How living in a foreign land matters- an experience

Living in a new country on your own is something to experience once in your lifetime. With everyone you know thinking that you are having the best time of your life, you might be going through a feat on your own by coping with the culture of the place, its rules and regulations, and most importantly, finding new connections.

Living on my own has helped me jump out of my comfort zone and enjoy my freedom, which has made me find a lot about myself. When you start to appreciate yourself, you will even be able to celebrate your own birthday alone!

At some point in life, everyone goes through a phase of anxiety and trauma that hits them in varying degrees and angles. Me, coming from a foreign land, found my first few years very challenging to adapt to the central European culture. Though I appreciate the idea of more personal space compared to what I had in India, my home country, connecting with people required tremendous effort from my side, which wasn't easy and not one of my memorable moments. When going through tough times, I realized that there was no one noticing my struggles, as if almost invisible. Being generally shy to ask for help, I thought of helping myself out by doing small fun things alone.

At this point, on one fine day, I decided to embrace the immense personal space that I had to explore. I started by taking short visits and hikes across Switzerland, where I lived, which made me discover the immense beauty of the place in a new light. It was scary at first for a foreigner like me, who was not used to navigating everything in my life on my own, to put a foot forward. Anxiety soared many times, leading me to cancel plans by intentionally finding reasons. But eventually, I realized that I was enjoying my own company, by doing fun activities and learning from mistakes. This new confidence even made me more productive in my research. 

It all starts with pursuing what you love to do, and deciding what you want to do. Making decisions can be scary, even making a step forward for a coffee or a hike outside, but if you do it once, you find the utmost fulfillment. 

In the end, everyone has a story, with each writing style different from the other. I share mine with the hope that someone else finds theirs!

A dream village called Lofou in the heart of Cyprus

It was just days before my visit with my colleagues to Cyprus that I realized that I should spend some days alone on the European side of this island and do some more sightseeing after our geological field trip. Field trips themselves contribute a lot to seeing a large part of the country apart from geology.  Still, I was searching on the internet where I can visit apart from popular places such as Paphos, Larnaca and Ayia Napa. I wanted to stay in a traditional house in a village somewhere in the country and came across the village of Lofou. I was impressed with the place and went forward with booking a stay at a traditional house situated in this village.

                           Traditional houses in Lofou  

      

I did not find much time to check how I would be reaching this village after my field trip and on the day before the visit, I found that buses travel from the city of Limassol to Lofou only three times during the day. By then, I had realized that public transport was not quite common in Cyprus, but this news was peculiar to me (even though I liked the adventure part!). 

The classic architecture of Lofou stone houses

The village is located on a small hill and locked between a series of surrounding hills. The name of the village itself takes after the Greek word 'Lofos', which means 'hill'. Therefore, don't be surprised to go uphill and downhill to get around the village!

As Lofou is situated behind hills and away from the main roads that connect different towns, this place really can give you the feeling of being in a strange land in the middle of nowhere. More strange to me was that I hardly met anyone apart from the hotel owner that evening, after my checking in at 17:00. Being on my own in this village, I could spend a lot of time for myself in a quiet atmosphere. 

A walk up the streets of Lofou                

There are some attractions such as the neoclassical school and the old church with Gothic remnants, but what attracted me the most is just the structure of the village- its narrow streets with cobblestones and stone houses stacked so close to each other on opposite sides of the road. There are small taverns and cafes to stop by and one can also get to taste the local wine of Lofou, which is popular in Cyprus. There is also a nice walking trail that can take you around the outskirts of the village. 

Outside a bar where there is a small pavement that leads to some stone houses

The village was already quiet during sunset.  The only sound that I could hear was my camera clicking and some occasional cars that passed through the village or on a nearby hill. I found a spot that the hotel owner suggested to me, to have a good view of the village. I don't remember how long I stayed at this spot to see the sunset, but I remember that I had one of my best times during solo travel.

                                                                    Sunset over the village of Lofou     

                                                                          

The story of the enchanting village of Lofou is not over yet! 

Look forward to my next post 😃 

 

Artistic marvel in the Tuscan city of Siena

 

Rich in medieval architecture, the town of Siena in the Tuscan region of Italy is a definite eye-catcher. There are many attractive things to see and experience in this place, and the Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Siena) is one of them.

View of the central square and the city of Siena from the top of the Siena Cathedral

The Siena Cathedral is not the hardest to find when you are roaming through the old pavements of this pretty city. If you have some time to spend in Siena, I would suggest not to miss visiting this marvel!

The Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Siena)

 

Though the exterior looks kind of typical for a Gothic cathedral, the interior might fool you! The interior of this cathedral is so unlike the other Gothic cathedrals that I have visited so far; it is so intricately decorated. It is so rich in culture that at some point, you will fail to know where to look; the ceiling, the floor, or everything in between. Being an ardent art-lover and being on my own for this trip, I had all the time to walk around the cathedral and enjoy the delicate details of the artwork. There are some artworks by Donatello and Michelangelo, including some frescoes by Pinturicchio that comprised most of the whole.

The ornated interior of the Siena Cathedral

Yet another attraction inside the cathedral is the Piccolomini Library. Having a library inside the cathedral grounds is not something that I expected, but here it seems to be an exception! This library was built in memory of Pope Pius II, who had a rich collection of manuscripts during his lifetime. The small hall is filled with beautiful frescoes that are a treat to the eyes.

The Piccolomini Library

During limited times of the year, the cathedral gives access to the 'Gate of Heaven' to the public. Through this pathway, one can access the rooftop of the cathedral, through which you can admire its interior from a different angle.

The rooftop also offers a beautiful view of the city of Siena, which you can admire while walking around on the terrace. 

It is worth the visit to book entry tickets that include the rooftop visit apart from the cathedral and the library. Hope you do the same when you are visiting Siena 🧡

The golden-starred ceiling of the dome  and the interior of the cathedral as seen from the rooftop

Taking the road less trodden- along the English countryside

 

While exploring the village of Shere situated in the Surrey Hills of southern England, I could feel the melancholy of the autumn leaves and its impact on the general tone of the village. At the same time, I was trying to picture how this village might look in winter, as portrayed beautifully in the movie 'The Holiday'. There are pretty and large farmhouses near the main road that piqued my interest, but the map says I need to go further away from the main road to reach the small village town of Shere. The small, well-maintained  English cottages on the way were taking me back a century.

A private pavement near the main road leading to a farmhouse 

This museum did not catch my eye at first glance,  but I was curious to know what a museum named after a small village might host.  Surprisingly, the museum has a good collection of war-related and domestic tools, dating back to the Victorian ages! 

Shere museum

While on my way to the Silent Pool, I stopped at a clearing that led to the eerily silent pool (hence the name). Apart from the ducks and me, there were no signs of life nearby, which struck me only after some time. According to legend, a woodcutter's daughter drowned here after seeing Prince John, hence the reason behind the silence around the pool.

What captured my interest the most was this early English-style church dating back to the 14th century or even earlier. At first sight, the church looked abandoned, but after closer scrutiny of the neighborhood, I came to know that this church is a listed building of historical interest and is also a tourist attraction. Though this building was partially renovated, there are still remains from the 14th century, for example, the tinted glass on the windows. Additionally, this church looked familiar to me, and I found out later that this church was pictured in the final wedding scene of the movie 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason' (2004).

St. James' Church, an example of early English-style architecture

Though the spontaneous plan to visit the village of Shere could have been better organized, I was happy and content for one special reason. After this trip, I realized that each and every small village around the world holds a story on its own and that each has a special role in history.

Me and the natural world- the connection

 

One of the coolest attention-pulling words used by travel bloggers and vloggers these days is ‘getting inspired by nature’. Well, I ask myself this question of how much I connect with the natural world every time I come back after a journey. Do I involve myself a lot more in electronic gadgets than I want to?

After I find an answer to that question, I try to make my next travel a lot better than the previous one by involving myself more with the surroundings and absorbing the present.

 

Connecting with nature had helped me on my path to becoming more mindful. In my earlier years, I chose this as an option when I felt stressed at work or with my personal life. Later it turned out to be less of an option. Just like how geology frames my life!

 I find the utmost happiness in hiking or wandering, getting some fresh air from mountains, forests, beaches, or anything natural. This is what doing research as a geologist had always made me.  I had often gaped in awe at intricate details of the natural world, and sometimes the effects of the surroundings on me can even be tiny. Sometimes my whole travel plan turns out to be a flop due to excessive rains (I am a fan of rain in tropical lands, but not in temperate landscapes!), had stressed me out with not getting my visa until the last minute travel, but all these were part of the whole package. Many a time, I had forgotten to take clear and nice pictures or videos of my journeys, and probably that is why they stayed as memories and made a larger impact on my life. 

My love for the English countryside: a visit to Surrey, England

Cities are interesting and definitely fun, but to feel the pulse of the region, one should visit the countryside as well. One trip that made me experience a completely different scenario was during my visit to England.

I was once on a solo trip to London and captivated by the city as much as I was, I got this sudden yearning to visit the English countryside. 

