Euro Trip -II (19.12.09): Journey begins.. from Interlaken

We reached Gare de Toulouse – Matabiau in the shuttle bus. The environment was a bit gloomy, like never before. Being a student city, normally people went away to their homes during vacations.There were not many to be seen around. I personally never find winters great to be outdoors. Actually the cold weather discourages me, depresses me. Also there was a lack of merry that normally used to be on our faces, we were too tired perhaps, or there was some discontent amongst few of us for not being able to travel with others they with whom they wanted to. But I was still hopeful that journey will bridge the gaps and it’s all going to end on a happy note.

We still had a few hours before our train left. Like always, we waited at the station’s waiting lounge itself. I decided to take a stroll around, knowing well that it could be the last one of the station as we were going to leave for India very soon after we came back. We had spent quite a part of our time here, waiting for trains, booking our tickets, for various journeys around in France during previous months. All the memories were flashing through my mind.

“Tan tan taaaarant”, rang the SNCF jingle, and the speakers announced the arrival of our train. We picked the bags to go to our platform. The train was going to take us to Geneva. We settled ourselves inside the train and went to sleep soon, to wake up into a dreamy morning.As soon as we got off at Geneva Cornavin Railway station, all felt so fresh. We were in Switzerland, the paradise on Earth. The city is famous worldwide, as a symbol of peace, centre to UN’s many agencies, HQ to Red Cross Organization, the famous scientific wonder- the Large Hadron Collider of CERN. But we had not planned a stop here and very soon we took our train to the city of Interlaken, a small city surrounded all over with lakes.


We knew that Switzerland was a place that bloomed in months of September and October. December conceals its beauty in a white sheet of snow, taking away all its colors. But still we couldn’t have lost this chance, whatsoever. Surely it was well decided. We were in total awe during the whole journey up to Interlaken. The Swiss Alps, the snow covered meadows, the calm glistening lakes and a foggy sun in the sky, the experience was otherworldly.After lodging into our beautiful rooms and throwing away our bags, we set off to wander out, forgetting everything for a while. The temperature was below zero, but we were free souls, and nothing could now stop us from living the moment.

We had planned to go to Jungfraujoch-top of the Europe, a tourist resort near Interlaken. It’s one of the highest peaks of Bernese Alps at a height of 4158 m above sea. But the temperature was as low as -29 C up there. We were not used to such low temperatures, and decided better not to venture to this danger. We rather chose to go to Beaten berg, a local municipality and a tourist sight. The mercury read -12 C there; we could hardly bear it, so we were forced to take the first bus back. I shudder to imagine what would have happened had it been to Jungfrau.It was getting colder, so we decided to retire to our room. Late night I heard some voices. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, found Swetabh, Avinash and Telang pouncing around. I could see Isha smiling, our group had grown bigger. :)

Euro Trip -I (18.12.09): The Sense of an Ending

INSA-Toulouse campus from my room

It has already been quite some time since I returned from the European lands and I have already started forgetting the fine details of the amazing moments I spent there. But the fun of the voyage is still etched deep. The four months were truly an experience, totally unvisited and fresh. It was not only about fun and travelling, but also about ups and downs in the relations; anxiety of coping up with academics in a place of different work ethics, different study culture, and foremost a different language; the subtle emptiness of being far away from home and natives; and nostalgia of being scheduled to fly back soon. It was not easy to stay there for too long, but was also equally difficult to leave. But then it had to be so, then why not in an unforgettable manner.

Though it was already decided that we were to travel extensively for the last ten days of our exchange program, during the long awaited Vacance de Noël, we still had to chart out itinerary. Though earlier it was proposed that all 18 of us were going to travel together, but due to some differences in the priorities of where all to go, and realizing logistic problems in dix-huit musketeers travelling together, we started in groups with cris-crossed trajectories, making sure that we meet on Christmas eve in Roma, Vaticano.

