You may not end up in Guinness for it, but you’re sure to have a memorable experience.

Links to posts about each of these experience – as well as videos! – are included. Enjoy!  

World’s Most Dangerous Beach

We don’t normally think of beaches as being dangerous, but Sunset Beach in St Martin in the Caribbean will set your heart aflutter. It’s directly at the end of the island’s airport strip, and you can watch planes come in on top of you. Thrill seekers like to hold on to the fence at the end of the runway and be mangled by the prop blast as jets land mere meters away. (I settled for taking pictures from a mildly respectful distance).

The Most Dangerous Beach in the World

World’s Highest (Commercial) Skydive

As a skydiver with almost 300 jumps (from a life that seems lifetimes away now), I dropped my license when I started traveling full-time. But when I was in New Zealand, I was treated to a tandem jump that allowed me to experience the world’s highest commercial skydive, exiting the plane at 15,000 feet.

World’s Highest (Commercial) Fixed Line Abseil (Rappel)

This was an absolute highlight of all my travels. In Waitomo New Zealand, this full day event involved a 100 meter abseil (rappel) into a cave, followed by five hours of venturing through this extensive watery cave system. In our wetsuits, we squeezed, swam, jumped, and shimmied through this cave, and hung out with Waitomo’s famous glow worms (which have their own funny story).

Abseiling, Caving, and Spotting Glow Worms in New Zealand

World’s Highest (Commercially) Rafted Waterfall

New Zealand is home to all kinds of world’s [whatevers], and I experienced a lot of them whilst filming a tv show there in 2010. Even after a day of sledging (which is like white-water rafting on a glorified boogie board), I was shaking in my wetsuit in anticipation of the 7 meter (23 foot) drop that flips a good percentage of rafts. Ironically we survived the drop, and then almost sank the raft whilst caught in a rapid that is apparently more dangerous than the waterfall itself.

World’s Longest Train Ride

When I did the Ultimate Train Challenge in 2011 (30 days from Lisbon to Saigon, all by train), it included a solid week on the Trans-Manchurian between Moscow and Beijing. It’s better known as the Trans-Siberian, the difference being the particular route the train takes. Either way, it’s long.

A Week on the Trans-Manchurian Railway

World’s Fastest Train

Hot on the heels of the world’s longest train ride, I embarked on the world’s fastest train from Beijing to Shanghai. Watching the world whizz by at speeds close to what planes manage was an experience. And with stations on either side that were more like airports than train stations, at times I had to wonder if I was actually flying.

13 Random Experiences on Asian Trains

World’s Longest Wall/Biggest Ancient Architecture

You got it – this is the Great Wall of China. I’ve had the good fortune to have been there not once – but twice.

Beijing – Then and Now

World’s Shortest Ferry Ride

If you fly into Toronto’s Island Airport (officially known as Toronto City Centre Airport), a ferry will deliver you to the “mainland” downtown core of Toronto. It’s a whopping 120 meters (400 feet), and the ferry itself is about a third of the size of passage it runs.

World’s Most Isolated Major City

There are a few contenders for the world’s most isolated/remote major cities (depending on your criteria such as by population size or accessibility), including Auckland New Zealand, Honolulu Hawaii, and Iquitos Peru. Regardless of the measuring stick you use, I can say I’ve been to all of them.

But Perth Australia is most eager to wear this banner, and it’s an isolated city indeed. Bonus: it also boasts the largest inner city park in the world.

Perth in 24 Hours

World’s Most Dangerous Airport

When I was filming a television show in Nepal in 2010, we flew from Kathmandu to Lukla, which is the gateway to Everest and the Himalayas for trekkers. Tenzing Hilary Airport earns its moniker as the world’s most dangerous airport due to the short runway with absolutely no margin for error. The runway is on an incline so planes coming in can stop before hitting the mountain behind it, and so planes taking off can gather sufficient speed before the runway drops off into a valley of nothingness.

The other danger factor at this airport is the weather, which comes in out of nowhere. It took us two days of waiting at Kathmandu airport for enough clear sky to allow us to fly in, and we were stuck there for three days longer than scheduled waiting for the clouds to clear so we could take off. The only other way out would have been to hike for 2 days to the nearest city where we could catch ground transportation back to Kathmandu.

