I love walking across borders and try to do that whenever I can. It’s still fun in Africa – say, between South Africa and Lesotho, or Asia, even between USA and Mexico or any place where borders still mean something.

Sadly (in a nostalgic sense, that is), this is no longer the case in Europe. In the 25 countries comprising the European Union, only the name of the country written within 12 stars on a blue background tells you you’ve actually crossed an international border. Even crossing between, say Hungary and Slovakia is not the slightly spine-tingling experience it used to be. And, of course, Checkpoint Charlie, that most famous border crossing of all time – between West and East Berlin – is now a museum.

 

Walking across borders in Europe is still possible

Even more fun with Switzerland, then. The Swiss seem determined to be independent as long as humanly possible and I was childishly pleased when I had to show my passport when crossing from Konstanz in Germany to Kreuzlingen in Switzerland.

And the fabulous old covered border bridge between Switzerland and Liechtenstein I mentioned a few weeks ago: No border guards or anything (Switzerland and Liechtenstein have a special relationship) – but just about as great a border crossing as they come.