First Time's The Charm

You know the travel gods are by your side when your maiden trip to Europe is to its most beautiful region, Switzerland.

- Rashima Nagpal

DO YOU REMEMBER your first extraordinary trip? Your first wine-tasting? Your first spa? Do you remember the first time you took a bus or train in a foreign land? Do you remember how it felt? No matter how many journeys we embark

on, how many places we see, and how many flights we take, our firsts are irreplaceable. At least that’s how it is for me. Thus, this story. The story of my first time in Europe. Of all the 44 countries in the continent, I was destined to land in glorious Switzerland. It was bound to be extraordinary and—as I would eventually discover—indulgent.

ZÜRICH

IT BEGINS IN GLOOMY ZÜRICH. My first impression of Europe takes shape under a spell of thick grey clouds. In the moment, it is only drizzling. So, we decide to keep going. A pack of five, led by an enthusiastic tour guide—Ity Tiwari—who’s laden with umbrellas, step out of the Zürich Main Station to grab some much-needed lunch.

But before we set out, Tiwari indulges us in some trivia. We are at Switzerland’s biggest and busiest train station. It comprises three levels—the platform level, the shopping level, and the historical station hall on the ground level. A big bright doll with wings hangs over us on the ground level. It is artist Niki de Saint Phalle’s Nana, “the big-bosomed guardian angel who has been watching over travellers like ourselves since 1997,” Tiwari proclaims. The hall is dotted with more artwork, including The Philosopher’s Egg by Mario Merz. Zürich Hauptbahnhof is well connected to not just every station within Switzerland, but also the neighbouring countries. “If you catch the wrong train, you might land in Paris,” someone jokes. The railway buff in me is thrilled.