Was not sure if I really should post something about this, but here goes.
I drove to Zurich, Switzerland to see Olivia Dean. This was a birthday gift for myself. And at the same time, this was my first ever long road trip alone. On a BYD Dolphin Surf.
I don’t know if this post will be about the drive. Or the concert. Maybe both?
For context:
Been a huge fan of Olivia Dean. When I found out via Spotify that she was on tour, I had to see her. I was already late at this point. Most of the places close by were sold out. Cologne, Berlin and Paris. Brussels, Amsterdam. Even Copenhagen. Only Zurich still sold tickets. So, I bought the ticket. Logistics would come later.
I needed a place to stay, I booked a hotel. I needed to get there. At this point it was either by car or by train. Both were fine. In the end, I decided to drive there. Bought a vignette. Checked routes and saved a few.
The day of the concert
May 20, 8:52 am. I left. My car had 62% battery. Drove 33 minutes, first stop of 44 minutes, charged for probably less. Drove for 1 hour and 15 minutes, second stop was 30 minutes. Drove for 43 minutes, third stop of 33 minutes. Drove for 1 hour and 8 minutes, 4th stop of 45 minutes. Drove for 1 hour and 16 minutes. Arrived at the hotel.
Total driving time: 4 hours 55 minutes
Total breaks: 4 breaks, 2 hours 32 minutes
Charging took less, by the way. It took me some time to get the charging going, it was partly my inexperience when it came to charging. This was the first time I used these public charging stations. So, yeah.
Arrived at the hotel. Got some things cleared up, because I booked a parking lot but it was occupied. The pin I got to get my keys also did not work. I was stressed. It took me more than 7 hours to get there, I was hangry and thirsty, and things did not go smoothly. But anyways. I took a walk, bought dinner. Waited for the concert to begin.
The concert
The gates opened at 6:00 pm, but the concert started at 8:00. I decided to walk from the hotel to the stadium at 7:40. I only needed 10 minutes. When I arrived, there was a huge queue. Of course there was. But I was not really bothered by this. It did not take long. I was in, found my seat, and waited for the concert to start. The venue was packed.
The opening act was Jalen N’Gonda. Funny thing. The name did not ring a bell, but as soon as Jalen started singing I recognized his voice. I knew all the songs he played, except for 1. I realized he has been part of my playlist ever since I started listening to Olivia too. This was a nice surprise. I genuinely enjoyed his set. And damn, his voice. To die for.
On to Olivia. The reason I drove to Zurich.
I still cannot really describe the whole thing. Her stage presence was stellar. She was dancing, running, skipping. On heels. Her voice, live, was superb. You can feel all the feels her songs convey. It’s like a theatrical piece, but with just her. It’s like being in a room, with a friend, telling you her stories. I actually promised myself to just be there, in the moment. I broke this promise. A couple of times. I still enjoyed most of the concert listening, singing along, and dancing. My view was not the greatest, I sat far away. I was clueless. I should’ve booked a seat a bit further to the left, but not that much. Maybe a couple of rows lower too. Lessons learned.
It ended after 3 hours.
Walked back to the hotel, still high on the adrenaline caused by seeing Olivia Dean, live. Got ready for bed. Talked to b, my current fave person. Read a book. Fell asleep at 1:30-ish am.
Oh, by the way. I decided to wear my Loop earplug. Another good decision. After concerts, I usually get ringing in my ears that lasts for hours.
The drive back
May 21. I woke up at around 6:30 am, I think. Or maybe 7? I can’t remember. But I got ready for the ride back. Ate breakfast. Drove off at 8:12 am. My car had about 50% battery, but I can’t remember exactly. Drove for 1 hour 5 minutes, first stop was 22 minutes. Drove for 1 hour 4 minutes, second stop was 39 minutes. Drove for 1 hour 5 minutes, third stop was 35 minutes. Drove 1 hour 31 minutes, arrived home.
Total driving time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Total breaks: 3 breaks, 1 hour 46 minutes
Charging went faster this time, I knew how to use them already.
Conclusion
The concert was amazing. I enjoyed this way too much. After 2 cancelled ones (Lola Young in Berlin and Amber Mark in Cologne), this was what my musical heart needed.
The drive was fine. I relied heavily on the built in navigation in my car. Charging was easy, as soon as I knew what I was supposed to do. Got stuck in traffic 4 times, they were not that bad and long. I think I missed 2 exits, you know I had to test the rerouting skills of my navigation. Just kidding. These were exits that were not that clear. To me.
Looking back, the whole trip was worth it. The concert was incredible, the drive turned out to be much easier than I expected, and I learned a lot about both long-distance EV travel and travelling alone.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely.
Maybe just with slightly better seats next time.
Silke 