At the Piazza della Riforma, the main square of the city, I truly felt I was in Europe. At six in the evening, I sat there nibbling a parma ham pizza, washed down with a glass of the Ticino merlot, watching dog-owners chat as their pets smelt each other, a girl in a yellow dress shrieking with laughter as her father chased her across the square, kids on cycles, a black pigeon and a white, hobnobbing quietly, and people out for a stroll in the evening sun.

It was Europe, alright.

There were flowers in every window and balcony, and unexpected glimpses of the lake as you walked a round a corner or crossed a breach between buildings. At some places in the old town the edges of buildings were several feet apart, in others, they’d come so close together that a car could not go through.

It was a pretty little town that I would have loved to spend more time in. But our days were planned. I was one of 150 journalists from around the world who’d been flown in and it was good fun to meet such a variety of people. Some, like me, were in Switzerland for the first time, but others were veterans on their fifth or sixth trip. The entire bunch spent two days together in Lugano before parting ways to go on our separate journeys across the country.

Given the large number of people, our means were all pre-set – four or even five courses following one after another – just tasting everything meant you’d overeaten! Since we were in the Italian part, the food included a lot of meaty stews and risottos. There was a divine veal stew that I can still taste if I shut my eyes and concentrate really hard.

But the weather was nuts! When we were in Lugano, it was warm and muggy, almost like Bombay except with half the amount of moisture in the air. I was really tickled every time one of the Swiss complained about the. When we went up to Monte Generoso, on the other hand, the air turned cold and dry and there were clouds everywhere, denying us our view of the Alps.

But somehow, the erratic weather helped make the place more real for me. Other wise everything was just way too postcard perfect!

Scroll down for the photos. For still more, visit my Flickr stream at www.flickr.com/photos/nehadara

In other news, I have to tell you that this is my last post on the blog. You can stay in touch with me on twitter (@nehadara) or follow my travels on nehadara.wordpress.com

The beautiful Piazza della Reforma with its profusion of flowers.

There were plenty of joggers out for an evening workout on this tree-lined walk by Lake Lugano.

Turn around a corner in Lugano, and suddenly you’ll find yourself before a beautiful vista of roofs and lake.

Lugano is a beautiful town for just walking around and soaking in its easy pace.

On Lake Lugano, on our way to Monte Generoso.

Suddenly in the middle of the village you see the ugly monstrosity that’s the Casino Municipale, built taking advantage of the fact that the village belongs to Italy and is not subject to Swiss laws.

Our grand welcome to Monte Generoso with the alphorns.

Here you can see almost all of the 150 journalists who’d come for the trip, hiking up to the peak.

After the hiking, comes the food!

After the hiking, comes the food!

( Pics by Neha Dara )

If you really want to rattle a Swiss, toss them terms like “noonish” and “three-thirtyish”. Those don’t have a place in their vocabulary. “Do you mean three thirty two?” they ask. “Or three twenty eight.” Don’t think of replying with an, “about then”.

Before I’d even left India, I’d received multiple warnings about being on time. The first thing I did when I landed was to change the time my wristwatch on my phone.

On our way from Zurich to Lugano, we were to take four trains and a boat, a route that would highlight the most-excellent Swiss transport system.

It really is a most excellent transport system. The trains are clean and so are the stations. There are so few people in the country that you never have to hustle to get in. Changing platforms to make a connection even with just a five-minute gap and your luggage in tow is immensely doable. You can travel hundreds of kilometres in a matter of hours without feeling the strain.

Only once in a rare while, two or three times a year, is a Swiss train ever late. Sadly, for the soon-to-be-mortified Swiss accompanying us, one of those very-rare occurrences took place on our first day in Switzerland. Our third train was late, and we missed our connection. Obviously, not a single one of the journalists present let pass this excellent opportunity to rib our escort without giving putting up a good show.

But in the 10 days I was there, this was the only time a train was late. People weren’t kidding. It’s freaky. In Switzerland, you really can tell time by the trains. And you can tell trains by the time. While I was still getting familiarised, each time I couldn’t tell if a train was the one I was supposed to take, I’d hop on anyway if it’s pulled into the platform at the time mentioned on my timetable. It would turn out to be the right train – each time.

All that comes at a cost. But for tourists, there’s the super-economical Swiss Travel Pass that can be bought before you get there.

Because of the ease of travel I could travel pretty much the length of the country and see all the major cities – Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, Lausanne and Zurich. I also managed to pack in a trek on the Jura and a trip to the top of Mt Titlus. And I saw a lot more from the huge train windows as I traversed that picture perfect country.

Dreamy cafes by the side of lake Lucerne

Posing on Lucerne’s famous wooden bridge. It smelt divine because of the flowers.

Summer in Europe means flowers on every window and balcony.

As we took the William Tell Express across Lake Lucerne, we caught the show arm of the Swiss Air Force practicing. A private show!

Meanwhile the clock keeps ticking away. I’m reminded that I still haven’t looked through my itineraries and googled the little places I will be seeing the next week. My dad has looked through it more carefully than I have. He tells me that I will be crawling through an ice grotto on a glacier at some point. I’m convinced I don’t have clothes warm enough for that.

On Thursday evening, I bought my hiking shoes. I clomped about them in office all of yesterday, in an effort to get a feel for them and break them in a little. That got me more than a few stares. My cousin says that the hiking trips organised by Swiss Tourism are rather gentle and he’s going to take me on a real hike. Five hours of walking – including a 1,000 m climb. I think I was in too much shock when I read that to reply. I hope he doesn’t take me silence as a sign of agreement. I hope he thinks up a gentler plan of action for me.

