perk. I laid on my sleeping pad that night, talking with my mom until I fell asleep, dodging any questions about where I was ‘resting’ that night. That night was a tough one. I was cold and felt alone scrolling through Instagram posts of friends and family through the faint dim of my phone in ‘battery-saver mode. At first light, I packed up my wet tent and snuck back into the train station before anyone spotted me. I boarded the first train to Frankfurt around 06:00, and off I went. I made up for my lack of sleep on the train ride south.

Later in the morning, I found refuge on my new host, Andrey’s, couch. Andrey was a twenty-something from Russia who loved snowboarding and watching people build stuff on YouTube (as did I). He turned me on to a guy from England named ColinFurze, whom I still watch to this day. I found conversation super easy with Andrey as we had a lot in common. I fell in love with Frankfurt quickly. It was the only major city that I visited in Germany. I wished I could’ve seen Berlin, but I ultimately opted for Frankfurt because my grandfather had told me fond stories of his time there serving in the Army. I wanted to see the city he did when he was my age. Shortly after meeting Andrey and dropping my bags, I set off to check off the first item on my bucket list: Aussichtspunkt Burg Eltz (Eltz Castle). I hopped on a train to the small town of Moselkern and enjoyed the view of the Rhine on the way. I remember it as one of the most beautiful train rides on my trip. I bought a couple of bottles of sparkling water for the hike to the castle on the train as they didn’t have any bottles of still water. I later learned that be it water, sparkling water elicits the same effect as drinking soda when hiking: burps. I didn’t mind, however, because I was too enraptured by the scenery. The hike featured hidden caves, towering timber, and of course, the castle.

While waiting for my train back to Frankfurt, I was approached by a couple who asked if I spoke English in German. I nodded yes, and when I did, I quickly recognized their accent (or lack of). We got to chatting, and it turns out they were from Boulder County (as was I). Dumbfounded by coincidence afoot, we chatted for most of the ride back. Another man overheard our conversation on the way and joined in as he was from, of all places, Denver. Three strangers from Colorado are on the same train in a remote wine town in Germany. The couple departed the train before the other guy, and I did, so we continued our conversation after they left. He told me that he worked for Light Rail (our public transportation train) in Denver and was on paid leave after witnessing an accident. His company had paid for him to go and enjoy a vacation for a couple of weeks, so he opted to visit a relative in Germany. He offered me a ride in a Porsche that he had rented on the Autobahn - regrettably, I had to decline due to lack of time. In the evening, Andrey and I ventured into downtown Frankfurt via bicycle to meet with some of his friends and watch a soccer match at Waxy's Irish Pub.

07 - 09 July

Andrey worked during the day, so the evenings were our chance to spend time together. On the day of the 7th, I took the train to Heidelburg. I rented a bike and rode up the San Francisco-like streets to Schloss Heidelberg (Heidelburg Palace). It was an incredibly history-rich place that I spent perusing for hours enjoying an authentic bratwurst and Radeberger Pilsner. I took my time exploring Heidelburg, and when I was done, I headed back to meet Andrey for another night out. We spent the night wandering through the downtown street, glaring at the discounted Maseratis in the window and jamming to ‘September’ by Earth Wind and Fire at a club. Andrey and I cycled through the urban streets between his house and other places. My last night with Andrey will be remembered as biking through the quiet streets of Frankfurt in the middle of the night, feeling young and utterly alive.

I left Frankfurt with a refreshed mindset regarding my trip. I had already booked my ticket back on a home-sick whim, and it was starting to feel bittersweet rather than just sweet. My time in Frankfurt was one of joy and friendship. I have gone into all of my travels since with more clarity and perseverance due to the adversity I dealt with in June and July of 2016. It made me more vital to be thousands of miles from home and push through the associated feelings. There was no refuge other than the kind I could conjure internally. I learned that, at the end of the day, that is our only true refuge. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve stayed longer, but I also felt like I had learned lessons that were, in a way, laid forth for me. I experienced highs and lows of a new sort and already felt the growth I’d undergone in such a short time due to pushing myself so profoundly out of my comfort zone and thriving. I was proving to myself daily that I could do anything and was disappointed to be leaving the places that taught me that. Familiarity and comfort were nonexistent as I sat on the train to Bern, Switzerland but yet I was sad to be departing from those feelings as I knew they’d caused a seismic shift in me, which I still reap the benefits of to this day.

I departed the train in Bern and made my first routine stop at the local mall to add to my collection of SIM cards. I always carry a small amount of cash with me in case of emergencies when I travel, so I stopped by the ATM as well. I have been hard-pressed to find a currency as beautiful as the Swiss Franc. It was starting to get dark, so I began heading to my new host’s home after getting confused looks from people wondering why I was photographing my newly obtained currency. I remember being so pleased with all the vegetation and flowers springing up next to the glacier-blue waters running through the heart of Bern. It truly felt like a little slice of heaven. My host Ruedi’s home was no exception. For the first time on my trip, I had a solitary room with a balcony. I passed out almost immediately after eating dinner with Ruedi, connecting some dots on each other’s lives, and sharing some of the experiences I’d endured during my brief time on his continent. My first night with Ruedi was also my first conflictual experience with a host as I’d arrived tired and not hungry, although Ruedi had prepared dinner and expected to know a little about who his guest was. However, we quickly resolved our initial friction and had a very pleasant few days together.

10 - 11 July

I learned that Switzerland was extremely expensive very quickly when I ordered a 10” pizza for 25CHF (almost equivalent to the USD when converted) after sleeping most of the morning. I already had plans to meet some friends in France on the 12th, so I set out to make the most of my short time in such a lavish metropolis. After an excellent recovery from my multiple long train rides, I took my time getting up in the late morning, planned my trip to the Alps in the company of sunshine pouring through my windows, and set off to catch the next train out. The trip to Lauterbrunnen was one of my favorites ever. I hardly opened my phone on the train ride other than to document the cobalt landscape of Lake Thun. When I got off the regional train, I purchase a day ticket up into the valley that Lauterbrunnen claims. I spent the whole ride hanging out the window of the train as we traversed rivers nestled below mountainous giants such as Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. The landscape was verdant and wild, and everything radiated tranquility. I quickly understood why the Alps were so world-renowned. As I stepped off the train into Lauterbrunnen, I understood what an authentic village looked like - something the United States is devoid of. It felt highly dream-like and surreal, and I soaked up every minute.

I passed numerous signs offering tourists some ‘Authentic Swiss Chocolate’ though the price tag ultimately drove me to avoid such luxuries. I poked around the village for a moment and headed for Trümmelbachfälle (Trummelbach Falls), my ultimate goal for the day. I followed some influencers on Instagram who had taken an awesome photo on the railing of the hike to the falls, and I was dead set on recreating it. I remember looking out into the valley and understanding why it was such a hotspot for base jumpers and adventure-seekers alike. At that point in my life, I hadn’t ventured out onto many prominent peaks back home in Colorado, so these mountains seemed unsurmountable. In a lot of ways, I think I loved Switzerland so much because it reminded me of home. It wouldn’t be until about half a decade later that I ventured to Ouray and Telluride, Colorado, for the first time to experience a likeness of mountains comparable to those of Lauterbrunnen. Switzerland held the key to true mountain majesty for that time, and I was grateful to be in it.

My time in Switzerland was short but sweet, and I have Ruedi to thank for his conversation, exquisite cooking, and hospitality. I plan to return to Switzerland one day with more than an 18-year-old backpacker’s budget and truly take it in but nonetheless, my days there will never be forgotten.