Stuttgart

27th August – Paris to Stuttgart, Meeting Kapil

The morning began before dawn. Our train from Paris to Stuttgart was scheduled for 7 a.m., and since our Airbnb near Disneyland was far from the city center, it took us nearly an hour and a half to reach the station. We arrived at 4:50 a.m., only to find the station closed. A passerby reassured us it would open at 5, and sure enough, the shutters lifted and the early commuters streamed in. Big cities have their own rhythm—people already rushing to start their day while the sky was still dark.

As we waited, a thought struck me: we had spent three days in Paris and hadn’t yet eaten croissants. You can’t leave Paris without that ritual. Luckily, St. Paul bakery was nearby, and we packed croissants, macarons, and coffee. That first bite of buttery, flaky pastry with hot coffee felt like a farewell gift from Paris.

The train itself was nearly empty, a perk of early morning travel. We stretched out, slept peacefully, and woke only when German border police boarded to check passports. Everything went smoothly, but then came the announcement—the train was delayed by two hours. It felt strange; in Europe, I expected precision, but in Germany, delays are almost normal. Instead of arriving at 10 a.m., we reached Stuttgart at noon, and by 1 p.m., we were at Kapil’s home.

His house was beautiful—white-themed, minimalist, like something out of a movie. Kapil welcomed us warmly, along with Prateek. Lunch was pav bhaji, homemade and comforting, a taste of India in the middle of Germany. Kapil had meetings, so we chatted with Prateek and then dozed off again, exhaustion catching up with us.

By evening, we ventured out to see a little of Stuttgart. The city felt calm, with light rain adding a gentle charm. Later, back at Kapil’s, his hostel friends joined us. Together we cooked Tahari, a spiced rice dish, and shared stories late into the night. Conversations flowed easily—about their lives, about ours, about the differences and similarities of living abroad. His friends left around midnight, but we stayed up talking with Kapil until 2 a.m., savoring the rare chance to reconnect deeply.

Finally, we slept, knowing we had an early train to the Black Forest the next morning. Samruddhi and Sangram were joining us, and another adventure awaited.