I’d climbed 700 metres in four hours in the humid weather of Andaman and Nicobar and for two days after I’d wondered why I’d put myself through that on a holiday. Not convinced I want to repeat that experience. I’m picturing the second half of this holiday more as a sitting on a bench by a lake watching the reflection of the Alps waver on the ripples kind of experiences. Let’s see how that works out.

I’ve just learnt that every time I swipe the credit card abroad the bank charges me Rs 40 on every 1000 bucks spent. Guess that limits the amount of chocolates and cheese I’m going to be buying.

Dang, I still have a story to file.

Which reminds me that I may not have a post for you next week. But follow me on twitter (@nehadara)

I’m going to Switzerland! It’s going to be my first ever junket, when I travel with a whole bunch of other journos and follow a fixed itinerary, and it’ll be fun how I adapt to that. I like pretend I’m a complete maverick when I’m traveling, doing whatever whim strikes me at the moment, so this should be interesting.

But, more importantly, I’m going to be setting foot on European soil after 15 years. The first time was when I was 11, and my father took the family to Italy for a month. I was quite useless little traveler then, I think. I ate nothing of the amazing Italian cuisine or the vast quantities of sea food available. If memory serves correctly, which it unfortunately does, I think I survived on a diet of magherita pizzas and bananas. The day we came back, I sat in the verandah and tucked into paranthas my neighbour had made while my parents were still unlocking the house.

Of course it’s been a long time since then. And from being the person who found the one sardarji who made paranthas in the largest open-air seafood market in Singapore, I’ve now become the person who will experiment with all sorts of food. (Remember my tales of the hotpot in China?)

Even so, there are many things I’m still puzzling my mind over. How much money to carry with me, if withdrawing on my card from an ATM there will mean too many extra charges, and if I should buy my train pass in advance.

So if any of you have any cracking bits of advise for me, do tell. And I promise to come back with a bagful of interesting stories for you.

What they actually managed was slightly different, but equally budget. They visit five of the seven states, coming in at a final expense of Rs 221 a day.

The duo wrote a blog at www.hitchhikingindia.com during the month they spent exploring explored some of the most beautiful and least touristy destinations in India.

I asked Ajay to write a guest post for you on how to go on a budget trip. After all, he ought to know! Read ahead to learn his tips.

By Ajay Reddy

Travelling on a budget, just like normal travel, requires preparation, a lot of patience and some luck too. But there are a few basic tenets which can help you plan your own budget trip -

Make local friends

Locals know best! They can guide you to the best things to do in town and also in finding the cheapest way to do them. Use websites like www.couchsurfing.org to get accommodation or a friend to show you around. However, even local shopkeepers will usually be glad to give information. Don’t be shy, talk to people!

Be ready to skip some tourist attractions

You cannot travel on a budget and be able to do all the touristy things possible at a location. The important thing is to choose wisely and do only those that matter to you most.

Be innovative

Think out of the box – transport is not by buses, trains alone – it can be done in trucks too. Hotels are not the only places where you can stay –churches, homes and temples are options too. In some places, you can volunteer at local organizations and get food and lodging at very low prices or for free.

Expect surprises

When on an adventure trip, you can safely assume that things will not go according to your plan. An 18hr bus journey might turn into a 40hr endurance test; how you deal with a surprise and turn it into your favour is what counts.

Be self-sufficient

Carry enough equipment (tent, sleeping bag, etc) and food so that you can manage if you are left in a hard situation. Even if you do not get to use your tent on your entire trip, it gives confidence to the other person that you are prepared for any eventuality, which may even get them to help you out.

Budget travel or not, remember to have fun on your trip!

Hope you enjoyed the piece. Follow me on Twitter (@nehadara) for travel updates through the week and to know when I next open Footloose for a guest post.

At Sela Pass on the way to Tawang (13700 feet high)

He bought two plain Dominoes pizzas in New Delhi and flew to the Ripley’s Believe it or Not museum via London and Washington.

Here’s the profile I wrote of this very fascinating man.

For the rest of the story, check out page 18 of the Sunday newspaper.

Want to set a world record? Just get in touch with Guinness Rishi. In 20 years of record making, he’s learnt the tricks of the trade well and for Rs 11,000 you can get a consultation on how to go about setting your own record.

“I have a list of 300 records people can choose from and I will guide them,” says the man who legally changed his name from Har Parkash Rishi when he set his first record in 1995. Since then, he’s set 21 other records, each more ludicrous than the other. His most recent record was set in May this year, when he became the man with the most flags tattooed on his body.

“I’m an old man, but I’ve made the country proud. The Indian flag is on top of my head, above all the other countries,” he boasts.

Rishi seems to thrill in statements that are intended to shock; all made in a deadpan voice that magical realist Gabriel Garcia Marquez would have been proud of. He glibly mentions the one record that continues to elude him – getting his 75-year-old wife to become the oldest mother in the world – and is since as he expresses his deep desire to become a ghost after his death.

“I’ve been corresponding with Ripley’s Believe it or Not to ask them to preserve my body in a tank when I’m dead,” he says. “If my body is intact, I can become a ghost and travel the world without visas or expenses.”

To make sure Ripley’s doesn’t turn down his suggestion, Rishi plans to turn his body into an artefact. To the 200 flags tattooed on his body, he plans to add a detailed map of the world and the phrase ‘Let us unite against terrorism’ in 80 languages.

“I’m waiting for my wife to go to the US in three months. Then I will go and get all the remaining space on my face covered.”

He’s offering his face up as advertising space to companies like Pepsico and Heinz. “Any money I make I will donate to children in Haiti and the PM’s Relief Fund,” he says.