Easter Travel Dairy

 

Dear Ginger,

Heyyyyyy…

I guess even my greetings are turning into paragraphs now! I originally thought I’d send this travel letter bit by bit, but then I imagined you reading it alongside photos and videos—like flipping through pages of a photo book—and I thought, why not make this feel like a proper travel blog… but just for you?

So, it all began on a Thursday—our little gang kicked things off from Gothenburg with a train ride to Oslo. Now, let me set the tone: we have this long-standing tradition of playing dumb charades on every trip, but not the usual way. No movie names. We go rogue—words like “condom” and “pedophile” somehow landed on my card this time, and let me tell you, acting those out with my sister right next to me, and a mom-daughter duo staring and laughing from across the aisle? Yeah, peak embarrassment. But hey, at least I provided this year's best content, right?

From Oslo, we flew to Munich on Lufthansa—and guess what? I rediscovered my not-so-secret love for their milk chocolate. I always say I hate chocolate, but truth is… I’m a total sweet tooth. I just act tough

Now here’s a moment that made me smile—you popped into my mind when I saw the airplane wing. Not to remind you of work or anything (though, maybe I did a little 😜), but I thought about your PhD research on surface-embedded heat exchangers. How could I not?

Next leg: Munich to Geneva, on Swiss Airlines. I mourned the loss of Lufthansa chocolate… until the air hostess handed me Swiss chocolates. And here's where it gets sneaky—I collected extras while my friends slept. I told the stewardess I was taking them on their behalf. My sister was my partner in crime, don’t worry, I shared. 

At Geneva Airport, I saw this dancing mechanical robot figure—it brought back memories of my bachelor days somehow. Don’t ask how, just vibes.

Two friends were busy getting the rental car, and my sister + one more were planning the itinerary. I was on food duty. While searching, I stumbled upon a restaurant named "RUMI"—and instantly thought of you. I might’ve exaggerated its appeal just to convince everyone, but turns out… the food was genuinely delicious.

I had a chicken dish with rice—tasty, though still miles behind Hyderabad’s biryani standards. Oh, and forgive the messy photo—I’d already dug in before I remembered to click.

Then we headed to Jet d'Eau—a massive fountain shooting water up to 140m into the sky. The water was so crystal clear I could see fish swimming near the surface! It got me dreaming about fishing—something on my bucket list forever. Have you tried it? Do you enjoy it, or just the eating part? I also want to try deep-sea diving one day… spot a shark, snap a pic, live the thrill.

Fun fact time (for my CFD engineer 😉): the fountain pumps 500 liters of water per second at 200 km/h. Originally, it was an open-air outlet for overpressurized water from Geneva’s hydraulic plant back in 1886—crazy how a technical necessity turned into a tourist magnet.

Later I saw a kid having icecream then I pulled all my friends to icecream shop yes I behaved like kid...When I see icecream I just go crazy I really love icecreams...I dont remeber the falvour I had some kind berry there were other flavours but I have tried all of them it was gelato icecream and turned to be mine is best icecream among all of them. 

Then, we drove to La Clusaz in France—cheaper stays, beautiful routes

It never felt like a tourist trip; more like a real traveler’s adventure. We had no fixed plans—if a place looked beautiful, we stopped. My trekking bag made me look like a proper wanderer too, no rolling suitcases here!

We found a quiet snow-covered spot, and what did we do first? Snowball fight. I got drenched like three times. My winter jacket was soaked, but man, it was worth every throw. Then my sister and I made a snowman—it looked so derpy, but I loved it.

Caught sight of melting snow on a roof, and thought, “Hey, bucket list microphotography time!” Snapped a droplet photo. By the way, what phone do you use? You’ve probably peeked at mine on Insta, so I’ll keep the mystery alive 😁

At one point, we realized the place we were heading to was either a dead end or would require a steep hike—none of us were really in the mood for that. So, we changed plans on the fly and just followed the road elsewhere… and I’m so glad we did. It led us to this quiet little village, tucked away in the hills, where time felt slower. There was a calm lake there, still as glass, and the silence… Ginger, it was dead silent. Not a car, not a voice—just pure stillness.

In the corner of the photo I’ve attached, you’ll see a few people sitting—that’s my gang. But I didn’t join them. The moment I saw that lake, I knew I wanted to be alone for a bit. Not in a sad way, just… peaceful. I didn’t want to talk much, maybe just a whisper if needed. I wanted to be close to the water, feel its calm. So I walked to the edge, quietly, and dipped my feet in.

