Day 21: Cruising down the Austrian Coutryside

Posted by Keni
07/11/2011

Well today we woke up in this little town not knowing what to do. Our hotel is really nice...so great to have our own room for once! We woke up and had the most amazing free breakfast ever. From every kind of cereal to yogurt to eggs and bacon to coffee and juice. It was incredible. We've been settling for cliff bar breakfasts so a little break from that was quite the treat. We walked over to the information tourist office across the street to see if they had any suggestions. When we got there the cute little Austrian woman was telling us how we needed to climb the mountains, but considering Kenz and i's butt and thighs still hurt like no other from our 10 hour hike, we were not about to do it again. Atleast not quite yet. So we walked around the Town for awhile trying tofigure out what our day was going to consist of. We decided maybe we should rent a car and go see he nearby waterfalls and drive to Salzburg, but just as we were about to do it, we realized the little tiny car we wanted to rent was a manual. Considering I have never touched one, and Kenz has only parked them at Sewell we thought it wasn't worth the risk of dying.

So we walked on until there we saw it...
RENT A Bike


Why not bike the Austrian countryside? Only problem was I didn't even know if my sore legs would make it on a bike ride. But our little man surprised us with a new concept...the ELECTRiC bike! He said, "easy, easy, easy...you can zip up a mountain with one of these" he then sent Kenz on a test drive and immediately she exclaimed that we have to do it! So we rented them for the day and headed off into the country on an adventure.

We decided our first stop would be to bike to the little town of Kaprun where we could see picnic by the waterfall. Once we got into the town we stopped at a super market and got picnic stuff which included a weird mix of pretzel bread, salami (these people don't ever have turkey), goat cheese, tomatoes, and a jar of pickles with 2 Austrian beers...

They even had a little mustard tube for Kenz...

We then headed to claim our picnic spot under a tree and had one of best sandwiches yet.


We then headed back on our biking trail towards the lake. To our surprise the trail was full of gorgeous houses an castles just chilling in the countryside as intense bikers flew past us cruising on our electric bikes.




On our way around the lake we came upon all sorts of mini beaches so we decided to stop at one of them and get An ice cream, enjoy a dip, and watch the locals. We took a little nap on the shore as we watched these cute little Austrian kids running around with squirt guns.

After a little while we decided to make it over to the other side of the lake and go rent a kayak. The lake is truly just amazing and clear and so smooth. We kayaked over to Zell am see to the banks of a little water park and then back over. We then proceeded to take our bikes back to the shop to our precious little man and headed out to get some more amazing Austrian food.



Tonight we got another incredible recommendation and ate dinner at Lebzelter. We've been big in trying the local food so we ordered venison roulette and veal cordon bleu. Both so good. One thing I love about this food is it has a lot of meat and the apices they use always shock me. I love it! The corton bleu was veal, ham, and cheese in a chicken fried steak style and so good. We accidentally spent way too much on dinner, but it was amazing.

We then headed over to the Grand Hotel to check out the live music.



Clearly this hotel is Grand and gorgeous. We sat out on the terrace overlooking the lake with gardens and live music and enjoyed a local wine and some apple strudel as we people watched around us.

After a successful day of an adventure we headed back to our room realizing that today was an amazing day and excited to take on Germany!

Location:Zell am See, Austria

Day 20: Zell am See, Austria

Blogged by: Kenzie

Hello there!! Today we took off for Zell am See, a little ski town in Austria. We got to the 7 am gondola from Gimmewald in order to make our train from Interlaken.

We ran into a little trouble on the train from Zurich to Innsbruck because we weren't given seat reservations when we booked our tickets- I think it's because we are using Eurail. Anyways, apparently everyone else on the train WAS given seat assignments because we spent the 4hr ride moving from seat to seat whenever someone would tap us and say we were in their seat. One time we gave up and went to the train restaurant but all the tables were taken! Felt very homeless on that train.

Got to Zell am See and walked around the town. We ate a very Austrian meal of meat and potatoes with a fried egg on top. Not going to lie- great to have some meat in our diet! Loved all the carbs in Italy but nice to have a change:) This town is right on the lake, and tomorrow we plan to rent a kayak and explore. Actually- i saw that Its 10€ to water ski and i just may be doing that. Sorry for the delay in blog posts- Gimmewald wanted to charge us 5 Frank for wifi and we decided to Internet-fast.

