Saying Goodbye 2 Years Ago

I just realized this morning that it's been 2 years ago that I left my heart in Switzerland. I left the Zurich airport early in the morning for North America more or less against my wishes for the next journey of my life.

I say all of this because the first time I ever set foot in Switzerland, I felt an energy that brought me to life, an energy that I had never felt before. This feeling is really hard to explain unless you've really had that type of feeling yourself.

My heart was so full of life while I lived in Switzerland, my skin different, my body at ease. It's only a feeling I get while I'm in Europe and definitely not the same type of feeling I get here on the West Coast. I'm sure it's a mental thing but you know....

The entire month was lovely, sunny and provided me with a lot of last minute loose ends tied firmly in place and put to rest. I remember having to go pick up my bike and belongings in Brunnen then back over to Lenzburg to drop off said stuff. I had a quick chat with my beloved adopted family (whom I've been back to visit) and then back to Basel area over the border in France to bike with the rest of my pieces of my life to Lenzburg after dropping off the car. Okay so I'll take a breath now...

looking out from my apartment in France

Funny enough, my adopted family was on pins and needles with everything I had to do. I had to bring back my life in 8 bags. I even left 2 full bags, a few jackets and all of my biking gear behind because I just couldn't carry it. You should have seen the looks on people's faces at the airport when I checked in my bags. That was a feat in itself.

Amazingly everything went quite well, no luggage lost at least. But I remember not looking forward to the immigration check because I got motion sickness the last 2 hours of the flight. That was my first and only time I've ever used the lovely paper bag in the seat compartment.

Lake Lucern from Brunnen as beautiful as the day I left.

I held everything in until about 30 seconds after we unbuckled our seat belts. I was actually hoping my stomach would die down and I'd be okay, but no luck. At that point, I was sure I was green.

Not a soul noticed as I towed 2 luggage dollys, full of 8 bags, to the immigration check. The guy proceeded to tell me he needed to check all of my bags. I told him if he did, he was going to put everything back in place by himself. And I couldn't even guarantee that my bags would close again. I certainly wasn't going to help either. Somehow the story of my throwing up shut him up quickly. He simply said, just go go and covered his mouth as if he didn't want to be contaminated.

** If you ever feel the urge to evade immigration, I'm sure this line would work great too because I was out of there faster than ever!**

And the rest was we say is history as I sit here in Vancouver (missing Switzerland as usual), now married to the most wonderful man on earth. Of course, secretly inside I want to go back one day...