The water was freezing. Like, take-your-breath-away cold. But the freshness of it, the mountain air, the sheer beauty of the backdrop—it was perfect. And right then, as I sat there with my feet in that icy lake, a line from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani floated into my head:
“Kuch waqt do, sab theek ho jaayega.”

I know that line means a lot more in the film’s context, but in that quiet moment, with the mountains watching and the world hushed, it meant something simple to me. It felt true.

Eventually, hunger kicked in, and we decided to treat ourselves to a good lunch. The place we picked had a long queue—and we had to park really far away—but honestly, the view alone made it worth it. Mountains in the distance, fresh breeze brushing your face, and that quiet hum of people enjoying life..

Since I’m in France, I really wanted to try something classic—melting cheese. I ordered a hot, gooey cheese dish that looked like it belonged in a fairytale. My sister ordered something different and we shared—it’s always better when you get to taste a little of everything, right?

Now here’s the thing: no one else in my group drinks. But I wanted to try wine—there’s something about it that feels a bit romantic, a bit soulful, especially in a setting like that. I went for it, and it turned out to be a local wine with a subtle rose flavor. 

After lunch, we were feeling adventurous and wanted to try paragliding. Sadly, all the slots were booked for the day. So we hopped in the car and just kept driving, no real destination in mind. That’s when we stumbled upon this lovely little hiking spot—not famous or crowded, just quiet and raw.

We hiked a bit and reached a spot where we could see this massive waterfall, crashing down between two giant rocks. It looked wild and a little dangerous, honestly. The trees made it hard to get a proper photo, but the sound of that water thundering down? Unforgettable.

On the way there, I noticed this flower growing along the trail—nothing fancy, but it caught my eye. Something about it just stood out. Maybe it was the color. Maybe it was the fact that it was growing quietly in its own corner, not needing to be seen to matter.

After the hike, we thought of visiting a castle nearby, but when we got there, we found out it was closed. So the plan changed again—as always. We were craving a good coffee too, so we wandered until we reached this peaceful little village. It had this soft, retired vibe—felt like the kind of place where time stretches and people breathe slower. Most of the folks there were older, dressed in bright colors and wide-brimmed hats, just sitting around with soft smiles. They honestly looked so adorable.

Of course, I had to get myself a coffee—I mean, come on, you know me, I’m always up for one. Never say no to coffee. Ever.

After that calm vibe, we wanted a bit more life, so we crossed to the other side of the river and ended up in a city that was buzzing with energy. Kids running around, families setting up little picnics, music echoing from boats where people were dancing and having a good time. The contrast from the village felt like two chapters of the same book—both so different but somehow part of the same story.

I liked the below picture beacuse it had different colours, sky, castle...what you think ?

As I was wandering through the city streets, I saw this strange pedestrian crossing light. It wasn’t like any I’d seen before—beautiful in a weird, artsy way. 

Then I wandered into the old town, and there I saw something that just melted me—a little boy in a Pikachu hoodie, quietly walking behind his dad, just looking down at his dad’s feet and following him step by step, like it was his whole world. His dad was taking pictures, and the kid didn’t say a word—just followed. That moment somehow made the whole street feel nice.

Some street art work 

Oh, and here’s something I don’t think I’ve ever told you: whenever I say my name to Swedish people, they think I’m saying “yoghurt.” Some of my friends have even started calling me that! So when I saw a shop with a name that sounded like mine—and kind of like “yoghurt”—I had to laugh.

By dinner time, we found this famous café online, and even though we had to wait half an hour to get a seat, the food was so worth it. The cheese was insanely good—like melt-in-your-mouth kind of good.

an another dish....I liked burnt one more

When we finally got back home, it was around midnight. We’re staying in a village, so when we arrived, everything was dark—like pitch black, zero lights anywhere. My friends were tired and went inside, but I wasn’t ready to end the day just yet. So I sat out in the parking spot, leaned against the car, and just looked up at the stars for ten minutes. It was so quiet, so still. One of those moments where the world doesn’t ask anything from you—you just sit and feel.

The next morning, the day began with gentle rain and a warm cup of coffee—nothing fancy, just comforting. I played some A. R. Rahman songs in the background; they always hit different in moments like that. Rain, mountains, coffee, and Rahman—perfect start.

On the way, we stopped at this spot where the mountain looked so majestic it felt like time slowed down.

