Day 3 & 4: Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Switzerland was somewhere that was not on my radar, but ironically ended up being one of my favourite places. And why I could recommend a tour as you may discover places you would not have considered. So Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland was one hell of a surprise. The drive as expected was gorgeous, especially getting closer to the small town. Only thing that made Switzerland less enjoyable was the accommodation, having cabins and communal bathrooms it felt like school camp. Upon arriving we had a traditional Swiss dinner including a cheese fondue, which as a cheese lover was very strong. Afterwards we ended up exploring the town and even wandering up a waterfall, where the view was amazing.

Gorgeous views from Lauterbrunnen

Cheese fondue prepared by the Topdeck chefs

Shot of the waterfall as well as the view once we climbed it.

The next day we headed up to the Alps on a train where everywhere you looked was unbelievable, it all was picture perfect. The further up we headed on the train the further behind we left the greenery and the warmth and instead a blanket of white snow covering the mountains was all you could see. Whilst I've always loved cities that have astounding architecture and cities that are steeped in history, there is something awe inspiring about a picturesque landscape and how nature can be that beautiful. Switzerland made me feel that way, and I felt overwhelmed by what I was seeing.

Train and views up to Jungfraujoch

The ice palace in Jungfraujoch

Can't leave the Swiss Alps without taking a selfie!

So after exploring Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe we again headed back down to Lauterbrunnen, where we relaxed at a cafe eating ice-cream. Our tour leader also told us about a shop selling Swiss army knives, particularly the green ones that are only sold in Switzerland and that this shop provided free engraving. I wasn't going to bother getting one, when would I ever need a Swiss army knife, but in the moment I decided to get one, and of course get my name engraved on it. Who knows when it might come in handy. The final amazing moment of Switzerland was when a friend and I took a walk through the town hoping to walk up the waterfall again, but due to my horrible direction we ended up going in the wrong direction and upon finding it the sun had gone down. We continued to walk and in the distance we could hear bells, coming closer we stumbled across a field of sheep with bells along their neck. They may not have been the stereotypical cows, but it was just as amazing. There were even lambs jumping around in the field. It was a fabulous way to finish off my time in Switzerland. The next morning we were on our way back to France.

Lauterbrunnen at dusk, love the subtle pink hue. 

Sheep with bells around their neck. You can hear it in the video below. 

Stopped here when we were on our way to the French Riveria. 

Day 1 & 2: Paris, France

The day began bright and early in London, we met at the hostel ready to make our way to Dover to catch a ferry to Calais. After spending over an hour on the ferry spent mingling with people I'd be around 24/7 for the next three weeks we arrived in Calais, where we made our way to Paris. Paris has been a massive dream of mine, and it finally happened. Just like in every city we were in, one day was not enough, but living in London I have to opportunity to easily return. Upon arriving we checked into a nice little hotel situated a little bit out of Paris. Dinner was at a local restaurant where we tried some of the local cuisine, which of course included escargot (snails), which was surprisingly tasty. Loads of garlic did help, the only thing was getting past the psychological element that I was eating a snail. After finishing the rest of dinner we took a drive around Paris to see the town at night. Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night is something special and we were lucky enough to be driving around the tower on the hour so we were able to catch a glimpse of the light show.

The next day we had a full day in Paris, unfortunately we did not luck out in the weather department, where for majority of the afternoon it was pouring down with rain. In the morning we made out way to the Catacombs, but we arrived a bit late in the morning so the line was huge. So we made a decision to ditch the Catacombs and see the Arc de Triomphe. After checking out some of the main monuments it was time for a quick lunch, which was delicious and then to our bike tour around Paris. This is where it went south, it was starting to pour with rain and we could not find the meeting point for the bike tour. Running around for close to an hour we gave up. Felt absolutely gutted about missing out, but it was a blessing in disguise, especially after my experience of riding a bike in Amsterdam, I'm certainly glad I did not ride a bike for the first time in over 10 years on the busy roads of Paris. To cure our disappointment and to warm up we popped into a cute cafe and drowned our sorrows in coffee and cake. Next it was dinner, which thankfully the weather cleared up for as it was a picnic at the Eiffell Tower. After dinner we finished the night with a fabulous cabaret show, which had an amazing waiter with drag makeup. The show was fabulous with lots of dancing, magic tricks and of course the cancan. Even though there were some fails in Paris, it did not disappoint, and was a great way to start the trip. Next was the picturesque Swiss Alps. 

I love this shot of the Eiffel Tower that I accidentally took on the coach.

Myself in front of the Eiffel Tower, typical tourist shot :) 

Playing peekaboo with the Eiffel Tower while we were rushing to the Catacombs, this beauty just appeared through the buildings! 

Arc de Triomphe and the craziest roundabout I've ever seen. 

These didn't come looking very pretty, but they were very tasty :) 

Probably the most delicious lamb I've ever tasted as well as an amazing sweet potato mash!

First coffee in Europe! 

Taking the plunge...An introduction to Nareen Kaur

There's no perfect way to start a blog, but to keep it simple...hi. My name is Nareen a 25 year old from Adelaide that has recently moved to London. I had been tossing with the idea to write a blog for quite a while but never committed to doing it. Well here it goes, I'm taking the plunge and committing. Who knows who will read this in the large abyss of the internet. But there is a possibility that someone will enjoy it. So here's a basic rundown, I grew up in Adelaide, but was born in England. I've finally finished university, and it's time to bite the bullet and begin my career. Earlier this year on a whim I decided to leave Adelaide and make my way to London. However, before getting on with becoming a grown up I booked a trip around Europe. It was a Topdeck tour to speedily see my way through Europe and kick off a love affair...with travelling. So this blog is going to be a platform to share my experiences on my Europe trip, and also interesting things that happen along the way during my time in London, and of course the things that interest me :) 

Just putting a face to the name :)