 After a detailed planning by Rohit and me, we (Isha, Pinak, Rohit and Manish) were to set off on 18^th day of the month of December, 2009. The journey was surely well designed, but was going to test the limits of our bodies, with extensive sightseeing and travelling in the Euro Railways. I still remember the excitement I felt after giving my last exam in the course of Solid State Physics on 17^th noon. We had a train next night, but before that, a long list of To Do’s so as to sign off from l’INSA campus. It included completing all the formalities in academic section, international affairs section, our Residence 1, pcking and a final good bye to a few friends we had made in the small duration.

Excitements and unexpected situations never missed us even during this part. The hostel caretaker was to be handed over our rooms, but she was a tough lady, not easy to be made happy. She wanted us to clean each corner of our rooms like shining new, and we spent hours rubbing floors and tables cursing the old lady for all the fuss she always created. But, we were still happy, for what waited in soon for us.

The morning of 18^th was in itself most ecstatic, heavenly and kind of unbelievable. I had asked Rohit to wake me up early as we had a lot to do for the day. Knock-Knock!! He banged at 6 am. It was still dark outside, and I was in no mood to leave my cosy quilt. Knock knock!! “Bansi!! Open the door and look outside.” I peeked from my window. It felt as if I was still in a dream. The lawns were covered with rusty grey colour and were reflecting light from the street lamps, as if someone had sprinkled gold powder all over. I took some time to realize what was it, and then I spontaneously smiled. “It’s snowing.”

I opened the door and both me and Rohit ran downstairs to take a closer look. I was the first live snowfall I ever witnessed. It was still thin. But very soon it grew thicker and the dawn had also broken. It was the beginning of a lovely day indeed.

Rest of the day was tiring one. Our earlier attempt of room cleansing was rejected by the old caretaker lady and we were made to rub the floors again, with soap and water (we were not even sure if she could make us clean it as it was her duty not ours), we had to run around to the bank for closing our account, to the Administration block to clear our arrears, to return the stuff we had hired from the “BEE” etc. Also three of us were supposed to hand over our rooms back to the authorities and we all had to shift our stuff to Pinak’s room. After we got over with all stuff, it was already dusk. Snow outside had started melting, falling the temperature, sun had set and a strange anxiety was starting to grip us. We had a train late at night, so we had planned to take a metro to the station. I don’t remember the details but somehow one of us realized that metro was not possible due to some reason, and we will have to take a bus from about a mile away from our hostel, the last one of which was to leave in about half an hour. We were already experienced in this Run on heels situations, and immediately stuffed our half packed bags, wore thick layers of clothes all over our bodies, locked the room and took off.

It was slippery due to snow outside making it difficult to run. Cold gusty wind was blowing. We scuttled towards the bus-stop and found the bus already on stop from some distance. We screamed and ran, slipping and skidding in between, managing our baggage and caps and mufflers from falling off.

We just made it in time, panting, boarded the bus, to begin the journey, the true Euro-Trip.

Gham-e-Zindagi Teri Raah Mein

(Found it somewhere)

Teri rehmaton ke diyar mein
Tere baadalon ka pata nahin

Abhi aag sard hui nahin
Abhi alao koi bujha nahin

Meri bazm-e-dil toh ujar chuki
Mera khush jahan toh simat chuka

Sabhi jaa chuke mere ham nasheen
Magar ik shaks gaya nahin

Gham-E-Zindagi Teri Raah Men
Shab-E-Arzu Teri Chah Men

Jo Ujar Gaya Wo Basa Nahi
Jo Bichar Gaya Wo Mila Nahi

Jo Dil-O-Nazar Ka Saroor Tha
Mere Pas Reh Kar Bhi Dour Tha

Woh Ik Gulaab Umeed Ka
Meri Shakh-E-Jaa'n Pe Khila Nahi

Mera Hum Safar Jo Ajeeb Hai
To Ajeeb Tar Hoon Main Bhi

Mujhe Manzilon Ki Khabar Nahi
Usy Raaston Ka Pata Nahi

Bus Ik Kaarwaa'n Sar-E-Raah Guzar Hai
Main Haara Hoon To Is Liye

K Qadam To Sab Se Mila Liya
Mera Dil Kisi Se Mila Nahi