4 Monate

I'm a little bit ashamed that it's been over 4 months since I last blogged.
Oops.
I didn't blog at all about the last trip OS (5 weeks away - NZ, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Bintan Island (Indonesia))...definately an adventure (and great times with wonderful friends and Jenna (both a sister AND a friend).
I'm more than half way through another semester at uni! Eeek. Well...that may perhaps be wishful thinking - still a hard slog ahead to finish.
Just home from a lovely holiday back to Dubbo, finishing with Tom & Katie's wedding last night in Wee Waa. It was such a wonderful and fun celebration and it's hard to believe my little brother is married! And we have a new sister!
I bought a flight to Zurich.
I've been accepted to study in Munich for a semester.
I spent the last week being apart of a study intensive at Burrabadine, which was an excellent chance to see Jesus through new eyes and refocus on Him.
I put fuel in a car for the first time in almost 3 years! (The price has definately gone up!!)
I have wonderful German friends at uni who pretend they understand me when I massacre their language.
I have hopeful plans for time in Switzerland next year.
I rode a hired scooter in Thailand! BIG fear relieved and I want to explore South America on a scooter now. Who is coming?
I will be in Europe for the 4th winter in a row. How does this happen?!
And that, my friends, is an update on the last 4 months of my life.

'Jesus never asked anyone what they did for a living; what mattered was what they did with their life'

Switzerland: home swiss home

Just in case you wondered if I did anything else in Switzerland besides getting on a train.

Actually, many trains.
I felt quite spoilt on this visit because I got to do pretty much everything that I loved doing.

Eat fondue. Twice.
Bake Swiss bread.
Limousine ride around the lake of Zurich.
Ski (x 2 days) - 2nd day.black run.not a good idea. (PS. I DON'T love skiing - this was a trick)
Wednesday Train Station Markets (Probieren?).
Chocolate muesli.
Drive like absolute craziness to catch a train. Why run when you can drive? [not in the limo :)]
Lindt shop!!
Feather duvets.
Aelpler Macaroni
Dr Manu party
India replay: the dosa
India replay: the breakfast
Monstein.
Splendid walks.
Freitag shop.

(I feel like a lot of this list has to do with food :S)

But the best bits was getting to catch up with so many good people - such a treat! It was truly amazing. I got to stay with Nick&Nat, Manu&Lia and the Swiss fam which was so lovely, and made it rather hard to leave to come home.

the Swiss girlies

...Summer is coming...


"A decent celebration"



On a side note, me and Notre Dame were reunited on my way out of Europa. Speaking of food, I ate crepes and chocolate croissants while in Paris.

Switzerland: [pretty much] the whole point of my passport

17 February 2011.

Getting on that train again was like coming home.
The train speaking to me in 3 languages - and I could quote along verbatim - yes, I can tell you where the restaurant carriage is in French.
Smiling and nodding whilst in the French part of Switzerland. It all came back to me: Keep your mouth shut and no one knows you're a foreigner. I just answer with a oui, non, and wish everyone a bonsoir.
And tell them where the restaurant carriage is.
Easy, non?

Seeing Freitag bags everywhere makes me happy. The poor people in Australia carrying these Swiss-branded bags that I've attacked in the past, desperate for some Swiss contact. Now I am just happy to sit and be surrounded by Swissness.

The bank machine machine that dispersed my transaction in 200chf notes. ($200).
Sigh. Only in Switzerland.

How happy I am to use my Swiss train pass again (Gleis7). I pretend I am Swiss and am SO thankful to have returned to Swiss land during it's validity (Never thought when I bought it last year that I'd be back within the year!).

The train leaving to the exact second. Raclette pretzels.
Everyone in black. And gray.
I am quite happy to pretend to be home.

A Brief Visit Next Door

On a scale of 1 to 10 of excitement, I am sitting neatly on 7232. Not only have I recently bought that ticket to India, but today I bought a return to Paris. Paris, France. As in, right next door to Switzerland.
Say hello to chocolate and cheese and a short visit to Switzerland in winter.
All day I've been dreaming of cheese fondue and gluewein and chocolate muesli. And of course, a big hello to my favourite country in the world.

Who wouldn't want to miss their first week back at uni for that, eh?

don't cha love it when...

Before I even went to Switzerland, I made a list of 4 things I was looking forward to about Europe in a completely unrelated list. I had no idea what Switzerland was like, so these were just things I frivolously decided.
(FYI: I was quite enamoured with Mamma Mia at the time....)

4 things I'm really looking forward to about Europe: 1.) seeing the Mamma Mia stage production 2.) seeing the Greek Island where they filmed Mamma Mia 3.) Going on a Sound of Music tour 4.)Visiting the house of Corrie Ten Boom is Holland.

Don't you love it when sometime later you look back and realise sometimes even frivolous dreams come true? I got to do each of those things...one of them even twice! :)