Travelling Solo in Switzerland

At 71, I embarked on my longest-ever solo trip — twelve days in Switzerland and one day in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. I stayed in seven different places and immersed myself in the stunning countryside, tranquil lakes, majestic mountains, bustling cities, impressive glaciers, and the country’s famously efficient network of trains, buses, trams, cable cars, chair lifts, funiculars — and even the iconic cogwheel trains that climb impossibly steep slopes.

Unlike my previous travels, where I’d meet one or two interesting people, this time I encountered so many that I just had to write them down — to keep the memories fresh and close to my heart.

In Zurich, I met a Swiss lady on the train going to the same mountain — Uetliberg.
We looked similar in that we both had white hair and walking poles! I asked if I could take her picture, and she agreed — and took one of me too. That day, the train stopped midway at Triemli due to construction work. She knew her way around and said she was walking up.
I started walking with her, but it was a steep climb and her pace was impressive, so I gave up and took the bus she helped me find. I still had to walk a bit to reach the mountain top after the bus reached its terminus, but I guess it was less strenuous than trekking up. Grateful to her for the tip on taking the bus!

Then, while waiting for a train in Zurich, an Indian lady with her family came up to me, said hello, and asked if I worked in Switzerland. She was intrigued when I said I was on vacation by myself and visiting so many cities. Later, when her train arrived, she dashed up to say goodbye. I hope I meet her again!

At the hotel in Vaduz, I met a pretty Russian lady who was thrilled to know that I liked borscht (a beef and beetroot soup) and had visited a few places in Russia. She pulled out Google Translate, and we had a lovely short conversation.

In the evening at Vaduz, I selected the salmon dish from the dinner menu posted at the entrance to the hotel where I was staying, but the receptionist said the kitchen was closed as the chef was on holiday. I didn’t want to step out in the rain for Thai or Italian food that was opposite the hotel. The receptionist — a young girl doing her hotel management internship — kindly offered to get me some cheese and brought it on a plate! She said her mother always told her to eat cheese to stay strong. God bless her! That night, I had bread with cheese, strawberries, and hot water for dinner. I truly enjoyed that meal! 😀 I carried the remaining cheese for future hungry days.

A day later, while going to the Rhine Falls, I missed getting off at the Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall stop and had to get off at Dachsen. Coincidentally, a young software engineer also missed her stop. Since there was a big time gap before the return train, we decided to walk. It was a lovely, refreshing 2 km walk along the roaring River Rhine. We enjoyed both the walk and our conversation. She was from Turkey and shared interesting anecdotes.

On the train from Lucerne to Interlaken, I sat opposite a German lady. We smiled at each other a couple of times. Eventually, I asked her where she was going, but she said she only spoke German. I asked if she knew French, and she said “a bit.” I had to think hard to frame my questions, and she, too, had to think before replying — in French. It was good fun! She said she was an agriculturist. As we neared Interlaken and Lake Brienz, she pointed out interesting places.

At the train station in Zermatt, I interacted with a young psychologist and her mom waiting for the same train I was to board. When the train arrived, she insisted on helping with my suitcase and lifted it while boarding and getting off, as the train was a bit higher than the platform — unlike the other stations!
She even gave me a gentle nudge when my stop came, as I had dozed off. Ever grateful to her.

At Montreux, as I sat by the lakefront — which feels almost like sitting by the sea, with waves and a cool breeze — I met three young ladies who chatted quite a bit with me and even prayed for me. One of them offered me an Arabic/English Bible, but I politely declined.

On the platform, waiting for the train to Montreux, I met a friendly Australian lady travelling with her son. Halfway through the train ride, she came and sat next to me, saying she enjoys meeting and learning about people she encounters. We chatted and shared quite a bit. Then, on the glacier, when I skidded on the sleet, she instantly helped me and went on ahead — but kept turning back to check if I was okay! We exchanged phone numbers and photos too.

Standing in the middle of Glacier 3000, I met a 17-year-old skier. She loves doing jumps and encouraged me to try skiing and join beginner classes! Quite a boost when people don’t consider your age! 😀

On my return trip from Montreux, I met three jovial men on the train. The one standing was a lawyer; the other two were retired teachers. They have a club and meet every Thursday for long walks or trips to mountain tops — regardless of the weather. One is 76, and the other two are in their 80s. That day, they got up at five to catch the early morning train. Quite inspiring! When I asked if I could take their photo, one of them joked, “For which paper do you report?” 😀 I thoroughly enjoyed their company.

At Château de Chillon in Montreux, I noticed a 10-year-old girl taking a picture of her large family, who had arranged themselves on this ancient windowsill. When she was done, I asked her to take a photo of me and perched myself on an adjacent window. May her photography skills know no bounds!

On my last day in Geneva, at the botanical gardens, I met a couple from the UK. The lady is a radiologist and was surprised to hear that I had travelled solo in Switzerland. She said, “Think about visiting Scotland for your next trip!” I just might! 🙂

Here’s a link to my pics: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tc6q5U74cbZ9jys7A