THE GOLDEN PASS - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - DAY 15

We checked out of our Airbnb in Bern, explored the blue river below us, took a million photographs of their famous street art, and spent the entire day on the train. We took The Golden Pass, a special train included in our passes to weave through all of the Swiss Alps from Bern until Montreux- The French side of the Alps. It's bizarre to think that it's been 16 years since I camped in the French Alps for school in Mougins. Realizing this just makes me feel like the passing of time is strange, and I shake away the thought before spiraling into an existential crisis.

I don’t really know how we managed, but we took about 5 to 6 trains all day and truthfully, because Kay and I haven’t been sleeping very well for the past three days, we were beyond tired. All I wanted to do was shut my eyes. Kay told me later that they were actually bloodshot.

But with the grand views before us, we simply had to keep our eyes unclosed. The Golden Pass train has small seats, and large windows for panoramic views. I know I sound like the next best iPhone keynote speaker, but this allowed us to see every detail of our route. We couldn't sit still. We were the youngest passengers on the train, and we were jumping from one side of the train to the other all throughout the trip because it was just so beautiful. We got really lucky, and the sun came out- It’s not supposed to in the next four days.

I’m not really sure what else to put in this email because as far as activities, this was our entire day. Mom and Auntie Nano, I’m sure you already know this, but the views were the most impeccable I’ve ever seen. I can't even begin to describe such Heaven-sent beauty, I've never seen anything like it in this whole world. I know this is both mine and Kay’s favorite part of the whole trip, and we're only halfway through. As far as nature and beauty, I don’t think anything will top this.

I only have a million videos and photos to share, (some now and the rest when I get home). I'll have to let my shots do the talking for me. I simply can't describe the state of awe the Alps put me in.

Coming back, we eventually run from train to train back to Zurich, and climb five flights of stairs to check in to our hostel. It was a total comedy. Kay and I are fully exhausted, wedged tight with our packs climbing up narrow stairways keep thinking that every landing we come to, we must be at our room. This happens for four floors, each landing met with an 'ARGH' and many gasps of air, until we hit the top floor where our room is situated. We dump our bags, put our sandwiches to chill outside on the window ledge, and we immediately booked it to my friend’s place for an INCREDIBLE home made meal by his wife. She made curry chicken with basmati rice, a salad starter called paneer, and then a cream and jelly desert. She wanted to be respectful to Kay, and made an Indian meal for us. Kay was indeed, highly impressed. *It was so good, I still think about it to this day. Having a meal like this made a world of difference in our travels. It's such a luxury to have something home made and this delicious. Remo is a friend of mine from our New York Film Academy program, and him and his wife, Caroline, talked films most of the evening. It was wonderful to meet her for the first time, and to see Remo again, 6 years later. I'll certainly be taking him out for a meal when he comes to visit in October. After the meal, we thanked them profusely and got back in around midnight and crashed.

Karlek!

-eM