The Alps

So on the 26th, we set off for the Austrian Alps with another family: Uli, Alenka and Thomas. They, all three, turned out to be real treats!

We arrived at the mountains in pretty good time to snow! It was great! They stay at this "guesthouse" every year, for many years now, and with many of the same people. I met many new families, all of which were very amiable. There was a Dutch family that I got on with very well because they spoke almost perfect English. Anyway, the house is a big house with lots of rooms and a common dining room. The food was amazing and you just went in and ordered any drinks you wanted. I think I had more schnapps on that trip than I will have again in my entire life. There was lots of hot chocolate and beer that was drank as well.

The slopes were much different than I was used to because the mountain was much smaller [in width] than Mammoth. We spent the first lunch talking about the differences. The first day was pretty silly. I don't think I have ever been waited for so much in my life. I felt bad but I realized how much I appreciate my own equipment and how much I rely on my knowledge of Mammoth. It was an experience. The second day was MUCH better. The weather was perfect, the snow was great and the company could hardly have been improved upon. But, all good things end and I, by my own fault, ended up falling and bruising my tailbone. It was awful. I couldn't even laugh. So, needless to say Julia and I, very slowly, made our way back to the house a little early. The third day I didn't want to risk it, so I stayed back and read while the rest of them skied and snowboarded. The fourth day, and our last, I decided to brave it again because my butt was feeling better. But this turned out to be fatal and ended with me and Julia climbing up the slope and taking the chairlift down to the mid-chalet-type restaurant. We had some lunch and then Eva walked down the long way with me.

Every night we hung out for many hours in the dining room. It was very fun. We played lots of card games and chatted. I had many good conversations and a great number of laughs. One night in particular was hilarious. We, being Uli, Alenka, Martin, Julia, Thomas and I played speed UNO. It was one of the funniest things I have seen. There were lots of rules and if you violated one you had to take a card so everyone was trying to give everyone else cards. I was dying laughing. And the best part was at the end of every game, when someone got UNO there was a resouding "Scheisse" every time, without fail.

So when the 30th finally rolled around Thomas, David, Julia and I left for Stuttgart. We stopped for dinner at a restaurant with delicious schnitzel and Julia reassured me that she now definitely knows the difference between a castle and a palace. After that I fell asleep and awoke much closer to our destination.

The trip was serious fun. I think it gave our family ski trips a run for their money in laughs had. Photos will be uploaded at a later time because they will not cooperate right now.