World’s Most Expensive City

Oslo Norway takes this prize, and spectacularly so. I went to a middle-of-the-road thai restaurant for lunch and paid almost $50 for a green curry and a glass of wine. This was pretty average for my meals in Oslo. Now, if you live in Oslo and earn money in the local currency, you can get by pretty well. But with Norway’s strong currency, visiting there with foreign currency in your pocket will result in your pockets being empty pretty quickly.

Travel Lessons and Surprises: Oslo

World’s Top City for Cyclists AND World’s Happiest City

Again there are a few contenders for this title (not the least of which is Amsterdam), but the prize – for both bike friendly city and happiest city – goes to Copenhagen Denmark. I don’t know that bicycling and happiness are related, but there you go.

Copenhagen: A Modern-Day Fairy Tale

Largest Beer-Producing Area in the World

If you think Germany takes this cake, think again. When I was in Boulder Colorado, I learned that it’s part of the largest beer-producing triangle in the world, with micro-breweries at every turn. Boulder tops a bunch of other lists (in America) mostly in the realm of being active, bike-friendly, dog-friendly, rich, and skinny. Guess you have to burn off the beer somehow, and with the Rocky Mountains at your doorstep it’s not too difficult.

A Curious Bubble in Boulder, Colorado

World’s Largest Techno Party

The annual Street Parade in Zurich Switzerland is actually officially billed as a political demonstration (dating back to its humble beginnings in 1992 as a demonstration for peace, love, and tolerance. Back then there were 1,000 attendees; now it sees about a million attendees, hitting the streets to party, show off their costumes, and get their groove on.

The World’s Largest Techno Party: Street Parade in Zurich

World’s Highest Bungee Jump

The world’s highest bungee jump is currently the Macau Tower at 233 metres. However in 2005 when I was in the Western Cape of South Africa, I took a leap (a few, actually) off Bloukrans Bridge which was at the time the world’s highest bungee jump at 216 metres. So considering this is a list of my own world [whatevers], I think it still counts. So there. Bite me, Macau.

World’s Highest Navigable Lake

Lake Titicaca (bordered by Bolivia and Peru) is the largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable lake in the world. I spent a few days on Isla del Sol, and even though I live at an incredibly high altitude in Peru, I marvelled at just how close to the sun this island really was.

Visiting Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, in Bolivia

World’s Longest Standing Protest

Since 1972, a small fire has been burning in front of Australia’s parliament building. Along with the small collection of derelict looking tents off to the side housing anywhere from a few to a few hundred Australian Aboriginals who tend to the fire, this is the world’s longest standing protest. Stumbling on to this with a friend while walking around Canberra one afternoon led to one of the most enlightening days I’ve had in all my travels.

The Australian Aboriginal Tent Embassy

World’s Worst Smelling Food

This prize goes to Surstromming, a canned fermented fish that is popular in Sweden. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it kind of food, that actually doesn’t taste nearly as repulsive as it smells. (There. I’m sure you want to try it now, don’t you)?

Northern Swedish Delicacies, Including Surstromming

Do you have any World’s fastest, highest, longest, smallest, deepest, craziest WHATEVERs in your travel repertoire?

This post 18 of the World’s Fastest, Highest, Longest (etc) Things to Do appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

I may not have “conquered the country” and snapped pictures of the many postcard destinations Switzerland has to offer, but by traveling without moving for much of the time, I’ve had a chance to observe some of the finer aspects of life in Switzerland (which for me is a huge incentive for my full-time travel lifestyle). Here are my random observations of the Swiss life:

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

It’s Clean….Almost too Clean…

Okay, maybe it isn’t too clean, but Switzerland as a whole is impeccable, top to bottom. Even the tractors and farm equipment I’ve seen is polished to a gleam.

Two separate people who came to visit me this summer each remarked that they feel it’s almost uncomfortably clean….broaching on sterile. (I believe this is a backhanded compliment of sorts on their part).

No Really, it’s CLEAN!

I was first struck by the cleanliness of the water in Switzerland when I visited Lucerne and saw people swimming in the lake that Lucerne is built on. Even in Zurich, just steps from the central train station, people line the banks of the river that runs straight through downtown – sunning, picnicking, and swimming.

