where others come for vacation ...
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After yet another yummy breakfast at Nidwaldnerhof with Ruth and Terry, we bid them a sad goodbye and promises to see each other soon: in Switzerland, London or San Francisco..
Next stop: "Amt für Migration" in Stans to submit paperwork for my residence permit. With a beating heart, we wait for our turn. Lukas has already checked the documents yesterday. We're called and the same kind lady, who had told us in April that the correct way would be to apply for the permit in New York greets us. She checks all our paperwork while conversing in a friendly manner. This is such a sharp contrast to the stern immigration officials in the US.
She takes all our papers and disappears inside. After a few tense minutes, she appears again and says everything is in order and I need to go downstairs for fingerprinting & picture. 
. She also says that the permit should take about 4 weeks.
After picture & fingerprinting, we're on our way home with a joyful heart.. the most difficult part of settling down in Switzerland has been done!!
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We bid a sad goodbye to Lisa in the train to Zurich Airport early in the morning. We spend the rest of the day relaxing with Ruth and Terry: tête-à-tête over Daal-Rice for lunch which continues till coffee break. Ruth enjoys reading her unputdownable novel in the balcony. A short walk through Beckenried, last Gelati at Rössli and a delicious dinner of Brot (Bread), Cheese, Salad and Red Wine..
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Aishna, our li'l sweetheart is leaving today. Lisa stops by in the morning to say goodbye to her. As we drive her to the Zurich airport, to me it feels like just yesterday when we picked her up. It was great to have the smiling, energetic and chirpy soul with us. We will surely MISS her 
The weaving long lines at the baggage drop, give us some extra time with her. As she passes through the security gate, I sure hope that she will come back soon.
In the afternoon, Armand and Lukas drive all of us to Aareschlucht, a walk through the Aare Gorge. The gorge is spectacular - it's drizzling, foggy and misty and we can hear the Aare river roaring deafeningly through the towering narrow walls of the gorge. The total length is 1.4kms, but we take about an hour, stopping frequently to admire and capture Aare River forging it's path through Rock. Coffee and Swiss cookies is the best way to wait out the rain at the east end.
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It's July 24th 2015, 4AM and i wake up with this thought "This is where Our Story begins.. how will it turn out? Will it be yet another hot day? Will the predicted thunderstorms play spoilsport?". Before the butterflies have a chance of taking a hold of my stomach, a calming Voice within says "Just be in the moment and enjoy each one as never before!". Thankfully I pay attention to the Voice..
Even Aishna foregoes her beauty sleep to share the morning with us. After all she's the sole representative of the Agrawal family here with me :)
Ruth and Terry arrive promptly at 5AM to have the morning cuppa with us and we head out to St Jost, a simple yet peaceful chapel in Ennetbürgen overlooking lake Lucerne. Terry and Anna have offered to be our chauffeurs for the day. As we start driving up the hill, the first orange-red hued rays of sunrise start lighting up the grey overcast skies. The view of the lake from the chapel is mesmerizingly calming. I feel a wave of chill down my spine and wonder if it's my bones rattling or is it really cold. We realize that none of us except Ruth is dressed in layers for the chilly morning.