At the heart of the countryside of Shere

One fine morning, I was looking for where I should visit for a day, and my first choice was the county of Surrey. The Hollywood movie 'The Holiday' has always been one of my favorite movies, particularly because of my love for the small village portrayed in the movie, Shere. When I saw this movie for the first time, I wished to visit this enchanting village once in my life, so why not use this opportunity to visit here? 

And that's what I did! I can relate to this day as one of my best unplanned, solo adventures ever! This trip was kind of an adventure because I did not even know where and how to go after I reached Dorking, a major stop of the Southern Railway in England. I hopped on an early train and headed to the south of England, the Surrey Hills! After getting down at Dorking, I checked at the train station and found that frequent buses were heading toward Guildford, another major stop. I have to get down halfway through my bus journey and walk for half an hour or so, towards Shere. As most of the people here travel by private vehicle, the bus was only mildly occupied. Something that I noticed is that most of the people in my bus are old, retired people and everyone seems to know each other. The only exception was me, sitting way up in the front of the bus. Also because of the fact that I looked less close to an English lady (Indian actually) and holding a DSLR camera, I could feel eyes on me all through the journey. After two or three stops, the driver asked me where I wanted to go to. Though I was feeling uncomfortable at that time that everyone's attention was on me, I began to cherish this moment with a smile whenever I thought of it. Finally, when I was getting down at my bus stop, there was no one on the bus apart from me and the driver. To add, the driver was giving me hints to visit the museum and the nearby vineyard if I was interested. I thanked him and was eagerly on my way to Shere.

The Restaurant 'The White Horse'

I was starting to get quite hungry, and the only restaurant that I found open was The White Horse, where I had one of the best English Breakfasts I ever had! It was not an odd hour, and I was starting to wonder why I hadn't met many people on the road here. The person who was waiting at my table was jovial but was curious about me at the same time. After a delicious brunch, I was on my way wandering along the endless streets which made me happy to see a typical English village. 

There are local red phone booths, a church, and many pretty cottages on either side of the small roads. Every cottage looked quite welcoming with hanging flower pots that added to the mood. 

The famous red phone booth of England

After some time, some kids started to play football on the grounds, which was worth a sight. The day was slightly overcast, so I went on to continue with my day, exploring the rest of the village.

Kids playing soccer on the grounds of Shere

 

My Zen

 

A day in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland- Schynige Platte

 Postcard view from the Schynige Platte Alpine Railway

A trip to Schynige Platte in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland was one of the first few trips that I did during my early days in the country. This place has become quite popular these days, but back in 2016, I saw mostly Swiss and other European travelers or hikers. As most of the tourists, including honeymooners, were aiming for Interlaken, the most popular tourist destination in Switzerland, most of these people did not accompany me to the next train to Schynige Platte. This plan was intentional, as part of my general rule to visit slightly underrated places than the most popular, touristy ones. The Schynige Platte Railway has its own specialties: open windows and a rusty, old design that matches the Swiss taste. My personal recommendation of this place will be to people who love to admire vast panoramic views of the meadows and the plains of the valley that built the town of Interlaken and the pretty, strikingly-bluish lakes that surround the town. 

View along the Schynige Platte - Faulhorn trail

Alphorn concerts, live mascots to entertain tourists are quite refreshing, but nothing comes close to the nostalgic and scenic view of the mountains around. This place is also the starting point of many accessible hiking routes in the region. I would recommend the Schynige Platte-Faulhorn-Bachalpsee-Grindelwald First hike that spans for around 5:30 hours and is easily accessible. This hike was done at a later time with some of my friends and I had one of the most pleasant and least tiresome hikes. Along the trail, if the weather is great, the majestic trio- Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau- stand out among the surrounding mountains.  

Here is a pretty frame with an even prettier background! This one is located at one of the most touristy spots when I got down the train. 

I don't have a better version of this picture (sadly, solo trips end up with not-so-good pictures of yourself, unless you are patient enough to carry a tripod and take pictures of yourselves 😀), but at that moment I didn't care much. The frame clearly stands out when there is so much around to look at. The place is spellbinding and just by lying down on the grass, I thought of never going back to the real world!

What it takes to explore!

Money matters.. Love matters.. Family matters...

But this is hard to define...

To those for whom travel matters,

                                        The view from my hotel room in Siena, Italy 

On top of Glacier Les Diablerets, also Glacier 3000, in Switzerland

Be curious about the world in every sense... 

Come out of your comfort (and time) zone. That's all it takes!

And personally speaking, I would recommend solo traveling. 

That's when it gets more adventurous! But no matter how you do it, travel for yourself and to impress yourself!