Go American women In the world cup!! Were def planning to watch the game on Wednesday at a pub Munich. Looked up possible ways to get to Munchengladbach to watch the game but a beer garden may have to do.

If you think of us in your prayers, will you please pray for our safety and wisdom? It's been such a blessing so far that nothing has happened that we couldn't navigate but I don't want to forget that God has been taking care of us every day and that there have been plenty of times that things could have gone wrong. Praise Him for that!! Thank you for any prayers- we are so grateful.

Miss u all!! Seriously crazy how fast this trip is going by- can't believe we only have a week and a half left.

Xoxo
-k&k






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Day 19: We accomplish big things

Blogged by Keni
07/09/2011

Well today we felt invincible! After numerous people telling us we would never make it up the treacherous hike from Gimmelwald to the "top of Europe", we ignored them and took on the challenge. Everyone said we didn't have proper equipment or enough water or the ability to do it, but we were encouraged by one sole ranger...Nick. He believed in us. Maybe it was our Chi O shirts that people doubted that a sorority girl could not do such a hike, or maybe it was ....; nonetheless we proved them all wrong. Nick told us to meet him downstairs at 8 am. So we got up bright and early, grabbed some lunch, and waited ready for the adventure. Nick took care of us...he even gave us his extra little backpack to put everything in. As we left our Mountain hostel, one guy (who was going to take the gondola to the top to see view) taunted us saying he'd see us back in 20 minutes. Well we sure proved that lazy butt wrong. We headed out to take the Schlithorn on! We had just met our friend the night before, but we quickly bonded over our numerous hour hike. He graduated from Notre Dame a couple year ago and was now working in Atlanta for GE. We pretty much got his life story plus some ransom facts thru our random question game Kenz and I enjoy playing.

We climbed from 4500 ft to 1000 ft as we filled up our water bottle in stream along the way. Nick told us to just look up the mountain and see if there were any cows pooping in the stream, an if not we were good to go. After passing a monument devoted to some lords daughter being struck by lightening and several skull and cross bones warning signs, we were almost there. The last part of it we literally had to climb a mountain peak with no trail, snow on it and a little rope to hold on to with steep cliffs on either side. we finally reached our James Bond destination and enjoyed a pricey beer in the spinning restaurant as we scarfed down a sandwich r two. The only obnoxious thing was watching all the tourist jump off the gondola and snap a pic of the incredible peaks on all sides, as we stood breathless, in pain, but accomplished!









We skipped down the mountain to our hostel and finally got back around 5 pm. The first thing we did was to cure our cravings with popcorn, pickles, and an ice cold beer. Then we put our 1 frank in to take a quick 5 min shower (our first since Wed-having some all time lows in the hygiene field). Nick had earlier informed us if you push the stop button on water to put on soap, ect...then you only needed 2 min of water and then could just stand and enjoy the small amount of water for the other 3 min. We took his advice. We then made some pasta and played Spades until about 9 when we were so exhausted we jumped into bed and fell asleep. I honestly don't think I've been to bed that early since 1997. But our bodies were so exhausted that we went straight to bed.

Location:Schlithorn, Swiss Alps

Day 18: Interlaken and Gimmwald, Switzerland

Blogged by: Kenzie

Well this morning we woke up and headed to town center to walk around and look in the shops. Interlaken is the cutest town! Dad, I got you your birthday present so get excited for July 24th. :)

We have been keeping a list of "you know youre in Europe when..." and one thing on our list is "you know you're in Europe when people around you break out in song randomly." Well, maybe were turning European because y'all would have been blown away with our rendition of "These are a Few of my Favorite Things" that we sang on out walk around town.

We headed to the coop to buy groceries for lunch and dinner. Ate a picnic lunch of turkey swiss cheese tomato sandwiches and fruit except we accidentally ate too much of our allocated dinner portion so we may be heading back to the coop this afternoon. Went back to the hostel where we watched a little CNN about the Casey Anthony deision. Honestly hadnt been following it until a few days ago when literally every single tweet had to do with people's outrage over the situation. We've been in a news bubble over here!

Kenis not feeling so swell today so we went on a scavenger hunt to find Advil because it's apparently a very rare thing over here that's only sold at very special places.

