Austria and Switzerland

 

23 October - Austria 

We arrived at Brenner station in Austria at about 3 o clock. The platform showed as TRN so we assumed it meant something like To Be Assigned (in German of course).

I went to check and realised from the signs (there were no open office) that it was a platform. It was in fact the Austrian end of our platform.

I changed my opinion of Italian people after being in Italy. They are really nice. Friendly, helpful, human.

Took me being in Austria about 5 mins to be reminded how unpleasant some are.

Hoping to ask what TRN meant I asked a lady at the station if she spoke English and she rudely pushed past me - welcome to Austria 🤣


Our bus conductor was super friendly - maybe I shouldn't judge all Austrians on some previous experiences 🙂


We arrived at Insbruck and walked the few blocks to our apartment. It's right next to the Leopold arch.  Insbruck is prettier than I expected.


Just and I walked the train which takes you up into the mountains. Unfortunately the cable car taking you all the way to the top was closed.


It was incredibly steep!

At the top the view over Insbruck was lovely and shared a bit of red wine.

Fancy train station behind me.

Cable cars to the top 

Red wine for the nerves - so steep down!

This is the palace (just next to where the mountain train is).

Nice looking restaurant 

Judy bought some noughat for Dad.



I loved this display 


We all had dinner at an Italian restaurant right at our Airbnb. He kept bringing us food and then totally overcharged us but the food was enjoyable.

Judy and my room is very strange - old wooden creaky floors, dark wood furniture - kinda ghostly. With this view our the window 

Note our lovely lamp reflected in the pic

Out the other window 


Tuesday 24 October - Insbruck to Zurich

Had coffee at our Apartment with Mom and Judy and then walked with my two bags to the station. Had my ticket printed and was advised I needed to take the bus replacement from Otztal Bahnhof to Sargans. What a pain with my bags. Should have just bought the cheaper bus ticket!

Going to arrive an hour late, so Evelyn will have left the airport and I'll need to catch a bus to her house. I've downloaded maps so hopefully can find her apartment.

I got front row seat upstairs on the bus.

Next stop will be in Switzerland.

I met such a lovely Austrian man on the last train to Zurich. I take back my nasty comments from earlier 😄. Think I just had grumpy old people experiences previously. Anyway, Lukas was on the platform and said there was an earlier train I could get on. We chatted and he worked. His girlfriend works in Insbruck and he has an IT job in Basal. I hadn't realised that Austria was the laid back country here. Earn less, things cost a bit less too. The hospital and schooling is excellent but they are mocked for having some corruption. Insights I didn't have.

The ride was beautiful with a green Lake, then of course Lake Zurich.


I chatted to a lovely Austrian guy called Lucas who advised we could get on an earlier train. I take back my nasty comments from earlier 😀. Think I just had grumpy old people experiences previously.
Lukas had to work so I could enjoy the beautiful lake views between chatting. His girlfriend works in Austria and him in Basel.  I hadn't realised that Austria was the laid back country here where they earn less than in Switzerland and things are also a bit cheaper. The hospitals and schooling is excellent but they are mocked for having corruption. Insights I learnt. The trip was really beautiful with a green Lake and then of course Lake Zurich.

Arrived Zurich and got a train to Kloten (where Zurich airport and Evelyn are). Followed Evelyn's instructions on which ticket to buy and bus to catch and found her key in the letter box. 

She soon arrived home too and we had some Kleine Zalza Chenin blanc and caught up two years gossip.

We then met friends for ten pin bowling, after which we made some pasta for dinner.

Wednesday 25 October - Zurich to Iceland 

Poor Evelyn woke at 4 for an early shift. 
I packed my suitcase for Iceland, had coffee, and caught the bus to the airport.

We were on the 1305 flight to Reykjavik which took four hours.

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