SALZBURG TO FAISTENAU...18 & 19th Dec

Yesterday was a great day, the kids cannot stop talking about it, they love the snow. We met Christine, Alf and Iain at the train station where the kids fuelled up on frankfurters...sadly Ross and Karin were not there. It was cold - 17 i think Alf said, you had too eat the frankfurter's fast.

I love this photo, 3 little Territorians in Austria.

We caught a bus up to the village of Faistenau, which is about a 40 minute ride. While we waited for the bus Iain and Riley chatted........Iain talked and Riley listened, and when we got on the bus he continued to talk and Riley listened, for 40 minutes..it was so cute, i can remember Riley being like that at Iain's age.

This is the house where Christine lived. Its in the stunningly beautiful village of Faistenau on the edge of the Alps. I took 275 photos ! lucky for you mob i cant put them all on here. We also videoed 30 mins worth !

This is Mia showing off her new water proofs that Christine got and i still havent paid for, i just realised....she knows where i live, i will pay you. These pants are needed because the kids spent the rest of the day literally rolling in the snow and these pants kept them dry. We headed down to a part of the village that the locals use for tobogganing, Alf stood guard watching the proceedings, i was happy to stand with him but when Mrs Sutherland tells you to do something, you do it and i found myself sitting on a cold black garbage bag full of cold snow sliding down a hill and falling off and face planting into the snow....it was fun, Alf has to do it next time.

The kids and Christine went up and down that hill, i dont know how many times. I got some great video of their tumbles. Mia and Iain laying in the snow doing snow angels made a good photo, Riley going air borne on the sled and crash landing made good video, so did the slide Christine did down the hill at a 100k's on the garbage bag and into a mound of snow.

The only draw back to going down is that you have to come back up, which is very tiring but good exercise. We all slept well last night.

Sadly Christine, Alf and Iain had to leave early but we stayed on for awhile. We had some yummy goulach in the cafe for lunch.

Then we hit the hills again. We spent the next few hours falling, face planting...i'm good at that....and walking up hills until just on dark when it really started to get cold, so we headed back to the bus stop.

It's like a postcard isnt it ? so beautiful.

While waiting for the bus i took this sunset photo.

We got back to the hotel about 6-6.30pm, tired cold but we had a great day and it was lovely to spend it with Christine, Alf and Iain. Thanks for showing us your village it was beautiful.

Today we slept in and didnt get going till around midday, it was snowing and it was great laying in bed watching it fall on the window above the bed. Walking to the bus in the snow was different but we loved it. Because of our late start and my need for waterproof pants we decided to catch the train to Freilassing in Germany, just across the border, its also where Christines aunty lives. Christine had bought the kids pants there very cheap so i figured i would be able to find the shop and get some for me. We walked around the town and into every shop and saw lots of ski pants that were cheap but they were all way too long for me so i will have to freeze ! I'll just have to wear Riley's track pants which are made from similiar stuff. It was nice in Freilassing, and by the time we got back here tonight it had stopped snowing....but i've just noticed that its started again, it was -13 today. I'm not sure what we are doing tomorrow but i think it will involve a castle ,a chair lift and ice skating, shopping in the markets and some of that hot drink Christine gave me....i dont have to drive.

Enjoy Noosa Clare....you thinking of buying that caravan park in Longreach ?

Are you still reading Suzanne ? i havent heard from you in awhile, you must be in Perth having a good time.