Mountain Mama

The train from Munich to Bad Gastein took about 3 1/2 hours, but oh was it gorgeous. Well, the last hour was. As soon as we passed Salzburg and crossed into the Alps, the scenery was breathtaking! As the train climbed higher into the mountains, I saw more and more chalets nestled among roiling rivers and bright green Alpine meadows! I was so excited! I really do love the mountains! The train tracks were often built right into the side of the mountain!! If I looked out one side, there was nothing but mountain, the dark rock just inches from the window!! If I looked out the other side, there was a vertical drop with the valley well below! It reminded me of those old movies where the steam engine would circle around the paper mache mountain! So, after an hour of gawking out the window, the train pulled into the Bad Gastein train station! As I walked out into the crisp mountain air, The snow capped peaks encircled me! It did not matter which way I turned, or where I looked! They were all around!! Wow! I`m very happy that I chose to spend a few days here! So, I found my hostel without any trouble and checked in!! And yes!! I have a private room with my own shower!! Yeaaaaaaaa! I put my bags in my room and went for a walk. There are tons of great shops and the Thermal baths are right there!! But, it is a sleepy Austrian village, so most were closed. No matter! I will be here for at least a few days!

So, after my invigorating walk, I headed back to the hostel to grab a bite to eat. I ended up spending the entire evening drinking a lot of red wine and some austrian shots of nastiness. Oh they were terrible! Yes... I was very, very, very drunk and did not stumble back to my room until around 1 am. Oh dear....

I woke up at about 7 am this morning to the lovely racket of construction. And my head was throbbing and still spinning. I was still drunk and exhausted from not enough sleep. I don`t like to be drunk. I don`t know how alcoholics do it?!? I dragged my tired ass outside and walked to the store. I needed to buy some water, and since I was still drunk, I apparently needed more Mozart Balls, some kind of strange cookie (?? haven`t tried them yet), and a package of organic Fair trade coffee to take back to the US. Whatever! It amused me at the time. I went back to the hostel just in time for breakfast!

As the day wore on, my headache worsened and all of my plans for the day went right out the window! And it rained for a good portion of the day, so I couldn`t go hiking anyway! Oh! When I woke up this morning and looked out the window, my jaw hit the floor! I have a balcony outside my room with a view of the mountain! I looked out the window and was confronted with clouds!! I am so high up that I could nearly touch the heavy rain clouds!! It was unbelievable!! Even in my stupor, I was amazed and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the clouds slowly dissipate. It almost looked as if the mountains were smoking!! The movement of the clouds gave the mountain life. I imagined the jagged, snow capped peak jutting out above the cloud line!! I love it!! I want to go skinny dipping in a clear Alpine lake after a picnic of weiners and strudl! I want to find a hot Austrian Alpie and have sex on the mountain! It`s very Ron Burgundy of me! Do you have a visual yet? What for it.... yeaaaaa.

Any-hoo.... I`ve had a very relaxing day! Except for the headache. Tomorrow should be fabulous!! I`m planning of walking down the mountain some to the main part of town. I want to explore the village! And, there is a waterfall that runs right through the town!!! Houses and building are built right next to it! The Europeans love to build things in water!! And good for them! It gives me something to take pictures of! Then, time and weather permitting, I`m going to take a hike up the mountain towards the peak! This Swedish guy I met said he would go with me. Hmmmm.... he`s not Austrian, but he could be my Mountain Man and I`ll be his Mountain Mama!! :)I`m going to be here at least 3 nights, and maybe 4! As long as the weather clears, I`m going to go Paragliding over the Austrian Alps!! And it`s a high flight!! How awesome is that??!!?? I may also go rafting, but I`m not sure!! Oh, it`s going to ROCK!!

Well, I`m off to nurse my hangover! I`ll write all about my adventures tomorrow!!