ahoyne9A few years ago, after finishing university, I traveled throughout New Zealand’s South and North Islands. While in Rotorua, I met Paul from Switzerland during a tour. Recently, Paul noticed on Snapchat that I was in Greece and messaged me to let me know that Switzerland was lifting all COVID-19 restrictions, inviting me to visit and go hiking.
Flying from Albania to Switzerland proved a bit pricey. I initially planned to transit through Vienna, but Austrian Airlines repeatedly failed to process my credit card, despite the charges showing up on my end. Fortunately, I found an affordable Lufthansa flight to Munich, which is just a short two-hour drive from Paul’s place in Switzerland. Germany still had some COVID-19 policies in place, requiring a negative test. Since I would only be there for a day, I decided to go for it. Thankfully, I passed the test despite having been sick in Tirana.
After nearly a month in Greece and Albania, arriving in Germany was a stark reminder that COVID-19 was still a concern. Upon landing, I waited for Paul at an airport restaurant. I had to buy an N-95 mask to meet local regulations, which seemed odd since I only needed to wear it briefly before sitting down. After this experience, I decided one night in Munich would suffice. Paul and I explored the old town and enjoyed beers, pork, and pretzels at the famous Hofbräuhaus München.
Off to Switzerland first thing in the morning.
Cheers!