I’ve learned that travel doesn’t always begin when you arrive somewhere.
Sometimes it begins in transit, half awake, slightly disoriented, standing in the wrong elevator, already a little behind the rhythm of a place you haven’t yet learned how to move through. That’s how this trip to Europe started for me in 2019, landing in Zurich after an overnight flight, body tired, mind alert, camera already out.
I arrived in the morning, which is both a gift and a challenge. The room wasn’t ready yet, and at the time that felt inconvenient. Looking back, it was exactly what I needed. Instead of crashing, I wandered. Old streets, trams sliding by, bikes moving with a confidence that made it clear I was the one out of sync. Zurich doesn’t wait for you to figure it out … it keeps going.
Getting into the old city from the airport was surprisingly easy, one of those small logistical victories that immediately lowers your shoulders. Compared to other European arrivals I’d experienced, Zurich felt efficient and calm, even when it was busy. There’s a sense that the city knows exactly what it’s doing.
By early afternoon, instead of forcing photography in harsh midday light, I followed curiosity instead. A boat ride across Lake Zurich “Zurichsee” led me to Rapperswil, a medieval town that felt like a gentle introduction to Europe’s pace. Cobblestone alleys, a castle overlooking the water, locals and tourists sharing the same cafés. It wasn’t about capturing a perfect frame. It was about letting the day stretch.
What stands out now isn’t a specific photograph, but the decision itself … to wander without expectations. To accept that not every moment needs to produce something. In 2019, I was still learning that lesson. Today, it feels foundational.
Watch: Europe 2019 — Episode #1 (Zurich Arrival)
This video was the first in a 13-episode series filmed during my trip to Europe in 2019, on the way to a conference called Traverse in Northern Italy. It captures the raw beginning of the journey … jet lag, wandering, wind, and the slow realization that the trip had already started changing my pace.
If you prefer to see the story unfold, this episode picks up exactly where these words leave off.
As evening approached, I did what I still do: pared things down. One camera. No backpack. A few alleys. A simple meal. Zurich at night is quieter, but not sleepy. Blue hour arrived with wind strong enough to remind me that tripods don’t always cooperate. I remember bracketing exposures, setting a two-second timer, watching clouds move faster than expected, and thinking, this is a good way to start a journey.
I talked on camera then about jet lag, about staying awake on the first day, about the effort being worth it. That advice still holds. But what I hear now, listening back, is something quieter underneath it: a man easing himself into a different way of seeing.
That night ended with tired legs, unfinished thoughts, and the knowledge that a train to Innsbruck waited the next morning. I hadn’t slept much in two days. I hadn’t captured anything extraordinary. And yet, the trip had already begun doing what good travel does … it adjusted my internal pace.
Looking back from 2026, this first day in Zurich feels less like an arrival and more like a recalibration. A reminder that the best journeys don’t announce themselves loudly. They start with wind, missed elevators, and the simple decision to stay awake long enough to notice where you are.
This is part of a larger journey
This post revisits the first episode in a 13-part video series filmed during my 2019 travels through Europe on the way to Traverse in Northern Italy. Over time, I’ll be revisiting each episode here – adding perspective, context, and the reflections that only come with distance.
You can watch the full playlist here:
The Europe Playlist