The river has a good current so people like to jump off bridges, drift along with the current, get out, and walk back up to the bridge for another round. Only suckers for punishment try to swim back upstream.

It’s Dirty

If the Swiss are clean on the outside, I think they might make up for it by being dirty (in a good way) on the inside. Sex shops and naughty bars are dotted everywhere (at least everywhere to my North American eyes) seemingly regardless of neighbourhood demographic; sometimes they’re next to toy stores, sometimes they’re set up as massive standalone warehouse-sized megastores. And browsing through the local classifieds reveals a fairly active culture with various types of clubs catering to the sexually liberated.

Smokers Abound

Despite Switzerland’s almost sterile cleanliness, a surprising number of people smoke. Even in Zurich’s main train station (which is fully covered and more an inside environment than outside), people chain smoke at the “meeting point” in the main hall.

Smoking is banned in most indoor establishments, but there always seems to be good compliment of smokers on patios. (This is lovely in the summer, but I wonder how many people suffer their addictions to the same extent during the winter months, since outdoor heaters are banned for their environmental unfriendliness).

Drinking in the City

Water fountains are all over Switzerland. Zurich has over 1,200 fountains in the city centre alone. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re all pumping out perfectly drinkable water. I love being in a place where bottled water is not necessary – or even popular.

Recycling is an Epic Task

As a very clean and environmentally friendly country, the Swiss take their recycling seriously. Unfortunately it’s a big chore; items are separated a million different ways (I counted 10 different kinds of recyclables), from different colours of glass to different types of plastic, right down to water filters), and although some of it is collected, most of it needs to be dropped off at collection points often located at grocery stores or train stations. Ironically, not every drop-off point allows you to deposit all kinds of recyclables, making the task of recycling even more onerous.

I suggested to a Swiss friend that such a labour-intensive convoluted system wouldn’t fly in many other countries, and I commended the Swiss people’s commitment to recycling. What’s the incentive? Garbage bags are pre-paid (and expensive), so the Swiss are consequently more predisposed (pun intended) to recycling so they can reduce garbage fees.

Garbage Gets Recycled into Power

Even garbage gets recycled, in a way. Switzerland uses an incredibly advanced form of incineration; one that emits none of the toxic fumes we associate with burning garbage, and actually turns the heat generated from the incineration….into power. Wow! Why isn’t the rest of the world doing this? The facilities are incredibly expensive to build, but with the power generation and reduction of need for landfill space and resources, I’d suspect it could pay for itself very quickly.

Let’s get on this, people.

See also: My Zero-Waste Kit for Travel (and Home)

An Honourable Honour System

You could probably get away with not using pre-paid garbage bags (although you’re subject to a fine if you’re caught). Then again, you could get away with riding the local train most of the time, parking for free, and any number of other tasks that operate largely on the honour system, with only periodic spot checks. The Swiss are not only clean and environmentally aware, but apparently well-behaved too.

It’s Rural

I think of Zurich as a fairly large city, but the house I’ve been caring for (which is a mere 15 minutes by train from the centre of Zurich) is certainly in a rural neighbourhood. The house looks out on corn fields, and the occasional smell of cow poop wafting through the yard confirms that I’m most certainly in a rural area. I wrote about this rural/urban combo last year when I passed through during the Ultimate Train Challenge.

It’s the best of both worlds, since five minutes by car takes you to a nearby town with absolutely everything you could want (including, of course, at least two mega-sex-shops. I’m just saying.)

It’s Efficient and On-Time

As a country/culture known for its fine attention to detail (hence their propensity towards banking and making watches as examples), it stands to reason that everything is incredibly efficient. If the train is scheduled to arrive/depart at 10:42, it will be at 10:42 on the dot. It’s refreshingly reliable.

I learned that the train drivers get a hefty bonus for being on-time; it’s a great incentive to keep the country running like (ahem) clockwork.

It’s Expensive

Although I was forewarned by many people that Switzerland is very expensive, I wasn’t terribly shocked by the prices here…except for the trains. Every time I get on the local train it costs over 8 Swiss Francs, which cuts deep into any traveler’s budget.

I guess you’ve got to pay for all that cleanliness and efficiency somehow.

