Switzerland

The final European stop on my post-high school, backpacking trip was Switzerland. I never wrote a travelogue back then, nor years later when I created my first website. So, the memories have dimmed over the years. What I do remember is running into a friend I had made at a youth hostel in Luxembourg. Our travels brought us together, again, and we went out celebrating. He was Welsh, and a Kiwi (New Zealander) went along with us. We explored different bars - one being an exotic dancer bar (much to our surprise). After wondering why the beers were so expensive, the "show" began. Three embarrassed teens absconded quickly. We also walked into a bar just as they broke out yodeling. We tried our best, but couldn't stop laughing, and turned around and fled, again.

Switzerland was also when I decided to cut short my European travels. It was Fall, and getting chilly. I had not packed any winter clothes. It was time, I decided, to begin phase two of my big, post-graduation adventure. I bought a one-way ticket on SwissAiir to Tel Aviv, Israel. I would spend the winter working on a kibbutz. I had read about them before leaving, and was eager to experience life in one. They were communities sent out to reclaim the land, living together communally, dining in a central dining facility, etc. The most important part was that they accepted foreign volunteers. Living there, all your food, lodging, work clothes, laundry, etc., were provided.

So, it was goodbye Europe, and on to new adventures!