Day One ..Catching the Trade Winds ..

I’m unpausing, as some friends would have it, although in which direction I pressed the play button  who knows, except in a northerly direction – first stop Austria.

Time to hit the open road (cue ACDC )  my heart beating doubletime with anticipation and boot quaking nervousness. 6.45am flight – nigh empty plane – chartered by Capt Cook..hmm Cook, good sign methinks. Two hrs later I’m hopping on and off trains to Vienna – Wien. Yep thats right, jumped on all the right connections phew!! Though dragged myself about Westbahnhof much like a pack animal until i found Ana  -good friend from Erasmus trip – quick Viennese coffee – Melange – ! Next train to Melk through snow dusted countryside (Where are all the mountains of snow!! just sprinkles?) ) struggling not to fall asleep for the next hour in case i end up at the end of the line!

(Thinking of travelling - definitely check out interail) also  https://www.helpx.net/index.asp

Ana said to watch out for a castle – in fact a huge bloody yellow monastry atop  hill!! Gotta be my stop! Small panic - mobile no work! Eek. Found J. another helper she’d been sitting in cafe  4hrs whilst W. with car was at lunch with friends, staring at her phone"

 J.is Australian, 26... with flippin dreads longer than my hair! (use to be :(....)   

Crazy driving in flash little merc, much overtaking and flying across corners ...apparently they say if a car is driving cautiously they are from the cities... Wachau region very historic on the banks of the Danube, plenty of ruins to explore, and lots of little colourful towns down in the valley, encircled by vineyard terraces.

Here we are - Eitenthal. Kamelreitschule.

Nice..warm room... got stuck in ..or mucked in ! But wait, Camels,  never seen one before – pretty huge –Cute and fluffy, large padded feet, smiley dinosaur, giraffe, teddy bear creature and guess what....their shit looks like maltesers ... goddamned flying poo balls! The farm has horses too, plus deer and ostriches ...and guinea pigs ..which are fed to the snake! Just the guinea pigs!

G. Who runs the farm is on a 10day retreat so J. Showed me the ropes at a more relaxed pace.