Most things went to plan today, took almost everyone in the family to contribute to make it so though. And not always in the ways they normally would.
-Carys-
We had a longer sleep today, which was nice, though we're yet to have a lie in - it''ll come soon, I hope. We left the hotel just as it started to rain, which is unfortunate but luckily it stopped by the time we got to the park.
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| wake up, it's parkrun time |
Parkrun was lovely, everyone was very welcoming and kind. The course was quite difficult it had quite a few different terrains and some inclines. I didn't run to my best ability, but I have two more parkruns to redeem myself - it's okay though.
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| one down |
Once we'd had a chat with some other tourists and also some of the volunteers, we headed back to our hotel. We had breakfast in the hotel restaurant rather than the club lounge, but I was feeling a bit ill, so I only had a few bits and pieces.
The next part of our day consisted of us packing up our things and saying goodbye to our gorgeous two-roomed hotel, whilst worried about leaving something behind. Well, that was mostly me, I often get paranoid.
With our suitcases, we crammed onto the underground and got off at a large station where we would be able to pick up our car that would help take us around Europe. We found the car in the car park a few streets away from the station and dad sat in it for a few minutes to get used to the controls. There was quite a 'debacle' but I'm sure that'll be explained elsewhere. We didn't discuss a car name, so I'm sure there will be an argument about that soon.
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| alls well that ends well |
We all helped one another to work out how to get out of Munich and head towards our Austrian location, also using our good friend Google Maps. Once on the autobahn we'd settled down. The views were pretty, especially when you could see the mountains approach in Austria.
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| head for the hills |
The town of Tulfes is situated in quite a secluded area of the mountain range, but has a few shops, restaurant, houses and hotels around the place. WE came up to our room, a nice space with a double bed and a separate area with two singles for Bryn and I. It's pretty, but the main attraction is the view. We can see the peaks of tbe alps from our very own window.
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| family friendly |
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| room with a view, Bryns finger |
After we accidentally gatecrashed a party - or so we assumed - whilst going for a walk and drink in the town, we ended up back in the hotel having some food. A quick game of cards outside before back to the room to get ready for tomorrow's exciting adventure.
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| it's her party and she'll cry if she wants to |
(Lloyd)
Getting into the German lingo today, apparently I am fahrter, but in years to come I will possibly become a gross fahrter.
Beautiful nights sleep in our club room, much needed after a full on day yesterday, but the absolute luxury appreciated. I heartily recommend the club room experience to one and all. Yes, you pay a little more but pretty much wall to wall food and completely looked after for not all that much more than room only #toptraveltip in city breaks, particularly the Sheraton.
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| sleeping beauty |
Location chosen today (Westpark Sheraton) so we could stroll down to Westpark for our first parkrun of the tour. The troops assembled at the meeting point, when the run director asked newbies and tourists to follow her for the pre race run briefing, there was no-one left, so she made the decision to go for the combo approach :)
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| run briefing for the local |
Met runners from Oz, South Africa, Druridge Bay, Bath and many other places as the parkrun community had their usual Saturday morning get together. Bryn shot off on the 2 lap (mainly paved) course with a couple of sharp hills on each lap, and plenty of recovery slopes and flat in between. My form a little hampered by 24 hours gluttony and beer but a respectable international parkrun PB (that is now a thing) knocking off around 50 seconds from Crissy Field last year. Not sure the next 2 weeks will see much in the way of improvement, this was a good course to run on.
https://www.relive.cc/view/r10006861263
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| finish |
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| photo finish |
A bit of a chat afterwards, and usual photo opportunities, and then back to the Sheraton for their full breakfast buffet, which would pretty much get us through the rest of the daylight hours, food wise. Much needed shower and then check out and over to central station to collect car from Avis.
Must say the service highly efficient from Avis, car all ready, albeit 6 storeys up a multi storey. Perhaps I was having flash backs from last car park experience (see Spain blog) but not 100% happy with the driving and couldn't find the clutch biting point. A couple of stalls on the city centre roads, and pretty much ready to call it a day as it just weren't happening in a manual, right hand drive car, and no opportunity to get much familiarity. Fair doos to Chrissi, stepped up to the plate, and with my as co pilot and Carys/Bryn the eyes in the back, we navigated out of Munich and onto the autobahn.
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| superwoman |
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| autobahn ... and relax |
One stop in a very chaotic service station to pick up the essential Austrian vignette, a pre requisite for driving there. Chrissi pretty comfortable behind the wheel, could get used to this, documenting the border crossings and taking in the scenery. Well that will be the case until I can find a supermarket car park to practice my clutch control.
Just before Innsbruck we headed up ... and up ... and up to the ski resort of Tulfes. Quaint family run hotel where we will be now bunking down for 3 nights. Right next to a church, that will be interesting.
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| the bells the bells |
Took a stroll through the resort, most things closed, but the sound of an oomp pah pah band in the distance meant only one thing. A bar? Turned out we might have gatecrashed someones private party, but our lack of language skills and perhaps brazen cheek meant we joined them on the lawn and listened to the band they had kindly booked. Hints of the Griswolds again?
Carys mortified at the trouble we seem to get in the most innocuous situations, and we have ridden our luck today, so quit while ahead, and back to our little hotel to sample some of their produce. With a big running festival tomorrow, we found some pretty wholesome food and beer to get the body right, schnitzel in my case seemed to do the trick. All will be revealed tomorrow. If you haven't heard from us over the next 24 hrs, we will be somewhere up an Austrian Alp. They are pretty high!
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| a plane |
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| a plane |
What a good daughter you have, leaving you to fess up on your driving 'excitement'. If it had been me and my Dad back in the day I would have had some pleasure in mocking him 😂
ReplyDeleteBut as I drive an Automatic most of the time I don't know why people bother with clutches and sticks and all that stuff.
I'm no runner, but the route looks really good. I'm glad you managed your International Personal Best Lloyd - of course it's a thing. It made me go back and see what you had said about the last one in the previous years blog.
Carys, I want to know more about gatecrashing a party - you seem to imply perhaps you didn't, but I'm sure there is more explanation to come.
Hi Haydn. Well, the building looked a lot like a regular pub/restaurant and we saw lots of people out on the terrace area, drinking. Mum and dad insisted we go in, even though we had doubts about it being a private event. We ordered a drink at the bar and that was all fine, we payed for it and went and say outside - but we kept getting strange looks from all the people around. My idea of it being a birthday party was sort of clarified when a few people turned up with a cake and some present-looking bags. I was slightly mortified so we finished our drinks and hurried off. I was surprised no one came over to talk to us in German!
DeleteThanks for the full explanation Carys,
Deletesounds like it could have been embarrassing. But the Austrians, like the Germans, tend to avoid social conflict. Now if you had been in Italy (where I think you are going next) there would have been lots of quizzical faces and pointing.
I thought after all the scrapes your mum and dad have led you into you would know to expect it now and take preventative measures :-)
good to have you along Haydn. We haven't stopped as you can see, Carys will get back to you. Yes, the driving has been a bit of an ordeal, reminds me of the frozen panic when first learning all those years ago. Not something I was expecting to rekindle on a foreign adventure. There's a lot to be said about an automatic when you are on the other side of the road.
ReplyDeleteHi Lloyd,
DeleteLucky Chrissi is there to pick up the heavy load. Hope you manage to get used to the clutch before the car has to go back.