Having caught a 7am flight from Auckland to begin the trip, I found myself in Sydney for a 6 hours layover. I took the train to the central city and spent 2-3 hours at Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Botanical Gardens. I hadn’t planned this excursion but thought I should make the most of surprise opportunity. After a short 12 hour flight I now found myself temporarily in the Middle East, specifically at Abu Dhabi International Airport. It was 12 midnight and again I had a layover (this time 9 hours) and wanted to head to the city and see the sights with the spare time I had. But being overly tired, I thought it was best I stayed put and got some sleep instead. Luckily the airport has many seats in the waiting room areas which recline into a bed-type apparatus, making my sleep much more comfortable.
On the final flight before I arrived in Geneva, I was lucky enough to get a window seat. This meant as we approached Switzerland I had an amazing view of the Alps, which were interspersed with small villages giving it even more of an idyllic look. After making my way from the airport to where I was staying, I met with my hosts, Jonatan & Marine. I could tell immediately that I was going to have a great time with them; they made sure I felt at home and had everything I needed. It had been about a day and a half since I had left New Zealand, and I was already having fun. I looked forward to what lay ahead.
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