‘There are no kangaroos in Austria’ is the joke that seems to circulate such a similar sounding country to our own yet the vast similarities are almost non existent.
Drinking mouthwatering bier amongst cornfields listening and dancing to a live local band with local Austrian girls all the while Eddie and I were wearing lederhosens that Eddie’s Oma was more than generous enough to buy us. Legally driving 160km/h along some stretches of highway to and from the university town of Graz with its copper roofed chapels now green from old age. Rides in the local fire truck to the local firefighting training school as well as a home visit from the ambulance and police of an accidental fall. Buschenschanks, beer breweries, homemade peach schnapps, homemade strawberry jaw, lunches, or rather 2pm feasts, that were so filling that dinner became almost a redundant meal. Cultural foods such as pork ear, apfel strudel, leberkaese and wienerschnitzel just to name a few, put a smile on our bellies. We are now at least five kilograms and Perksy’s torso face has an even bigger grin. A visit to Velden to see where the rich Germans holiday with view of tonnes of the nicest cars roaring around. Men and milfs walking with a rich scent of mahogany and swag. On the return a stop off to the seasonal snowy hills of Klippitztörl giving me a chairlift fix. Coffees in Liebnitz, wakeboarding, drinking Hugo’s on scorching afternoons, swimming in the river, swimming in the lake located three steps from the back door. All of this plus more was our experience in Austria.
We arrived by train to Graz from
Venice where Andreas was kind enough to pick us up and take us to his home in Sajach, a short ten minute drive from Liebnitz main town. It was this house, with it’s own private lake, we’re Sabine (Eddie’s aunty / Horst’s sister) greeted us with open arms as well as a friendly introduction to Eddie’s cousin Sebastian. We walked along the adjoining balcony to Oma and Opa, Eddie’s grandparents (Horst’s parents). They hugged Eddie with the belief they were hugging their own son as they said how much Eddie was looking like Horst. Of course these introductions and the new citings of the cornfields we drive past and the houses we saw were nothing new to Eddie as he has visited Sajach on many occasion. And although it was only my first time meeting Sabine, Andreas, Sebby, Beatrice and Carina, I was instantaneously treated like I was part of the family. Eddie and I got our own bedrooms. I know it sounds like a petit thing but I kid you not, the excitement of having the option to sit on a double bed and close the door for privacy is a luxury we have not had in six weeks when we left home.
In twelve days we were able to experience the aforementioned list as well as met the brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews along with their boyfriends. Horst’s brother and sisters (and their partners); Sabine (Andreas), Harry (Utteh), Pika (Gustle), Astrid (Siggy). As well as Horst’s nieces and nephews (and their boyfriends), respective of their parents; Carina (Manny), Beatrice (Gernot), Sebastian and Stephan, Thomas, Martin and Astrid’s daughter Sabrina.
All of these people, Eddie’s family and my family for a fortnight welcomed us into their homes and withstood our non German speaking mouths filling them constantly with home cooked meals and tasty beverages.
Want to say an enormous thankyou to Sabine, Andreas and Sebastian who took time out of their lives to accommodate our every need and make us feel at home.
Also danke to Carina who tirelessly drove us around everywhere and went above and beyond to keep us entertained.
Oma and Opa, danke for your hospitality and vibrant presence putting in the hard yards to wonder over to have a chat and let loose from your local tongue to speak words of English so we can understand. That same thankyou goes to all who had the patience to translate conversations and menus for us.
Finally this would not have been at all possible if Oma and Opa didn’t have Horst as otherwise Eddie wouldn’t have been born and we wouldn’t have had such a fantastic Austrian experience.
There are hundreds of stories I would love to tell and write about however to decipher the best is impossible as all are the best but to write all would take me days on end. Instead, many of these stories won’t be heard for months or even years to arise during conversations in pubs, cafes, bbqs, future travels, etc.
Leaving Liebnitz felt like leaving Sydney again, leaving everybody behind for the time being. Can’t wait to visit again soon !
As a side note, we wish for the speedy recovery of Andreas who fell and broke his foot, now bedridden for the next ten or so weeks. He told us that he didn’t fall, he was flying. It’s just that he hasn’t yet mastered the landing. We hope you get better real soon and thanks a tonne for all the laughs. Hopefully see you in Australia next year !