My layover in Switzerland revolves around a whirlpool of different paces. At times overwhelmingly tiring due to the fatigue of earlier duties this month.

My minimum rest proved to be an strenuous physical challenge. I met some friends and scored a nice massage before returning to my apartment and change into my uniform in time for my pick up.
Once at the briefing room, the purser announces: ‘…the load for tonight’s flight to Zurich is twenty-six passengers’. Yes, a little over two dozens of passengers are booked in Economy for the six-hour flight across Europe.
I secure my first ever galley operator position and, due to the lack of passengers, most of the flying time is spent learning new procedures around the many rules that govern the science of airplane ovens and food carts. Twenty-six passengers on a long haul flight are handy, yet incredibly tedious. Cups of coffee are needed to scare away the fatigue that now slowly creeps through the silent dark cabin.

Zurich welcomes me with clear skies, the flat-screen TV flickering at the centre of the soberly furnished room and loudly announcing the death of Michael Jackson in full force.
After napping for an hour, I take a cold shower and meet two crew from Thailand who have also decided to explore the largest city in Switzerland.

      – ‘Hi, my name is Chawaporn, but you can call me ‘Porn’.

Low-rise Zurich extends over a narrow valley squeezed in between the Alps. The cold air descends from the nearby snowy peaks in surges of fresh air amidst the hot pavement of the packed streets. Pristine in its soul, the avenues direct tourists and locals alike towards the Zurich Lake, which at this time of the day is painted in countless trails of white foam from the passing leisure boats.
A one-day rail pass will allow access to every public transportation available in the city: from fast trains, to city boats and light-blue trams.

The crew sacrifice the sights of Switzerland for a trip to IKEA and I engage the ‘turbo’ on. Just as I picture myself as one of those Duracell rabbits that defined battery adverts through my childhood, and helped by the high of a temporary sugar rush, I leave the city whilst the train cruises under deep tunnels and emerges hinged in between the Lake and the green mountains, with the precision of a Swiss watch, forty eight minutes later dropping me into the station at world-famous Luzern.

‘Luzern is striking. The lake is beautiful and you can see the Alps from literally everywhere. I walked to one of Switzerland’s icons: the Kapellbrucke, which was built in the mid 1300’s as part of the city fortifications. After a long photo shoot featuring the bridge in all of its angles, went for some walking through the beautiful city centre and then to another bridge in the back of the city’

After a pause in Burger King (because Switzerland is super expensive), I finish my walk and short visit to this medieval town by climbing up the city walls, awed by the sight of the sun kissing the red roofs good-bye early in the afternoon, the tall snow-capped mountains depriving it from a long formal farewell in the middle of the summer.

Exhausted, I fall asleep on the return journey to the hotel, luckily opening my eyes as the signs outside the train window read ‘Zurich Airport’.
Not happy enough with my active day in Helvetia and with the summer kicking in full swing, I take one of the free bikes provided by the friendly receptionist and cycle through pathways of Swiss suburbia, the red-hatted elves saluting me from manicured gardens, the trail at times crossing creeks over narrow wooden bridges, and the roar of airplane engines swinging the tall eucalyptus trees next to the airport fence at Kloten.

The batteries lasted enough for a minimum rest, an overnight flight, sightseeing in Zurich, sightseeing in Luzern and a fifteen kilometres cycle around Kloten. Night is slept through like a heavy rock, only disrupted by the chime of the wake up call in time for my full flight back to Doha, where I arrive shortly before sunset.

Rest. Damman turnaround tomorrow morning and a night flight to Beijing are next.