Today it rained - and rained some more, and then just kept raining !! It didn't stop us though. We travelled by car to Leutascher Geisterklamm to view Leutasch Gorge.

Leutasch Gorge 1465m
That's Nick & Addison on the bridge

Waterfall Trail - Mittenwald

With rain coats on we walked along the metal walkways (they hung suspended over the gorge and you could see through them) and then down the mountain. The walk was quite long (over 3000m) and the mountain was extremely steep in some places. The aim of the walk was to view the gorge (stunning) and to see the waterfall at the bottom (impressive). At the bottom the kids had hot chocolate and cake (still raining!) while the gentlemen had a beer (Mittenwalder Radler). 

Einstieg Wasserfallweg - Mittenwald

Like a shandy - beer and lemonade.

We had started our walk in Austria, had our afternoon tea in Germany and returned back to Austria. The kids were amazed we can walk from one country to another without a passport or border control. The only way we knew we had changed countries was a striped post.

Germany on the left - Austria on the right

Although it was a long walk and very wet - it was stunning and we had a fun time.

Peter first Blog

The first thing that we do the Monday is go for a walk through the town and I head straight for a bike shop. Surprisingly, there are not many as this area is more famous for winter sports like cross country and downhill skiing and not biking. There is a few serious riders around, but not many. I talked with the shop owner about hiring a bike and she said she has a Carbon hardtail 29er coming back in the morning which would be perfect, which it was! 20 Euros to hire for the day! Jim speaks English OK, so this was not too much trouble. If I tried my German, I would probably end up with a kids bike!

After the day of walking around the area, (Everyone walks around and theres a free bus!) we went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant! In Austria! (Jim wanted Pizza). It was really tasty and traditional Italian with a really nice wood fired crust, ie, not much topping unlike Aussie pizza. More beers to finish off the meal. We had heaps left over, so we got a “Hund” bag. (German for dog)

 

On Tuesday I woke extremely excited as I was to pick up the bike, get it fitted (I bought my own shoes and pedals- turns out they supplied pedals as well) and head out into the mountains! I had selected a nice easy 32km picturesque mountains ride with a few hills, or so I thought. Finding the start of the trail was difficult as the map is in German and I had to stop several times and ask locals and practice my sprecken ze deutsch! One of the hills was over 600 meters up!, lucky I don’t mind hills! As it turned out, I was stopping to take photos here and there and read directions anyway, so it was ok. 

The ride was great (mostly firetrail) but some really fast downhill runs which were a bit hairy at times as they put their brake levers on different side to Australia here. This was really interesting when I had to grab the brakes hard for the first time! 

I managed the off road trails fine, but riding through Sharnitz on the road was a different story. You ride on the right here and I had ridden around Seefeld OK, but the streets were much narrower here. You have to look over your left shoulder here and not your right. I did that and veered slightly to the right.

On Thursday we took a walk in the mountains around Seefeld (around 3 hours). There were showers on and off, but we all had rain jackets and it wasn’t cold, so it was OK.

We walked through the town and were quickly in wildflower covered fields and surrounded by huge mountains covered in pine - the smell of the wet pine trees was really nice. I can’t stop taking photos of this place as everything is so amazing!

Maybe not magic?

The moss and mushrooms were amazing, Jim reckoned you could eat some of them, but I’m not so sure, I think they could have been magic????

We walked along a beautiful river which you could see small trout swimming in the fast moving water. Everything is so pristine here.

Bodenaim

We then came across a small guesthouse/ Restaurant. It is where they make their own butter and Jim said that the buttermilk is really good, but they had run out.  The kids had traditional Austrian pancakes with apple sauce and Toni and I had meatball soup (only because we saw someone else get it and it looked great and we were cold and wet) Jim and I had “Wies Beir” (Wheat beer) which was sooooo good.

       

I didn’t want to leave this place, so I had another beer. They even had a stuffed “Marmot” (like a beaver).

It was a real family place, mum in the kitchen, everything made fresh, the daughter serving and the family dog and kids running around. A really cool place ! We were ready to leave (I didn’t want to) but it had stopped raining. We made our way back a different way which had some steep hills, but the kids coped just fine.

Tomorrow, Jim and I will head to a local place for Octoberfest!

Zugspitze

It has been 26 years since I last went to this mountain. It looks nothing like I remember, but I last went in Winter 1986. At the bottom of the mountain it was 13oC but at the top it was 2oC. When I went in 1986 it was -25oC. A big difference !

Today we travelled by cable-car from the Austrian side. The kids loved it and were not at all scared of the height. Not that their Dad could say the same !

All I could think of was - I hope that cable is strong and in good condition. 

No hand rails - and a 500m fall. 

This is the top of Mt Zugsptize. There is a sign that shows where you leave Austria and enter German - no passports required. So many people walk up and/or down the mountain. At 2962m it is a long walk and there is a path only a goat could follow. Yesterday a lady fell 500m to her death and you can understand how it could happen when you see the sheer cliffs on three sides of this mountain.