On the way, we stopped at this spot where the mountain looked so majestic it felt like time slowed down. Then, out of nowhere, we saw this massive waterfall crashing down from above. We had to stop. I didn’t feel like taking pictures—some moments just don’t belong in a frame. I stood on this rock, and out of nowhere, started singing:

“Tu koi aur hai
Jaanta hai tu
Saamne iss jahaan ke
Ik naqaab hai
Tu aur hai, koi aur hai…”

I don’t even know why that song came to me.  A friend took a picture of me standing there—didn’t even realize it until later.

And then came the part I’d been waiting for the most—Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

Chamonix is this beautiful alpine town nestled at the border of France, Switzerland, and Italy, right beneath Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Western Europe. The real thrill? The cable car ride to Aiguille du Midi.

First Section (Chamonix to Plan de l’Aiguille – 2,317 m):
You board the cable car in Chamonix. As you rise above the valley, the town becomes smaller beneath you and the dramatic peaks start surrounding you. It’s a smooth, scenic ride with panoramic views of forests, cliffs, and glaciers.

Second Section (Plan de l’Aiguille to Aiguille du Midi – 3,842 m):
This part is more dramatic — the cable car seems to float in mid-air as it ascends sharply with no pylons in between, crossing over sheer cliffs and crevasses. It ends just below the peak of Aiguille du Midi, right in front of Mont Blanc.(https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIriQwjtrtg/?igsh=aGU4cjExczRqdHE3)

Step into the Void: A glass skywalk where I can step into a glass box suspended over a 1,000-meter drop — thrilling and a bit terrifying!

After coming back down, we were all freezing, so this time not just me—everyone wanted coffee. I ordered Irish coffee, and oh my god it was soooo good. The warmth, the slight buzz, the view of the snow-covered peaks—it was like tasting peace.

Mountina view

Unlike my friends, I don’t usually buy souvenirs my photos are my sovenirs—but this time, in a shop, I saw a postcard and thought of you immediately. I got it. I’ll give it to you when we meet. I hope it’s soon.

Later, we strolled through the town, and I found this one piece of street art I loved. It was of a mountaineer, and even though it was in French, the meaning felt clear.

And yeah, after days of cheese overload, we went for Japanese food. Normally, I wouldn’t even think of photographing it, but this time, I did. Because I wanted to tell you this story right. I wanted to show you the trip through my eyes, not just tell it. I hope you could see it, feel it, even if just a little.

We got home late again, like always. But you know me—I wasn’t ready to sleep. So once more, I found myself under the stars, just sitting quietly and soaking it all in.

an another one

The next day, there wasn’t much planned. We went around Lyon and dropped a friend at the airport since she had to return for work. Later, I tried a pizza made with five different kinds of cheese. My friends were like, “Dude, you’re going to die with all this cheese,” but I just laughed and said, “I’m on vacation — no diet restrictions, just enjoy!”

One more memorable thing happened that night. It was really late, and since it was Easter Monday, everything was closed. We were super hungry, and the only place open was a small pizza shop. We called and asked if they could stay open a bit longer — and they did! The woman running the place understood a little English and was incredibly sweet. The food was delicious, and when we were leaving, I thanked her and gave her a warm hug. It was one of those small, genuine moments I’ll remember.

On our last day, we had some time before our flight, so we explored a bit of Geneva. I was really excited to check out the watch stores — you know how crazy I am about watches. They were absolutely beautiful.

But honestly, I didn’t really like the city’s vibe. It felt like people there were obsessed with brands like LV and other ultra-expensive labels. In contrast, I feel Gothenburg is much more grounded — people dress simply, humbly, and don’t try to show off. It feels more real. Still, the watches in Geneva... they were stunning.

While walking around, I saw these paintings displayed along the roadside. I’m not sure if they were placed randomly or part of an exhibit, but one of them really struck me. It showed two girls and a balloon. One girl was releasing the balloon — maybe a symbol of love, dreams, or innocence slipping from her hands — while the other girl was being lifted by it, rising into the air. It felt like life itself… a dance between letting go and rising above. What weighs us down today might lift us tomorrow. What do you think?

Well, I’m sending you a new stamp — it’s not a ukulele like the one you mentioned, I searched but couldn’t find it. Instead, I picked something similar, but Swedish. I’ve read your letter too, and you’ll be hearing from me soon.

Until then… have fun in India. :)