Organic Isn’t Expensive

I was delighted to discover a huge amount of organic produce (labelled as “bio”) at grocery stores, and even more delighted to discover that it’s only slightly more expensive than the non-organic alternatives. In some cases it’s the same price, and sometimes it’s actually cheaper.

Bread, Glorious Bread

Although this is not necessarily limited to Switzerland, their love of (and variety of) bread is noteworthy. Even local gas stations bake fresh bread – and at least five different kinds no less.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese

Need I say more?

Four National Languages

Although the common conception is that Switzerland has three national languages (German, French, and Italian), there are actually four – including Rumantsch (a Romanic language which only 1% actually speaks). German is by far the most commonly used (74%), with French and Italian spoken more in the South.

Each language has its own “Swiss” dialect which differs from standard German, French, and Italian, just to confuse things further.

Given all these different languages and dialects, it’s not terribly difficult to get around speaking only English, which seems to be a common denominator of sorts. Having said that, in the “rural” area where I’ve been staying, English is less common (especially among older folks). Asking for headache tablets at the pharmacy was a fun exercise in charades, replete with me hitting my head on multiple surfaces. (Hey. Go big or go home. I do have a flair for the dramatic.)

It’s Beautifully Mountainous

A huge portion of Switzerland is incredibly mountainous, and even if you aren’t in the mountains, you can probably see them in the distance. This beautifully clean alpine environment with rolling green hills and cows grazing (bells and all) really brings to life so many of the stereotypical images you might have of Switzerland. Check out this video to see (and hear) it for yourself.

Or have a peek at my latest Swiss Montage video, which includes the sights and sounds of both city and country life:

It’s Full of Pride and Culture

You don’t have to go far to see a Swiss flag; they’re everywhere. Heck, if I lived here, I’d be proud too.

And Swiss National Day in the mountains was full of national costumes and old traditions that I would have thought were long forgotten, but remain alive and well. This is a beautiful tribute to Switzerland as a country and culture.

Wilkommen to Switzerland

The warm welcome I’ve had from everybody in Switzerland has been almost overwhelming. I’ve rekindled old friendships with Swiss people I met abroad, and formed new friendships with so many people – some as random as the person sitting next to me at a pub or on a train. The sheer number of strangers who welcomed me to Switzerland with kisses and hugs on Swiss National Day is a testament to the warm atmosphere that has made my summer in Switzerland a beautiful experience, and which has solidified my commitment to return…..someday soon.

Things to do in Switzerland

I’m a big fan of taking (good) tours. It’s a way to cover a lot of territory, have cool experiences, and learn from a local. I learn so much about wherever I’m visiting by taking a tour at the beginning, then building out the rest of my experience at that destination based on what I learned from my tour guide. Here are some best-selling tours in Switzerland to consider: 

This post The Swiss Life: Random Observations appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

See also: The Swiss Life – Random Observations about Switzerland

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

Lounging along the riverbanks is a very popular activity. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a spot of wall!

I don’t know if these boats serve anything other than an aesthetic purpose. But if they weren’t tied down, they’d float away in the strong current.

Zurich is such a pretty city, especially on a sunny day.

Enjoying lunch in a very popular area near the main station

Further down the same street. Although you might think this is Spain, rest assured it’s just one of a few Spanish restaurants.

The colourful crowds at Street Parade: one of the biggest parties in Europe, the world’s largest techno party, and Zurich’s largest annual event.

Not exactly a Zurich-specific photo, but an interesting thing to be found at most grocery stores: hard-boiled eggs! You know they’re hard-boiled because they come in all sorts of colours, including some very patriotic ones (as pictured here).

One of the popular spots to jump into the river and float down with the current. Believe it or not, this is only a few minutes’ walk from the epicentre of Zurich! Similar to Lucerne, the water everywhere is clean for swimming, even in downtown areas.

Doing backflips off a bridge into the chilly waters.

Enjoying happy hour at Clouds: a lounge and restaurant at the top of the Prime Tower – Switzerland’s tallest building. (Although you would suspect the drinks would come at a premium, I was delighted to drink beer at the same price as the local pub).

There are lots of rules on the trams in Zurich, including a strict one against sawing up the seats. I guess this bears mentioning…

Thanks, Zurich! It’s been a slice. See you next time!

This post Zurich in Photos appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Er. Underdressed.

