Originally written February 2020
I left Cairns wearing a shirt. Now I’m all rugged up.
It was only 16 degrees in Zurich, but that was enough of a shock considering it was 31 degrees when I left Cairns—and even hotter in the days before that.
I had promised myself I would be sensible with my spending on this trip.
That lasted until I needed to use the toilet.
Twice.
Yes, they charge CHF 2 to use some public toilets. That’s almost enough to make you reconsider whether you really need to go. 
They’re free at the airport, restaurants and supermarkets, but since I was also trying not to spend unnecessarily—and had already been fed three times on the plane—I didn’t particularly feel like buying a meal just for the privilege of using a toilet.
So much for travelling on a budget. 
Zurich itself is beautiful. My photos really don’t do it justice.
It’s clean, orderly and, compared with many major cities, didn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded. I was fascinated by streets lined with designer shops—Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and plenty of others that I had absolutely no intention of entering.
What impressed me most was the architecture. The old buildings, narrow streets, church towers and buildings along the river gave parts of the city an almost fairytale feeling.
And then there were the people.
There’s a certain coolness about the Swiss. They weren’t overly friendly in the way I’m accustomed to, but whenever I needed help, they were helpful.
Perhaps that was my first little lesson of travelling: friendliness doesn’t always have to look the way you expect it to.
If Zurich weren’t such a long flight from Cairns, I would happily come back.
Although next time, I may plan my toilet stops more carefully.
Stories Along the Way 