Headed to the train Station and trained it 20 min to the gondola that took us to gimmewald, a little town on the mountain where We are staying for the next few nights. GORGEOUS!! We are literally on a mountain! When we checked into the Mountain Hostel we realized that sure enough we didn't have enough food for dinner and for our hike lunch tomorrow so we hiked up 30 min to Mürren, the next town up the mountain and the closest food store. Bought some pasta and sauce and cooked dinner at the hostel. However, there's these stoves here you have to light with a match. We had no idea how to do that, so we had to get some help from other cookers.












Theres a hike here to a place called the Shilthorn. It's a revolving restaurant on the peak of the mountain where a scene from James Bond was filmed. Keni and I really want to get up to the peak because supposedly the views are beautiful. However, the cable car is $100 and every person we talk to is very discouraging to us about the hike. We are at about elevation 4500ft and the peak is at 10000ft, and no one seems to think we're up to the challenge of the climb. The hostel is full of intense hikers and I think they think we're just not up for it.

And then we met Nick. We got to telling nick how we wanted to see the Shilthorn. He told us we COULD do the hike and SHOULD do it. Well, for better or worse we've decided to get up at 7:30 for a day of climbing 5000ft. I think part of us just wants to prove everyone wrong at the hostel wrong who told us we couldn't do it! Nick's hike splits with ours 2 hrs before the summit so he's going to hike most of it with us- I don't know whether to be thankful for our new friend or to wish we had never met him. Wish us luck!

So... We decided to hurry to bed to rest up for the big hike. Watched the bachelorette on my phone (go JP!!) and then went to sleep early for our 8 am start!!



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Day 17: Adventure is our middle name

Blogged by Keni
07/07/2011

Today is the day I send Kenz out an airplane!! She and Katie woke up this morning and signed a life waver and headed on out! Me, court, Megs, and Bekah on the other hand, begun our morning quite safe by sleeping in and eating some granola.

Kenz's experience:
The one word she uses to describe it is incredible. She did back flips an spinies in the air and trusted Danny with her life... She said that she screamed the whole way down. There's just something special about free falling over the Swiss Alps.



Kenz and the man she trusted her life to



So I look around some of the places we go and see these women with white hair and backpacks on and I don't know how they do that..I'm already having to take advil for my hip/knee hiking with 30 extra lbs and I just don't know how these people do it...when I'm that old I hope I'm able to afford hotels and a rolling bag.

The two kinds of food I have been craving like none other are mexican & Chinese/thai...there's a little Thai restaurant next to our hostel that I'm trying to convince Kenz to go to, but she's uncertain about swiss thai food. My defense is we are actually closer to China/Thailand here than in America so it must be better and more authentic...need me some Pad Thai real bad! Everything here is so dang expensive...it makes you think you should be fasting cuz every time you eat you feel guilty at the amount of money you spend.

I am already planning my first day back to the states (not cuz im ready to head back any time soon...I just know what im craving) and it will include...a day at movie theatre watching all movies I've been missing/both books I've read here (the help & one day) are coming out with movies, eating a mega chipotle burrito, drinking at least 5 Dr. Peppers my first day, getting a body massage cuz my hip literally feels like it is about to break off, eating wing stop wings and those Stinkin amazig fries, a hot bubble bath, watching some SYTYCD cuz I'm missing it so bad and so sad I am not discussing my favs weekly with Lana, JDs limeade, getting a pedicure if someone will actually touch them, & hanging with my man ...I'm starting to think I better save up for that day cuz its looks like day 1 back in Texas is gunna be a little pricey!

Once Kenz got back from jumping out of things we all went to the lake. It was a little windy but absolutely gorgeous.






We chilled by the lake for a while then headed on down, ate loads of chocolate, and went in town to all the cute little stores.

For dinner we grabbed amazing Thai food at Little Thai next store to Balmers and headed back to the hostel, watched our first movie in forever, ate chili pepper fries, and played cards until we could not play anymore...

When we got back to our room, one of our roommates whose from South Africa came stumbling in drunk and made us play an intro name game as we pillow talked from the top bunks...hilarious...half way thru the conversation he goes "where am I?" Then they start questioning Kenz if she is an ice skater cuz of her AMC date party shirt. He then goes on to chat about how he is going to go across America in full Borat style. We also learn that apparently we have to go to Pag, Croatia. Apparently it is gorgeous and so cheap. Maybe next time...