Er. Dressed.

Suddenly it made sense why everybody had been asking me what I would wear to Street Parade. Some people evidently take their wardrobe-planning very seriously for this, one of the biggest techno parties in the world (and Zurich’s largest annual event).

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

Myself and a million of my closest friends gathered in Zurich on this day – the second Saturday of August – to dance, wander, gawk, and revel around Lake Zurich.

Street Parade is officially a demonstration for freedom, love, and tolerance, and although it has morphed since its beginnings in 1992 (with just 1,000 attendees), it’s still legally considered a political demonstration. (I think that’s how the city of Zurich justifies paying for this mammoth event).

And with a million attendees packed into a relatively small area, I was amazed to feel quite safe milling about; Street Parade is one of the safest mass events in the world.

Yay, Switzerland! Frankly, I’m not surprised.

The festivities begin in the early afternoon with outdoor stages interspersed around downtown Zurich pumping out the tunes. There is an actual parade of various “love mobiles”, which are basically themed moving dance floors with DJs mixing tunes as they lumber slowly through the crowds.

The party continues into (and through) the night with official and unofficial parties taking place all over Zurich. The musical theme is techno and house, so you’d better like a bit of thump thump if you’re attending. Even if you don’t like that kind of music, it’s easy to be swept up in the air of celebration.

I understand why hundreds of thousands of people travel to Zurich just for Street Parade each year. I’d like to make a point of returning myself in the future.

Check out this video for a better idea of the feel (and sounds) of Zurich’s Street Parade 2012:

Click here to watch this video on Youtube 

This post The World’s Largest Techno Party: Street Parade in Zurich appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Although the suggestion was sound, my reaction was apathetic at best.

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

It has been an odd summer for me, one with nowhere near as much active traveling or exploration as has been usual when I land in a new place. (Then again, it took me months to get my groove on the first time I was in Grenada last year – although a dose of dengue fever and heartbreak will do that to you).

So my Swiss summer has flown by and I’ve perfected the art of traveling without moving, artfully dodging questions about what I’ve seen or done in my (almost) two months here.

To be honest, I’m a little embarrassed about how little I’ve done in Switzerland.

(More on this revelatory emotional journey to come in future posts).

So irregardless of Swiss National Day and the search for bonfires and fireworks, I drove to the cottage to get my “mountain fix”.

After a beautiful drive and little romp in the hills, I wandered into the town centre to get some ingredients for dinner. As I walked one way through town, the streets were characteristically quiet (Sorenberg is a winter ski town, and very quiet in summer).

But walking back through town on the way home, a transformation was in progress. People were coming out of the woodworks, and a plaza parking lot was being filled with tables, benches, barbecues, and the accoutrements of a celebratory evening of sorts.

So I decided to stop for a beer and watch whatever was unfolding.

Three hours later, I was in tears after some of the more moving – and surprising – experiences I’ve had in my five+ years of full-time travels.

Before my (first) beer was finished, the tables were set up, the bratwurst was sizzling, and hundreds of people were taking their seats. Dozens of people in traditional Swiss garb were milling around.

I bemusedly decided to stick around and see what this was all about. The Swiss costumes alone – something I had figured was long ago dismissed as a cultural dinosaur, even on special occasions – was worth further observation.

The ensuing evening was filled with brass bands, dancers, speeches, and the most amazing yodelling group I’d ever heard.

(No, really. I officially think yodelling is totally cool now. Check out the video below for yourself. I dare you to not be impressed).

It was all unabashedly Swiss; I had stumbled onto a cultural experience that was totally unexpected – and filled with pleasant surprises.

Even a speech (which I presumed was given by the town’s mayor) brought tears to the eye of a gentleman sitting next to me. And despite my complete lack of comprehension of the words spoken, I too was moved.

As very likely the only foreigner amongst the hundreds of attendees, I was sought out over and over again by various people and personally welcomed to Switzerland and even thanked for my attendance. They were just as honoured to have me in their tiny mountain town and appreciating their cultural performances, as I was honoured to be so warmly welcomed.

The evening was capped off with massive bonfires lining the road, fireworks everywhere, and a palpable air of celebration and joviality.

