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.

High on a hill but there was no lonely goat

High on a hill with a lonely goat. That was my only goal for Salzburg. I had no interest in actually completing the Sound of Music Tour. In fact I had decided that is was pretty much the Sound of me saying "hell no" if offered.

If you want know who was in Salzburg for this movie you need only see the movie room for the hostel from 8pm. There is no doubt that if asked probably 75% would say it's a completely true story. The movie has though provided great entertainment, and a means for learning English for many. It was interesting to see that a movie unknown by Germans and Austrians so well revered by Chinese and other Asian travellers.

Although I did not find a goat I did complete a walking trek up the hill towards the castle via stairwells and other paths.

 

And most importantly in the afternoon I completed the most important goal. Augustiner Brauhaus. I actually arrived at 2:30pm to find it not open until 3pm. When I returned at 3:15pmI found half the place full. Locals take this place seriously. You grab a stein from the rack on the side (full or half) and then line up to pay. Make sure you clean your stein before then handing your ticket to the barman who fills your stein. I was there during the winter strong bier season. Half was enough for me. Especially as it was breaking my beer fasting due to the cold I had caught. The strong bier was to do me well. Word is they fill it with extra nutrients for lent.

After the beer I got some pork and potato salad, sat down to eat and drink for a while in the 3rd hall. Hall 1 was smoking and Hall 2 was full. My hall barely had any unbooked tables. It did though have a very full Australian tourist who forgot how much his stomach shrinks when he's in tourist mode.

There are no Kangaroos in Austria

Time had come for me to take a 2hr train ride out of Budapest and onto Vienna, Austria. Importantly the move also signalled another significant change. From here I was down to Hostels not Hotels. The Austrian prices and recent move down of the Aussie dollar certainly made this a more understandable decision.

Within 3 hrs of arriving in Vienna I had met up with some of my former couchsurfers. Although not based in Vienna they had made a trip for a concert that night in Vienna. Interestingly it was the band that had been victim to the Parisian attacks in 2015. They were continuing their tour in Europe and this was the makeup concert for the event schedule that had abruptly stopped. My friends had expected to see these guys months ago. Instead they were off to the concert that night, and it coincided with my arrival into Vienna.

Day 2 of Vienna saw me take to the streets in the morning. I followed the map as best I could to follow the circled list of icons. The standard Church, Rathaus, and Museum building collection. By morning tea I was at the next of the major tick boxes for Vienna. I was in the Sachers Hotel having my Vienna coffee and Chocolate Torte.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachertorte

By lunch I was at the Nachmarkt catching up again with my friends being introduced to this area as they too met with other friends during their Vienna trip.

Vienna has it's own version of the ampelmann. Isn't that sweet. Green men like to be led across the road by women.

And don't worry, I looked inside before deciding upon this place for my Wiener schnitzel experience in Vienna. Can't say about the crowd it gets at night though. So enter at your own risk.

Night skiing at the Rathaus.

Austrian Parliament.