Italian Alps in the background.

Not that it was the most expensive beer Peter has ever bought - but it was the most enjoyed in a long while. Hot chips, Bratwurst in a roll and beer - what else could a man wish for? (maybe a heater?? It was really cold).

Our little cable-car, so small.....

Looking North to Germany

Who said Germans don't have a sense of humour?

On our way home we stopped at Mosern to see the Bell of Peace (10,000kg). The bell was impressive, but the kids had the most fun watching the wildlife amongst the flowers. We all got to see the infamous bumble-bee. How does it manage to fly with a bottom that round and fluffy?

European bee Vs Bumble-bee (Photographer - Jordyn)

Another warm and sunny day in Austria - 22oC and a good excuse for ice cream. Got to love glorious holiday weather.

It's a hard life

Jordyn's Day

I am relaxing in our apartment with my Dad. In the day time it is very hot, but when the sun goes down it is freezing. The apartment is well heated and at night it is very warm and we have to open the windows.

This is my feet on the chairlift going to the top of a local mountain where we walked back down. The walk was really good but then I tripped over and landed on my elbows on the gravel road ! Ouch! 

This is a photo I took from the top of the mountain - you can see all the jet streams from the jets flying over Austria.

On our walk we saw these ducks swimming in a large pond. Dad says they are Austria ducks but they don't look different to Aussie ducks.

Nick's Post

What you looking at??  Austrian crow with attitude (not just altitude!!)

You are wondering what this pretty little flower is suppose to relate to this update on our holiday. Well on the way back from our cable car ride up to the tallest mountain in Germany(Zugspitze 2962m), we came across a bell up on top of a hill and the path up to the bell had all flowers along the side, and this is one of the flowers.

The hills are alive......with the sound of Mitchell's

A great morning for a sleep in as it is cold at night 5oC and the sun doesn’t come from behind the mountains until about 8am. After breakfast a swim in the indoor heated pool for everyone - a great start to the day.

Peter hired a bike for only 20 euros for the day, and with instructions in German (that was a worry) he headed off for a day of riding the Austrian mountains. He made it home - but that is another story!

Travelling up the chairlift to Gschwandtkopf 1495m

While he was gone we caught a chair lift up the mountain and did a two hour walk down the mountain. It was beautiful walking through the forest with the snow covered mountains and streams with cold fresh mountain water (great place to fill up the drinking bottles). 

Behind us is the snow covered Zugspitze - the tallest mountain in Germany.

This afternoon was spent relaxing on the balcony in the sun - at least 21oC. It is so warm it is nearly unbearable - not what I had packed for! So much for long sleeves and jackets.

 

Jet streams of the planes - very visible in the cold air

Austria - the first day

After a refreshing nights sleep we awoke to a freezing morning - about 5oC. We can see the mountains from our apartment and they have snow on them - no wonder it is cold. The kids and Peter went for an early morning swim in the heated indoor pool and then we had a relaxing breakfast with our german friend Jim.

View from our balcony

We went for a walk through the beautiful town of Seefeld and were amazed at how clear the air is which makes everything look so colourful. Last week it was raining and cold so we are very lucky. We went to view the Olympic ski fields and saw the aerial ski jumps. Seefeld has hosted 3 winter olympic games as well as the winter youth games.

By lunch time it was 21oC and when we had lunch we had to change into our shorts and t-shorts with thongs. Here I was thinking Austria was going to be cold! After lunch we all went down to the lake and the kids had a swim. Well - they tried to have a swim!! It was about 5oC and really too cold for staying in long. 

The Flight

Lucky for us our friends Pauline and Jennifer drove us to the airport - no parking fees and no waiting around - or so we thought! The trip started off eventful when we realised mum had gotten the departure times wrong and we were leaving at 6.45pm and not 4pm. As we were there at 2pm we had a long wait! Plenty of time to enjoy the airport food and plane watch.

The flight from Sydney to Bangkok took nearly 10 hours. We were in a Boeing777-300 and we had window seats - three in one row and two seats behind that. We had a walk around the airport while we waited for the plane to refuel. It was nice to get the blood flowing around the legs. The flight to Dubai took 7 hours and then we had a two and a half hour wait there. We sat on the departure lounge floor and did some craft - great to stretch out and relax.  

We then changed planes and went on an airbus A380 which was really big and we had better leg room. On each leg of the flight the kids got their meals first - a great variety of food and as well they received treats and gifts from the airline. When we got to Munich the kids had a chance to see inside the cockpit and wear the Emirates head gear (except Nickolas of course). Even Dad got a chance to make some new friends!! That flight took 6 hours.

We were met by our German friend Jim who collected us and our gear in a VW transporter and drove us all to Seefeld, Austria. Although the drive didn't take long the kids were so tired and couldn’t keep their eyes open. Although it was only 3pm in the afternoon back home it was midnight.

So close.....!

Here we about to board the plane. Kids are impatiently waiting to board - don't blame them. First flight! So excited :)