I’ve had a few surprising experiences on the road (like encountering an eccentric artist in Spain and having racial preconceptions challenged in Australia at the world’s longest protest), and Swiss National Day is now among these experiences that have reminded me why I decided to sell everything to travel the world many years ago.

Check out this short video montage of Swiss National Day as celebrated in a little mountain town.

Ready to Celebrate Swiss National Day in Switzerland? 

Well, then. You’ll need a place to stay, and stuff to do. Check out the Booking.com widget for accommodation, and Viator for everything else from tours to transfers. (I will earn a small commission if you book anything using these widgets. It doesn’t affect your price, but helps me to keep The Professional Hobo up and going. Thank you for your support!)

This post Swiss National (Surprise) Day appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

So on arrival to the cottage that is part of my house-sitting gig in Switzerland, I was delighted at the sight of a mountain range within spitting distance of my backyard. I immediately honed in on what would be my first summit attempt in Switzerland.

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

On Hiking Solo

I’ve never done any serious solo hiking in the mountains. So I was trepidatious about taking on Mount Rothorn (or any mountain) on my own; from being nervous about encountering a crazy shepherd who would hold me prisoner in their mountainside farmhouse, to fearing a simple slip and incapacitating ankle twist, I was aware that I needed to be extra careful when hiking solo.

So in addition to the standard provisions and foul-weather gear that accompanies me on any mountain hike, I had my phone with the various Swiss emergency numbers programmed, and I was sure to let a few people know where I was going so they could send out the cavalry if I didn’t return.

On Fitness and Practice

The last time I was in an alpine environment was almost a year ago in Ukraine as a side-excursion while amidst the Ultimate Train Challenge.

Despite being horribly out of practice, I always seem to think I can summon up some sort of deep inner strength to get me to the top.

As if physical fitness levels and recent practice with long upward hikes are somehow irrelevant to the mission at hand.

On Having Maps

Oh yeah. Maps. I had none.

I did, however do a little research online, and I could tell there was a route to the top. (That’s good enough, isn’t it?!)

About Mount Rothorn

Given (or despite) the above debilitating factors, Mount Rothorn was a good choice of endeavour. I was assured by a few people that the path was very well marked, cell phone reception would be available the whole way up, and best of all – there was a gondola available to assist my journey back down.

With these elements of civilization, I felt relatively comfortable in tackling Mount Rothorn as my first solo summit attempt.

But enough of my written diatribe about the event. I promise you’ll find much more entertainment dedicating the next five minutes to watching this video of my slow ascent up Mount Rothorn – and slow descent into insanity – including an awesome time lapse of the 1,400+ metre descent, and a messy outtake at the end.

Click here to see the video on YouTube

This post Climbing Mount Rothorn in Switzerland [plus Video] appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

“Um….it’s great!” I said, knowing this is what she wanted to hear, and praying that she wouldn’t ask me for a laundry list of places I’d visited and seen since my arrival almost a month ago.

Because, considering I’ve been here for a month, I’ve ticked off a fairly paltry list of sights, in a country chock-a-block with “must-sees”.

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. 

Work-Life Balance, and Travel Excursions

Part of the challenge of being location independent and constantly “traveling” is the fact that I have work to do, and it can be just as cumbersome and time consuming as any job anywhere. The biggest time-saver is that I don’t have to commute, since my laptop is my office.

But not many people understand the extent of these work obligations, and the work-life balance required to keep all these balls in the air.

I feel like people take it personally if I’m not constantly exploring their native land.

I remember staying with a family in Spain a few years ago, and one day their young son asked me why I had spent all my time in Spain on my computer.

This wasn’t entirely true; I did get out and about to explore, but it was usually when he was at school so he wasn’t aware of my daily walks. But even at that, my excursions weren’t afar, nor particularly touristy in nature. I simply wandered around the local town, took pictures, and soaked in the ambience.

In so doing however, I had a chance encounter with an eccentric artist, which was far from touristy, but which I count among my top treasured travel experiences.

I also spent time with their teenage daughter who was off school, and we did some of her favourite things, which included going to the mall and “hanging out”. Again – not a touristy thing to do, but a fun bit of insight into her world (and a realization that teenagers the world round generally love hanging out at shopping centres).

So, did I “conquer Spain” while I was there? No, far from it. But I think for the few weeks I was there, I actually did pretty well, considering I wasn’t on vacation; I worked the whole time as well.

