Austria

I've just cracked out the neck fan for the first time this trip. The OBB intercity is WARM. Where's the aircon 😩

I am not even really sure where to start. It's been 24 hours of chaos and I am excited that we're heading for 3 nights relaxation at Lake Bled in Slovenia.

Lake Bled was never on the original itinerary. We were mean to go to Budapest to check out the thermal bath but then we found out they'd banned pride there and we decided we'd take our pink pound or pink forint elsewhere. I took a group out as part of my 200 stories of railway pride project and a couple of the girls on the walk had interrailed so I asked for ideas of where to fill between Poland/Austria and Italy. Someone suggested Lake Bled and I showed Emma and that was that we wiggled things around a bit.

So when I signed off yesterday I mentioned we were in a mini carriage of 6, where you have to sit opposite total strangers and it can be quite awkward as your knees brush against each other when the train jolts to the left or right. Well it was awkward but it was ok. The guy who was sat in the booth when we arrived was a perfect gent. Helped us with our bags and all. When he got off he wished us a pleasant journey. Then this young lad got on. Maybe in his 20s. Decent looking and all. But oh my god did he hum. It was the level of not washed for a few days and has never received lynx Africa as a stocking filler. I'd been in the toilet and Emma had text me to tell me someone had got on and he stunk, but I'd left my phone in my bag so didn't receive message of this until my nose had told me the update anyway. It was a long hot couple of hours in there let me tell you. Especially when he reached up to get stuff out his bag. 

Fortunately we arrived in Vienna and could go get some fresh air. I'd looked up how far away our apartment was from the station and was delighted to find out we could jump on a local train (thus using our interrail pass and not paying any additional money). The city jet trains are really nice. Air con, spacious, modern. I am really enjoying checking out all the different types of trains as we travel along our journey!  I'd messaged the apartment host earlier to check if we could leave our bags somewhere before the 3pm check in. He said we could go to the apartments although they wouldn't be clean, leave our stuff and then go back after. 

When we got off the train, I followed the Google maps instructions to our room. It was soooo hot - Maybe like 35 degrees and we had our massive bags on our back. It said another 1/2 mile from the station. It wasn't overly clear which part of the road to walk along too as it forked off into different sections. We went over a bridge, then walked back on ourselves. We finally arrived at the address and it didn't match the one on the "checking in" instructions. I typed that address in and discovered it was over the road, slightly along a bit. Laurie was huffing and puffing quite a bit now.  We finally found it - and a guy was doing maintenance work. We were allowed to dump our bags but didn't have much time for anything else. 

We headed back down to the main area using the local train and just felt like we needed a beer.  We went into the first place we spotted and ordered a pint each. The whole city was all just a bit smelly! The station was smelly, the people were smelly and were all just a bit meh. It was hot yes but we weren't here for it. We were trying to work out how we'd spend our day - we didn't really have any major landmarks we wanted to go to. The problem with one day in somewhere like this is that it's not really enough. The attractions are quite far away from each other and to be honest there was nothing we really wanted to see. We'd had enough of main squares and churches. We were definitely ready for 3 days in the mountains.

A big part of putting Vienna on the agenda was so that Laurie could tick off Austria. To be honest, I wish we'd have gone to Salzburg. I loved it last year but wanted to see something new. The good thing is that it provided a good little half way stop off.

Emma and I had both said we wouldn't have minded seeing the Danube or the Blue Danube as we referred to it all week. Perhaps even a little trip on a boat along it? Well we caught a train down to the front and walked over the road from the station to find out it's actually the brown Danube. 

Underwhelmed we spotted a McDonalds and thought we'd go there for a spot of lunch, WiFi and air con. I went to one self service machine and Emma went to another. I spotted a drink called Almdudler on the menu. It came in 3 sizes and so I assumed it was beer. After I'd paid and went over to the collection point I whispered to Emma "'ere I've ordered a beer" and laughed. She laughed back and said "me too!" 

