A weeks coach holiday in Austria
There are links throughout this page for the places we visited and photos that I have taken. Please click and visit them if you wish.
Saturday 20th August
We started out on Saturday the 20th August at 07.00 picked up outside Cardiff Castle.
We then picked up other passengers through to Bristol and changed buses at Gordano
services just outside Bristol.
There were two coaches, one going to Switzerland and
ours going to Austria. Some from ours got on the Switzerland coach and some on that
coach got on ours. Somehow it all got sorted and off we went.
Due to heavy traffic
we did not stop until we got on the Euro Tunnel train and then moved on to a services
about an hour from Calais for the first stop. We all had a coffee and toilet stop
and then carried on to the next stop about four hours away.
We finally stopped in
Germany for the night just outside Cologne at a Great Western hotel, which to be
fair was very good with big rooms.
An early start the next day and we were on our
way by 08.00 after breakfast. This was supposed to be the short day but heavy traffic
and roadwork's in Germany made sure we did not get into St Anton until 7.00pm that
night. On the way into St Anton we drove over the incredible Alberg Pass. The views
were stunning and it was just a pity I could not stop and take photos.
I have just
had my evening meal and a couple of glasses of wine and ready for bed.
Monday 22nd
August.
Today we had a free day as the drivers had to have the day off. I wandered
around St Anton taking photos of this lovely place, (click for photos) and then went
on the cable car. I went as far up as I could to end up at the top of a mountain.
Plenty of photos taken on the way up and down and while I was there. (click for photos).
Mum could not walk far so waited for me by the hotel. The ride up and down was a
bit nerve wracking but well worth the ride. They closed down the cable car at 12.15
until 13.00 for lunch! I was just stuck up there until they started it again. But
the weather was hot and the place was beautiful. Far worse places to be stuck. Such
incredible beauty to be found up there, just like a scene from ‘The Sound of Music’.
This
afternoon I went for a swim in the lovely pool they have downstairs. I have not been
in a pool for ages, but I must go again as I enjoyed it a lot. Then a rest and coffee
and cake in the lounge. Very nice as well. Then just relax and in for a very nice
evening meal and a couple of glasses of wine.
Tuesday 23rd August.
Today we went to
the Swarovski museum near Innsbruck. This really is the most unusual place and well
worth the visit if you are near the area. Not by any means just crystal, and I have
put in a link so you can check it out. I took plenty of photos there and have put
in a link here of them. (Photos)
After the visit we drove onto Innsbruck where I had to get my camera repaired. I
had managed to drop the thing leaving the Swarovski museum. The sky filter on the
front had broken. I eventually found a camera shop and they kindly took the filter
off. Unfortunately the thread had broken as well so I could not fit another one on.
I took some photos in the city and have put the link here. (Photos)
In the evening
we went to a ‘Tyrolean’ evening of song and dance Austrian style. It was a very interesting
evening and enjoyed by all. I am writing this at 11.45 pm and getting up for the
next day at 6.45 am. Check out the link if you are interested in the photos taken
there. (Photos)
Wednesday 24th August.
Today we drove up to the town of Bregenz on
the border of Italy. From there we took a trip on Lake Constance and that was very
pretty and good value for money. Once again the sun was hot, somewhere around 33C.
It tired Mum out a lot with all the walking. After the boat trip we had over two
hours in Bregenz and to be honest that was a little to long.
On the way back the driver
took us over one of the stunning passes there are in this region and stopped take
some photos near the top. Then on to the lovely village of Lech. This has been made
famous as the place that Princess Diana used to come skiing in. Just time for some
photos and back to the hotel. I could have done with less time in Bregenz and more
in Lech for myself. I have put all the photos taken today in one folder marked Bregenz.
Click on the link to view. (photos)
In the evening the local tourist board put on
a show with the St Anton orchestra. This consisted of about forty players mainly
with wind instruments and they were very good indeed. They played for over an hour
and I took some photos (click here) and put together some video pieces. (youtube
link here)
Thursday 25th August.
Today we took our final day out to the Silveretta
pass. An area of outstanding beauty with very sharp alpine bends. Aound 40 in all.
We stopped just about at the top at a large reservoir where there was a souvenir
shop and restaurant. A really lovely place and we could quite happily have stayed
longer than the given hour. Then on to Landeck, a small town less than an hour away
for more shopping and coffee. After that back to the hotel to rest up and pack for
the journey home on Friday.
My conclusions.
Austria may not be the most beautiful country
in the world, I guess it depends on your point of view. But it is the most beautiful
that I have ever been to. Stunning view after stunning view as we drove around the
Tyrol area that we stayed in.
Real ‘chocolate box’ scenery and thoughts of the ‘Sound
of Music’ as we visited various places and gasps of wonder around the corners.
The
people are friendly and the towns are spotlessly clean. I have immensely enjoyed
this trip and this is a country that I would like to come back to again. The coach
journey is long but well worth it. We met some lovely people on the bus and it was
a pleasure to get along with them.
I have taken some videos and will put some ‘YouTube’ links in soon.