Travel Blogging, and Tourist Boards

But I travel because I want to see stuff. My lifestyle is indeed about more than sitting in front of my laptop.

And as a journalist/writer/blogger/publisher/whatever you want to call me, one of the best ways to learn about a destination on arrival is to contact the tourist board. Not only do they arm me with great destination information, but they also often provide free passes to help lubricate the process.

So as has become standard procedure, I was in touch with both the Zurich and Switzerland tourism boards. Their websites alone are incredibly informative for any visitor, and their media departments were equally informative and responsive. (And no, I wasn’t put up to saying that!)

But in receiving their information packages and in meeting with them, I became totally overwhelmed. How on earth am I supposed to cover all this territory? Two and a half months may have seemed like a long time at the outset of my trip, but I’m now realizing it’s a relative blink of the eye.

Enter from stage left: travel guilt.

As a blogger and writer, especially one who has been given freebies by tourism boards, am I not duty-bound to experience as much as I can while I’m here?

But then again, what of my lifestyle? Sometimes I just want to spend an allocated “travel/exploration day” curled up watching movies. Is that allowed? Or understandable? How are my “Saturdays” allowed to be spent?

…and on it goes.

“Living” Abroad is Time Consuming

When house-sitting around the world, there’s an extra challenge in the form of learning to “live” abroad. Things are never the same; with differences in anything from language to culture, even simple tasks like grocery shopping can take exponentially longer.

I was searching for mayonnaise in the grocery store the other day. How was I to know it’s sold in little aluminum tubes here in Switzerland? And of course because all the labels are in a different language, I’m left piecing little bits of words together to guess what it is I’m actually holding in my hands, in comparison to what I need.

I spent 20 minutes the other day sifting through the (German-language) cleaning supplies in the house I’m caring for, trying to discern which bottle of goo goes with which surface, desperately hoping I wouldn’t ruin the wooden floors by washing them with some totally inappropriate cleanser.

Not that I’m complaining. These are the little challenges of learning to live abroad that I find quite enriching. I can spend hours in the supermarket, and in many ways it’s just as fun for me as snapping pictures of local tourist attractions.

But then when I’m made to account for what I’ve done during my visit to Switzerland so far, I’m left blinking my eyes, wondering where the time went.

What I’ve Done So Far

So what have I done so far, during my first month in Switzerland? All in all, I don’t think I’ve done too badly:

I did a walking tour of Zurich.

I took the train to Lucerne to visit a friend. (See also: Lucerne in Photos)

I’ve gone on local walks in and around the neighbourhood in which I live.

I renewed a prescription, and caught up with a friend in Zurich. (Visiting doctors abroad is always an adventure).

I visited the (totally awesome) cottage I’m also caring for in Sorenberg – twice.

While I was there, I climbed a mountain. (Check out the hilarious video and post about this excursion).

And I took care of various house-sitting responsibilities, entertained a house-guest for a week, learned how to run daily errands (like how and where to shop, recycle, etc), and dealt with a few challenges along the way.

Oh yeah, and I worked at my full-time (and joyfully unrelenting) job of travel blogging and freelance writing.

Honestly – I’m not complaining. I love my life. But when you ask me what I’ve done in Switzerland, or insist that I visit your particular corner of the country or favourite haunt, please don’t get that funny look on your face when I’m unable to reconcile a huge list of destinations and activities with the time I’ve been here. I’m not on vacation.

All in all, I think I’ve done pretty darn well so far.

This post Traveling Without Moving, in Switzerland appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

“Zurich is nice,” she started. “But Lucerne is beautiful.”

Indeed; when I took the train 50 minutes from Zurich to visit her while I was on a three-month house-sitting assignment, I discovered for myself that Lucerne is a picture perfect city. It’s a shame that the day was overcast, because in the sunshine, the Lake of Lucerne against the beautiful mountain backdrop with signature Swiss architecture all around would be quite a sight.

Nevertheless, I think you’ll agree that Lucerne in photos – even on a cloudy day, and in the hands of a mediocre photographer as myself – still pops.

See also: The Swiss Life – Random Observations

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

The city of Lucerne is poised around the Lake of Lucerne, where you’ll find much of the action, with mountains that you could practically touch just behind.