We weren't laughing when we were sat upstairs, took one swig and realised it wasn't beer. Almdudler is a traditional Austrian Herbal drink! Never mind. At least it didn't taste too bad.

I looked up on my phone and realised we hadn't seen the Danube at all! We'd just seen a little canal! So we psyched ourselves up for another little trip and headed down to the marina. When we got out of the station there was nowhere really to go and walk by the Danube. The boat trip was firmly off the list and we thought we might as well go back to our room and get some washing done! When we got back to the station we realised we'd gone up the wrong stairs and was on the wrong platform. We went down in a lift and walk along a little and up the other set of steps. When we got back to the platform level we realised that somehow we were back on the wrong platform again! Emma didn't have it in her to go back down and round again so when a train was coming in the wrong direction we decided to get on it anyway and turn back round at the next station. This meant that actually we crossed the Danube over the railway bridge and to be honest I enjoyed that moment and the views. When we arrived at the stop over the bridge enough energy had been reset ready to go down the steps and up the others to return to our digs. 

This lodging was the only one of our trip with a washing machine so we were definitely going to make use of it. We have only brought enough clothes each for a week due to space constraints and we'll have been travelling a week tomorrow! The excited squeals we let out as we finally figured out how to get the machine working was again akin to discovering a fridge in our wardrobe! It really is the small things on this trip!

After the washing had finished we hung it out on a little clothed horse out in the yard. We both laughed at how we were pegging out each others knickers. What a moment! Coming on a trip like this really does bring your friendship to new levels. You spend a lot of time together and testing times too. Early starts, Google map diversions and pungent passengers. If a friendship can last an interrail adventure you know you're onto something good! But also there are so many opportunities for fun and laughter too... and memories to last a lifetime. Whether it's the jail-like appearance of your air b and b or the patronising sigh and head tilt combo of your Auschwitz tour guide, you know you'll be talking about these moments forever.

There was little bar next door to our apartment and it was a proper local yocal affair. We sneaked out for a beer or two and actually had a right laugh. It was more chilled around here and cheaper too! One of our favourite parts of Vienna. It's amazing how it's always the things you don't expect that you enjoy the most! 

Most of the washing had dried by the time we go back to the room so we packed it away, the rest of it being hung up on backs of chairs and infront of the fan. We got to sleep ready for a trip to our mini break within a trip!

We realised that we didn't have active interrail passes in use today - because we'd booked today's trip separately (if you're not going to spend more that £40 on a day's ticket you might as well not bother using a pass). Today's ticket from Vienna to Lesce actually only cost twenty quid each! Bargain. We only had a four minute train ride though and decided to risk it for a biscuit. 

At the station there was a group of Chinese tourists chasing a pigeon. A local woman came over to them and sternly shouted "NIEN" at them! I was here for it actually I like my birds!  Emma and I both gave each other a look she was kinda scary but we both enjoyed the show. Not long after a kid was swinging round from her mum on the platform and again, local came over all authoritative and shouted "NIEN" at her too. I am all here for strangers parenting other people's kids! What a show.

We kind of left it quite late to pick up breakfast but we risked it anyway and bobbed into a dunkin donut for an early morning treat. With 8 mins to spare we walked up to our platform and found our carriage. We've got another small cabin and everyone sits together again today! Initially there was a guy sat in here by the window. I looked it up! It was actually one of our seats. He watched on as me and Emma lifted the bags to the racks above our heads. No chivalry like our pal yesterday!  Once the bags were safely stowed away Emma told him he was in our seat and told him to move. It was forceful and I loved it. But I'd loved to see the NIEN lady do it more! 

At the next station 3 Austrian girls got on and so it soon emerged he wasn't just in the wrong seat, but he didn't have a seat reserved in here at all. They all had big bags with them and we struggled to fit all of ours in together but we managed it! One of the girls has her foot rested just by Emma's side. I hadn't noticed until Emma text me of course!

Still. At least they don't smell! 

We're going to go check out the buffet cart now but the views are bloody lovely and we're enjoying this ride!