That Trip; To Walk Alone

This post is somehow overdue.
It's been more than 4 months since I got back from my Solo Trip (supposedly).
I was held back from writing up my journey due to several factors in life and needed time to put my heart at ease again...
From the beginning, that decision to see the world alone was not an easy task. Being alone is tough!
It was that kind of toughness that put myself to challenge my own ability to see if I can live up to it should someday life takes its turn and I'm all alone.
I had chosen Bern as the place to walk around quietly.
Why Switzerland? It was his favourite place. It was because we love snow, the view of snow-capped alps, the excitement to see people gliding freely on white surface. It was where I feel my heart at peace and have no worries.

The past years have seen us wandering the streets of Zurich, Luzern, Engelberg, Interlaken, Grindelwald.
The past years had brought us standing high on Titlis & Jungfrau to admire God's creation.

When I express my desire and seek permission to travel alone, I was only allowed to choose Switzerland cos that is where we feel safer than the other European cities we've regularly visited. As it was my aim to walk alone in unfamiliar surroundings, I chose Bern.

As usual, I had to draw up my travel plan and submit it for approval.
My original plan was to travel on a budget of S$2500max for a 7days trip (including airfare). He said it was ridiculous!
But, that's what I really want to do. I want to be able to share my travel tips so that others with shallow pocket can also get to enjoy the beauty of seeing the world.
The airfare alone will leave me with half the amount for local transportation, accommodation and meals.

On a serious note, SWISS IS VERY EXPENSIVE! My British boss just as puzzled why we keep going back! Like I've mentioned in the earlier paragraphs, the snow & the alps gives us that peaceful feeling!

Well, not all that we planned goes thru smoothly:

• I never get to materialised that tight budget.
• The 7-days trip ended up to be an 11-days journey.
• I ended up travelling with two other ladies (friends).
• It wasn't just Bern. I basically re-visited all the other places in Swiss and crossed over to Paris.

Also, I learnt a lot from this trip:

1. The importance of staying focus and not be distracted
2. The real meaning of 'two a company, three a crowd'
3. True friend surface only during difficult times. All other times people stick by you for personal agenda (Hypocrisy)
4. Good friend don't necessarily make good travel mate.

Nevertheless, there were lots of snows right from the time I landed in Amsterdam enroute to Zurich.

Here's briefly how I spent my money on major items for the trip:-

1. KLM Return Tix (SIN-ZRH-CDG-SIN): S$1,155
2. 8-days Swiss Pass (excl. return tix for Jungfraujoch): Approx S$500
3. 2 Bedrooms Apartment (6 nights): S$1183
4. Return tix Grindelwald-Jungfraujoch: Approx. S$130 (CHF100)
5. One-Way Tix Basel-Gare de Lyon (Paris): Approx. S$60 (CHF 48)
6. Paris Accomodation incl. breakfast (4 nights, Triple): Approx. S$500 (Eur 399 per room)
7. Airport Transfer (Hotel to CDG): Eur 18

Although my trip wasn't quite a happy-ending (thanks to somebody!), I hope the above can be useful to those who are planning to make their first trip to Swiss.

By this time, I've also completed our 2015 Family Trip to Tokyo & Hokkaido (FIT).
I'll share tips about our family journey to The Land of The Rising Sun in my next blog..