Swimming pools are popular in Switzerland, but this swimming pool (and others, including one I saw in Zurich) has a twist: it’s actually the lake itself! Switzerland is so clean that you can swim in the lakes and rivers…even “downtown”.

Colourful buildings, beautiful architecture, clean lakes, and majestic mountains; what more could you want?

How about a nice dose of greenery to add to this idyllic spot! I took this atop the remnants of the old city wall, which used to surround the area.

You may notice the fast water currents – which in some spots would rival class two rapids. These currents keep the water clean (and swimmable), and in some spots would make for some great “tubing” I’m sure.

Lucerne’s Chapel Bridge is a wooden footbridge (the oldest in Europe) that is the pride of many who live here. The day it burned down in 1993 (destroying many 17^th century paintings on the interior) was a sad day indeed; my friend says many people cried. Now restored, it is a main city symbol for Lucerne.

We ended the day with cocktails atop a central hotel. The views – and the company – was stellar.

I look forward to checking out more beautiful Swiss scenery and towns while I’m here; I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed.

This post Lucerne, Switzerland, in Photos appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

See also: The Swiss Life – Random Observations

As with so many stops along the way during the Ultimate Train Challenge, my time in Zurich was altogether too short. But it was still nice to get a chance to stay with friends (and sleep in a bed that’s not moving!) for a couple of nights.

This post was originally published in 2011. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content.

Suburban Zurich: Country in the City

My Zurich digs were located about 15 minutes by the S-Bahn (Zurich’s local train) from the central station. Although I expected a suburban neighbourhood, I wasn’t prepared for what I found.

“My hands are tied with the baby. Just keep walking on that street and I’ll send my daughter to out to come find you,” said my friend over the phone when I called to say I was having trouble finding her place from the train station.

I rounded the corner to find her daughter – all of four years old – walking towards me.

Four years old!

This wouldn’t happen in any major city in Canada, I’m pretty sure.

But here – 15 minutes from downtown Zurich, I felt no sense of proximity to a major city. The block of houses my friends live in is filled with children who all play together, running from house to house and yard to yard. At mealtime, parents just yell out the widow for their kids to come home, or knock on the neighbour’s door to find them.

I had thought these days were long gone. But here in Switzerland it’s still a refreshing way of life.

This scene backs on to farmers fields, forests, and looks out towards the mountains in the distance. Beside charming narrow roads with quaint (charming and quaint: such annoyingly cliché yet appropriate words) tudor-style houses are yards with cows and chickens. Literally – next to the sidewalk.

And I’m told that this juxtaposition of rural to suburban life is all over Switzerland.

One Day to Explore

My day of arrival to Zurich was little more than an exercise in finding my new digs, reconnecting with my friend (who I hadn’t seen in over 15 years), and getting some work accomplished. Making time for work is part of the time-management balancing act that constantly happens on the road.

So on my sedond – and last – day in Switzerland, I headed into Zurich’s centre to explore. I had the great fortune to meet up with another friend (who I met at Mana Retreat last year), who showed me the ropes.

And of course to celebrate my short (and first) time in Switzerland, we had to do some typically Swiss things, like eating Raclette:

…and chocolate!

Switzerland or Sweden?

During the Kultur festival in Stockholm last month, I watched a cabaret performance featuring a couple of girls who were playing stereotypical Americans.

“Ooh! We’re so excited to be here in Sweden, the capital of Stockholm! You Swiss people are just amazing!”

Although these garish blunders were designed to get a laugh, I’m astonished at the number of people who do confuse Switzerland with Sweden. Look at a map folks! They aren’t anywhere near each other, nor are they culturally very similar.

This ires locals too.

My friend (originally from Canada but having lived in Switzerland for almost 20 years) commiserated when I made this observation. She rolled her eyes; “Yeah, I get lines like ‘so is everybody blonde in Switzerland?’ No guys, that’s Sweden. We’re Switzerland. You know – cuckoo clocks and chocolate. Get it straight!”

Having now been to both Sweden and Switzerland I know I’ll never mix the two up again (if I ever once did). They are each very different, and gloriously unique.

(Oh yeah, and like a million hours by train apart. Just saying.)

This post Zurich Switzerland: Rural Urbanity appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!