Only a short post today, readers, as I just discovered my travel adaptor isn't suitable for Switzerland...as well as being the one Euro country without the euro, it also doesn't have european adaptor plugs so as such, my laptop and phone are both going to die out imminently and I will be cut off from technology *goes mad slowly* Arrrrgh!!
I'll just give you the highlights: I'm here safely 'in der nahe von' Basel, I've met the family who are so nice. The parents are looovely and funny, I know we're going to get on well! The children are desperate for my attention, at the expense of my hair (which has become a toy), their bodies (covered in injuries) and the decency of human kind (they've been screaming a lot). If they'd just calm down I know we'd get on great too. They're fantastic when they do quiet down.
It's amazing how fast I've picked up the basic instincts of this whole parenting thing. I am managing surprisingly well, I have now seen more bare bottoms than a nudist might have, as they are often thrust towards me for inspection during the course of the day.
There have been a few surreal moments already. Zurich airport was surreal. After arriving in our terminal, we were ushered a mile or so onto an inner airport subway which played what I assumed was the soundtrack of Switzerland: involving bird song, trumpets, bells ringing, yodelling, male voice choirs and some very angry cows. I couldn't resist a snigger or two to myself. Next up we walked through a ridiculously long queue of customs, where I eventually got to pick up my bag. By the time I eventually got to the train station, after lugging two suitcases down four flights of stairs all alone, I had to queue for 20 minutes in the slowest ticket queue in the world. I eventually got to order my ticket in pigeon German, only to discover I had missed the final direct train to Basel. I was ordered down the stairs to Platform 3...only problem, when I got down the stairs, there was only platform two and three. Meanwhile I could see Platform 3 in the distance, but there were lots of rail tracks between me and there...arrrgh! I raced back up the stairs, and managed to find the RIGHT staircase and pelted towards my train to Zurich which was standing there. With the doors shut. In the UK that means a train is leaving. Thankfully, I ambushed an attractive man with a bike and he got me on to the train phew!
I was veeeery relieved to finally make it to my final connection in Zurich and sit down on a train and down a bottle of water. Thank the Lord!
Seeing the family on the platform was a welcome surprise and conversation came easy. We made our way into the pouring rain while I apologised profusely that I had indeed brought the weather with me, as they had had perfect sunshine until I arrived. It also rained all day today. Uhoh.
In other news, I picked blackberries, saw France within touching distance, crossed a river on a single unattached plank, saw a young male deer frollicking, oodles of pear trees, cherry trees, walnut trees (basically any thing on a tree I seen...except for a stupid excuse for a tween romance carving their stupid names on a tree. Thank goodness!
I also witnessed approximately 10 temper tantrums, some remarkable acrobatics, and my utter despair that after I finish this, I am officially cut off from the world... goodbye for now, here's hoping my poor mother can find me the right adaptor. Otherwise it's goodbye indefinitely.... dear goodness, please no!
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