Then another guy came in and we told him we were from texas and he started talking about Tennessee and started doing this little boogie dance. Then started speaking in Spanish. Most random thing ever. Somehow we ended up in rooms with all men and it is hysterical. They then went on to talk about all their insane stories and climbed the ceilings like spiderman. They were quite the dynamic Manchester duo...the other guys in our room are like 18 and they were talking about when they put shaving cream, toothpaste, warm water and colleyflower all over this poor stranger they met...a lot of weird men around these parts...Kenzie and I both spent the night with our comforters pulled very high over our heads!

Location:Switzerland

Day 16: Interlaken, Switzerland

Blogged by: Kenzie

Today we headed to Interlaken, Switzerland! Took the morning ferry to the train station and, four trains later, we arrived in this adorable town.

Gotta say- the alps are incredible. Interlaken is nestled right between 2 lakes and is surrounded by mountains. Basically takes your breath away. This country is so picturesque and adorable. Just like all the pictures I've ever seen! Seriously everywhere you look are snow capped mountains.


Everyone in this town seems to be extremely athletic. Every other store is an extreme sports shop. There's canyoning, mountain biking, etc. In fact if the weathers good tomorrow I'm going to shell over the money to go skydiving! (mom is very worried about it- says she has been praying for bad weather.)

Keni found her first European dr pepper on the trip at the coop- big moment for her. We also saw someone get carded for the first time since crossing the ocean- they crack down over here in Switzerland!



We Met up with a few hs & collage friends who are here in Switzerland, too- Becca pyle, Meagan lanier, Courtney hynick, and katie wells. Great to see familiar faces for a few days!

For dinner we went to an "international" place in town. We ate salad bars to make up for the vegetable intake we have been having- or lack thereof.

One bad note is this place is very expensive. We thought we MUST be getting more franks for dollars when we saw the 17Frank sandwiches but then found out that the opposite is true- it's actually $111 to get 100 Frank!! Quite disappointing- We may just be eating cliff bars for the next few days! Maybe burn off some of that gelato :)

Were staying at Balmers, quite the hoppin hostel here in town. No joke we were told we could get half off any drink if we wore our swimsuits at the bar. Mmmm- gonna have pass on that, thanks. The hostel has been around for ages, and it's like an old house that winds all around.





Already missing Italy's gelato, but I guess all the Swiss chocolate will have to do for now :) I think I could stay in Switzerland for a while!

As i said, I'm jumping out of an airplane over the Swiss alps tomorrow, so if these are my last words, I love you all.

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Day 15: a day in the life of George Clooney

Blogged by Keni
07/05/21011

So Kenz an I have this theory that all the good looking men seem to be boat drivers and fishermen in Italy. It never fails. My team is full of them. Looks like if we we are going to fall in love with an Italian man we'd be poor fishermen wives.

This morning we woke up and had toast and coffee with some new friends. One guy was from northern Ireland, and the girls from Canada. One Canadian told us about her horrific time in Australia with ex convicts and racist people. Quite the bad experience apparently. Nonetheless I still love the Aussies and want to visit their island. She explained her time there as the equivalent to slavery.

Today we decided to buy an all day ferry pass and go visit each of the small towns on the lake as we shop, eat, and enjoy the incredible views. This lake is just gorgeous with all these quaint towns on the cliffs surrounding it. Has a bit of a Starbucks fill with the rustic yellow and oranges covering the buildings.

First stop: the infamous Belaggio. Here we ate incredible gelatto at 11 am, had a lunch over a gorgeous view, and shopped at store after store. I managed to come away with a sun hat and necklace from Milan that I love! In one of the shops we were in a woman in broken up english said she liked my butterfly necklace and then before i could even say thank you, she had ripped up her shirt to show me her huge butterfly tattoo that covered the whole side of her body. What a shocker. We also met this little old man who worked at a shoe place who very adamantly ordered us to never touch his shoes. Some funny little guys here. We then processed to use our all day ferry pass and cruise through all the little quaint town along the Lake. We managed to cover Varenna, Menaggio, Cabenabbia, Bellagio, s. Giovanni, Villa Carlotta, Tremezzo, and Lenno. Quite a successful day. We even managed to say a little hello to George Clooney in his ridiculous lakeside mansion...


We came back to our little town and ordered take out pizza and set on our little beach scoffing it down. Somehow we both our hungry all the time here...the amount of food we can take down should be some kind of record. I get that we are probably exorcising a lot more, but i can't afford the amount of food my body is constantly hungry for. We then spent the evening playing cards on on a patio overlooking the lake enjoying good convo before calling it a night.

Goodnight Italia!
KTKC

Location:Lake Como, Italy