One of the advantages of having friends in other countries is it gives an excuse for them to be visited. Two friends with their two small boys living between Salzburg and Vienna necessitated a visit.
As the plane rose up from Manchester Airport the brilliant white snow-covered mountains soon blended with the brilliant white clouds. Beautiful and I ws still in England.
My German is limited but I found that a smile and a few ‘danke sehns’ could get me through anything. Changing planes at the large Frankfurt Airport I arrived at the small Salzberg Airport.
The views from the train on the way to Amstetten revealed Christmas card views of Austrian villas deeply covered in snow. My wellies were going to be useful (good, as they were very heavy) Darkness had fallen when I was met by my friend and her father and driven a further 15 miles (you can work it out in kilometres) where we stayed at her isolated parents home high up in the mountains. They laughed at me for calling it high up, as when daylight arrived the next morning, I could see why; there was much more up and up.
to be continued ………..
Carol, the European traveller