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When I was 18 I endeavoured on my first solo trip. I found myself in a remote town in Switzerland, where a small percentage of the already minute population spoke English. Believe it or not, I had never seen a waterfall before; I had heard this region of Switzerland had some breathtaking landscapes (waterfalls included) so I set out on a mission. Now to any average person, my journey doesn’t seem so wild or exhilarating, but to little 18 year old me, this was the most independent expedition I’d been on! Every time I think back to 2nd July 2017, the fire inside me of adventure and new experiences ignites again and again, willing me to get out there and collect more stories to tell! My trusty companion, Google Maps, told me where I needed to go, down to the co-ordinates. After a lengthy hike, over an hour in a European train carriage and a further transfer on a bus into the mountains, I lost signal and was forced to use my senses as a compass! I remembered the name of the the stop in which I had to disembark, from there I just followed the sound of water, and after a while, I followed the stream of water I had stumbled across. When I reached Reichenbach Falls, I couldn’t believe what I saw before me, it was truly breath taking. In fact what I haven’t told you, is that I trekked up the mountain in only flip flops (I wouldn’t dream of doing that now, but I was young and naive.) If you research Reichenbach Falls, the view I indulged in that day doesn’t even show, everybody takes pictures from below the falls, what I had is my little secret. When I reached the top, there was a pool of water which overlooked the landscape of the lake and waterfall below. A crescendo of blues and greens, the silhouette of trees framing the view, you could even see mountains in the distance, their peaks tainted with snow, it was a real life Bob Ross painting! However, my adventure wasn’t over! Luckily I found a much safer path to descend the mountain; I got to see the ‘tourists’ view of the waterfall, and I made my way to the harbour to catch the boat back to the train station. Unfortunately, the operators of the vessel would only accept cash payment, and I had credit card. Generosity emitted from the sailor, who allowed me onto the boat at no charge! The journey over Lake Brienz had amazing horizons and vibrant azure water. A few things I learnt that day include: wear correct footwear, always carry cash in the local currency and not to take what Google tells you for gospel, you might just find an unknown gem. Since that day I’ve had an unquenchable thirst for adventure and exploring off the beaten path! I’m now lucky enough to travel internationally for work, and so I have an extendable list of stories to tell that are dying to be shared!