When a ski trip goes pear shaped. Find the small wins

This should be white with snow in winter

After Salzburg the plan for my holiday this year was to make a trip to a place called Grünau Im Amtel. Part of the Kasberg Ski Resort area of Austria. I in part chose this as a different location from the standard resorts I had previously visited in France. Their cheap french wine which I never drink for fear of headaches, and because it's crap was just not appealing. And because it would be cool to have a small ski resort experience in Austria. So plans had been set for months. This was to be the centrepiece of my trip. 4 days in the middle of Austria.

Except it didn't end up this way. Before I had left Australia I had already heard that it had been a poor start to the winter. Europe had been having it's warmest winter in ages. The ski reports from the internet were reading optimism and hope whereas the snow reports were reading tragedy on the cards. But I persisted in the belief it would work out. After all this plan was to ski at the end of February, the month everyone said to avoid Europe as it's too cold.

And then the dominoes started to fall.

It first started with my arrival into Vienna. Met up with my Austrian friends who I had been discussing my Austrian plans throughout the planning. They confirmed it was not a good season, and suggested I change my plans. They were able to host me and take me to an alternative ski resort for a day. It would be better. Without snow they were concerned I'd had 4 nights in nowhere Austria with little more then countryside walks to complete.

And then after arrival into Salzburg came the kicker. The day before I was to depart on the Kasberg website was bad news that the 8 seat chair to the top of the mountain was broken down and would not be operational until 3 days later. But as a result ski passes would only be 15 euro a day! Realisation had set in. It was just not meant to be. I felt bad I was cancelling the hostel I had planned and arranged for months via a simple email. They would receive nothing for my late cancellation. But then they were also aware I was only booking for the skiing, and well that had been reduced to a handful of lower beginner runs with limited snow, and a ski carpet for beginners.

Danielle lost and ate the egg

Traditional Easter eggs with the staring bird

So I moved the trip sideways. All seemed right when I arrived to my friend's place for a few nights near Laakirchen. And well I won the traditional Easter egg smash-a-thon prior to dinner in the local Gasthof. Small win Chad! This was lucky as the loser then just peels the egg and eats it. I could not get over the fact the egg could have been boiled a week ago. It was just going against all my thoughts of food preparation and storage.

But it seems that was my last win. For during the day of skiing the body failed me instead. I lasted through the first ski session without an issue. The skiing at Schladming. And then a mere 100m into the 2nd session as we descended down to the lower station I had a fall. My ski on the right foot went in and then way out. I went down... and well I just felt it... I wasn't getting up. From there it was the process that had to happen. Get carted off the hill, wait for ambulance, go to hospital, and then finally get examined. My instant reaction was... "is it broken? But I was in a ski boot."

Right ankle which suffered catastrophic failure

Alas potential photo of the trip was missed when the ski patrol carted me off the hill. Alas it also killed my ski buddy Peder's day of skiing. But I must say it was good to have him there able to discuss what would be next in the process. My German is a bit rough. After going through the motions in the hospital of examinations and x-ray it was determined I had just sprained my ankle. And the remedy would be rest. I was released unharmed fairly quickly.

The result of the injury and early finish to skiing changed the trip again. And well look look back upon the afternoon as having received a win as we took a side trip to Hallstatt. But for walking I was forgetting about the ankle in what is an absolutely picturesque town on the lake. What's really interesting is that if not for the Chinese having built a replica version in China the place would be just another town. But now this place was buzzing with Chinese tourist all keen to see the real Hallstatt. If you wanted the complete experience you could even hire traditional Dirndl to walk around town during your visit! And then pick up your own Chinese panda souvenir on the way out.

We returned to Laakirchen in the evening passing by a Castle on the Lake in Gmunden. A local iconic image. And well it made for a wonderful photo as the chill of the evening descended upon us.

The Lake Castle in Gmunden

The discussion of this area could not be concluded without special mention of this vending machine in the village near my friends place. How cool, and yet so Austrian is it for your local butcher to have a meat vending machine? For when you just need meat now!

I was told it's extremely popular. Especially in summer when you realise too late you need some wurst for a BBQ after being at the lake all day. I didn't get to try. Maybe next time.