Hotel Mitterhofer Schladming

... focusing lens :-( We took it to a shop later and they said it would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one. Oh well that camera has been through a lot and was due for retirement, and what better excuse to buy a new one!!

Anyway.... The finals were brilliant. We got the gondola to the top of the mountain and walked down the track watching the riders come down. First up ...

Early start had us at Verona station for 8.30am and we were soon on the train heading for Innsbruck, Austria. After Clare scoffing a chocolate custard doughnut in record time we boarded our connecting train in Innsbruck to Scladming, finally arriving at 6pm. Clare was sweating at the thought of a similar room to Verona, so it was an anxious walk up the stairs to ...

... but I'm getting worn out. Once to the top we had great views of the region and the lake. We also hiked down the mountain - thats probably worse then going up.

Before we had left for Hallstatt I had done a little wash in the sink - underwear and socks, and put them outside to dry. When we returned that evening my underwear was ALL over the room. Our little old lady friend had come into our room again (!) and brought in my stuff from outside. She put them on 2 ...

... br>So tomorrow morning Derek arrives at the Salzburg airport about 9:30 am, and we’re meeting by the Mozart statue in Mozartplatz (the main square of Salzburg). We’ll have two days in Salzburg before heading up to Germany. We’ll have three days in Munich, one day in Nuremburg, and one day in Rothenburg. Then Derek will return home from Nuremburg, and I will continue my travels up the Rhine Valley in Germany.

Auf Wiedersehen!

... I normally would have done. But I just didn’t feel like it, so I stayed in my room and ate leftover munchies.

I almost didn’t want to go to bed, because I didn’t want to have to leave my room in the morning. But eventually I got really tired and couldn’t concentrate on my book anymore, so I went to sleep.

Tomorrow I’ll leave Hallstatt and go to Salzburg, where my brother Derek will join me on Sunday!

Auf Wiedersehen!

We arrived in Hallstatt in the Austrian Alps on Monday. Its so
beautiful! Reminded me a lot of NZ in one way but also very different
at the same time. Its one of the top UNESCO world sites. We got there
in time for a sunbake and swim but by god the water was FREEZING!!!!!
Took your breath away! You could tell we were in the ...

8/19 Austria, Salzburg. This morning we drove to town and parked in a parking lot next to a Chrysler minivan of all things, who was driven by a guy from Utah and his large family. He is civil service of some sort, and wanted to know all about our most excellent luge experience, as that is high on his family's list as well. We walked the old town, toured the Hohensalzburg Fortress, marveled at the primitive decadence those in medieval power seemed to enjoy ...

... family (his favorite activity when travelling in Europe). He told them he was (originally) from Tata... they said they were also from Tata; he said he was from Szomod (a subdivision of Tata)... they said they were also from Szomod! They asked his family name... they said they not only knew his family, but they bought his grandfather's house!!!! Now what are the odds of that?!

The Ice Cave ...

... bmx & downhill, with 4 riders taking on a short (but tough) circuit at once, with only the first 2 places moving through to the next round. There's lots of jumps & a few spills along the way!) There were no aussies in 4 cross, so we just sort of cheered for everybody. Unfortunately it started to rain pretty heavily not long into the final rounds ... and a couple we spoke to said it was due to rain ALL weekend!! The next day it was up & out for the downhill - those guys ...

My last story from Jo burg did not materialise because of problems with my mobile internet card since I came back from the field. When I tried to reinstall the package I got stuck while creating my profile, which broke off the installation. Various phone calls with Vodaphone have not helped. I started typing this in my last morning in my garden cottage in Greenside, after having packed my stuff. I had again 18 kg overweight to pay. But I am now ...