Ausfahrting Austria – Random Bits and Bobs

As we have now left Austria and since we were there for 3 weeks I wanted to share a few random bits about things that happened, how we felt and stuff we saw that was funny or interesting to us…





E1.61 for a bunch of banana!

It was and still is a difficult task keeping Noah safe being surrounding by such tempting things as unchildproofed sockets, pools and lakes that aren’t fenced, steep declines from the side of slippery gravelled paths in the woods (he’s fallen over heaps of times – had a huge splinter in his hand, fallen face first into a bunch of stinging nettles which caused his face to go red with white welts, and not long after that he was bitten by something and his finger swelled up), balconies with chairs that can be pushed about and climbed on, stairs everywhere and no gates, really high climbing frames at parks where I can’t reach him, and the list goes on!  Milly has been sick in the car a couple of times.  I’m never sure whether to give her a Kwells or not.  I don’t want to give it to her everyday.  We never know whether the route we are taking is winding and steep or flat and easy, even if it’s only meant to take 20 minutes.  And we’ve run out of sick bags and I can’t find any more!

Not knowing where to buy things.  There are heaps of supermarkets but some sell this but not that and others sell that but not this and some just have a huge mish mash of stuff.  If the kids need a hat or bathers or shoes or socks I don’t know where to go.  Or if the places I have found are where you’d normally go, or are there better places, cheaper places???  There are loads of bakeries but some sell rye bread and others don’t and I can’t seem to find a butcher anywhere.  We were worried about buying salad and vegies for the first couple of weeks because of the E.Coli but then started buying some salads, only stuff from Austria and washing them really well, so the food situation is improving!  On the upside of the food situation, food in Austria was really cheap!  I can buy absolutely loads of bananas!!!  If we eat nothing else we can make banana cake, banana bread, banana splits, banana muffins, banana’s in pyjamas, banana on toast, banana in cereal, banana soup? (maybe not!)

Things I miss:

Checkout chicks putting your shopping into bags; Uncle Tobys Oat Sachets for breakfast; Arnotts Milk Arrowroot (they don’t melt when you dip them in tea); Old Gold Dark Chocolate; Being able to speak to people; Eating salad without worrying we’re going to get sick and die; Huggies Nappies; Fly screens (there are so many bugs and midgies and flies here – not to mention WASPS!); Wireless internet that works ALL the time; My gym membership and classes and having a routine; A toaster, a kettle and a microwave; Speed limits on motorways; A wardrobe; Family and friends (and babysitters!).

Health and Safety – Was Ist Das??

It doesn’t exist!  We took the kids to another awesome playground right by a raging torrent of a river, kids running about everywhere, but no fence?   There are no signs around water to tell you how deep the water is, or not to dive, or any lifeguard in sight.  The Englishman who ran the B&B we stayed in told us that not long ago a loose boulder had to be removed from a cliff face above a road.  The only way they could figure out how to do it was hoist a guy in a bobcat up with a crane to chip away at this rock until it was ready to be brought down. The good thing was they closed ‘half’ the road below!  Keeping in mind the roads are only about 4 metres wide anyway!  Reminds me of living in Ireland actually….

Random Old People – just standing at the side of roads.  An old lady, a proper Babushka, complete with head scarf and traditional farmers wife attire, just standing at the side of a country road muttering angrily and waving her arms at passing traffic.  Another time, an old man leaning on a zimmer frame, waiting at the side of a busy road presumably wanting to cross.  Funny thing was there was forest on his side and sheer drop on the other side so God only knows where he’d come from and where he was going to!  There were others, but I can’t remember them all now…

Nudie Sunbather – At Natterersee Camping site.  Right in the middle of a popular section for families, with an open book covering his bits.  Charming.

Amelia’s Private Info – As we were enjoying dinner with a view of the sunbathed mountains at Niederau, just as the waiter approached our table to ask if we’d like more drinks, Amelia exclaimed ‘My gyna hurts!’  We hastened an embarrassed glance at the waiter to see if he’d understood.  He hurried away, to silent giggling from us!  And then we gave Amelia a lesson on things that you only say in private!

Tchuss, Meya, Tchuss! – this is a goodbye greeting in Austria meaning see you later…the way it’s said is very sing songy, and sounds like ‘juice’!  Every night for the past two weeks Amelia and Noah exchange tchuss’s at bedtime.  We can hear them calling ‘Tchuss, Meya, Tchuss!’ and ‘Night night, Noah, Tchuss!’  Very cute.

No time off school – we have found out that in Germany and Austria you need special permission to take your kids out of school outside of school holidays.  Kids are only allowed 5 days off from the school schedule other than school holidays otherwise the authorities come down on the school.  A lady we met at the Sportcamp place told us that there are policeman at airports near school holiday times scouting for kids that are meant to be at school and if you don’t have the appropriate paperwork and permission you are in big trouble!  It seems the Germans are VERY STRICT!

At Sportcamp – every morning at 10.30am there would be an announcement over the loudspeaker calling all the children to ride the train.  Of course it was in German, and for those of us who don’t speak it, it sounded eerily like a scene from Schindlers List or similar!  Funny but not, if you know what I mean…

Awesome playgrounds and facilities for kids – I know I keep going on about it, but they really are brilliant, even with the ‘health and safety – was ist das?’ issue.  And everything is so clean and well kept.  We’ll miss them as much as the kids, as it kept them entertained for ages!

This is all a bit late.  I started writing this a couple of weeks ago but never got to post it.  So here it is now better late than never.  And apologies for the continuation of the ‘fahrting’ joke.  I’m afraid it cannot be ignored!  You know me!  Tchuss…



FUN, MUMMY, YAAAAYYYY!!