Tour to Austria - Croatia - Albania - Greece and Turkey

1. Germany

Good bye Ottenbach: 24. to 26. 4. 09

After 9 month of not using our vehicle we needed few days of getting used to everything. We had at my brothers place at the farm „Lindenhof“ the ideal place to do so. And at the same time the perhaps most beautiful landscape in the region. A quite and peaceful place. Exactly what we needed in front of our start.

Surprisingly both of us had mixed feelings. Not because of exitement of this long journey but Rita had still the feeling of having important things forgotten and I was not sure if the decision to start with my back problem was the right one (dispite the recommendation of my physician.

But already after few hours we both felt great and we had the feeling of having made the right decision. I believe this start will positively contribute to the healing process of my back.

Munich: 28. to 30. 4. 09

Visit of our daugther Jeanette:

Unfortunately we discovered a problem in the motorhome right at this weekend. Because of the frost in this winter the armature in the bathroom broke and we had a leakage. We could organise spare parts and solve the problem.

Esslingen wouldn´t want to leave us. On the way to Munich I entered the Autobahn in the wrong direction and made some 25km exttra (but what is this considering the 10.000km to come.

In Munich our daugther Jeanette organised a beautiful parking place in the garden of a „micro brewery“ with the name:

„Brauereistüberl der Forschungsbrauerei“

Unterhachinger Strasse 76

81737 München

Tel.: +49 89 670 1169

Owner: Stefan Jakob

Herrsching Ammersee: 1. to 3. 5. 09

Visit of our friends Annette & Georg Baumann:

It made us really happy that our friends Annette and Georg Baumann spontanously agreed to say good bye to us in Herrsching. Both came down from Amberg to their weekend palce in Herrsching. And we really enjoyed this beautiful place at the lake side. A parking place in the garden near the lake. This first journey really starts fantastic.

For me this easy and relaxing time with friends is the best I can do for my back problem. 

Route in Germany: Esslingen to Munich

4. to 6. Mai 2009: Herrsching to Graz (Edelsgrub) - visit of Irene und Kurt

Irene discribed in details the way to here house in Edelsburg. It surprised me a bit since they knew we have a good GPS system. Further Irene requested us to phone them as soon we would leave the motorway in Graz. I answered somewhat surprised that we intend to travel throughout the world and that we definitely will find their house in the surroundings of Graz.

Reality was different. We couldn´t find Edelsgrub 225. Event asking a postman didn´t help. So frustrated we phoned Kurt und within minutes he came and picked us up.

We than understood why. They live really in the woods with tremendous small roads and absolutely no signs. Something for experienced pathfinders - but an absolutely calm and relaxing place. We experienced few wonderful days and we can only say Irene and Kurt your hospitality is overwhelming - many thanks for all this and as soon as your mobile home is ready we are looking forward seeing somewhere on our tour. We would really be most happy to travel for some time together with you

Tour Munich to Graz

Austria: Bad Gleichenberg on 6. Mai 2009 together with Mr. & Mrs. Pfaller

Between horses and a chapelle by chasing moskitos (2 had to die) we spent the night near STRADEN . The plan is to visit the famous bath Bad Gleicheberg. A historical place since the „K&K - monarchie“. 

Unfortunately repair work forced a closure. But since we have nothing but time we spent the day to visit the small town and to receive the visit of Mr. & Mrs. Pfaller. Both came from Vienna and showed us a beautifull „Buschenschank“ (small restaurant which is only 2x 1month open per year and sells own products). We had excellent wine and good food and a fantastic view over South Steiermark.

The evening we finalised with a beautiful night stroll.

Rita went to the local swimming club and had one length at 18°C (grrrrrrrrr........) but very proud.

Austria - Bad Radkersburg: 9. and 10. Mai 2009

Since yesterday we are in Radkersburg in Austria (Steiermark) at the border to Slovenia. We use a camping place (against our normal princip) which belong to the Thermal Bath and which offer interesting packages in connection of using the bath. The place is very quite and we have only few walking minutes to the bath.

This is one of the leading thermal bath in Austria. The water is supposed to offer healing especialiy to spine and knee / elbow problems. The water comes from more than 1.000m depth with a temperature of 70°C. It is cooled down to 38°C in the bath area. 

We spent hours in this relaxing water (until we are soft boilt).

Besides the small town Radkersburg is very pittoresk and cosy. It has an old center from the middle age and in total only 1.400 inhabitants. Whereas 5 - 600 years ago it had 40.000 people and was an important town on the trading route to Turkey (also our tour).

After the first world war Radkersburg got devided: one part (North of the river Mur) to Austria and the other part (South of river) to Slovenia.

Today we realised that our daily routine has changed: everything is one hour later and everything takes somewhat longer. We are on the right way. We start getting relaxed!!!

Today the sommer started - suddenly. We have 28°C - short trouser weather.

Bathing - Sauna - Siesta. Our daily life. It couldn´t be better.

Dinner we ate at the „Emperor of Austria“. Rudi had fish and Rita venisson. Both not matching the emperors name. With the summer the moskitos started their attack. Rita had 5 immense bites with swollen arm - we have to get used to this in our new live.

After 5 days here we know now eveything in every detail. Time to say good bye. Tomorrow we start to Slovenia. We will visit the next Thermal Bath in Moravske Toplice (about 20km from here). Very known for their healthy dark water (with petroleum content).

11. Mai 2009: Bad Radkersburg

A story from the camping place life:

Normally we do not use camping places - but here was no choice. Sometimes camp sites offer episodes like a movie:

Today a real monster motorhome based on a Mercedes Actros 400 HP truck with 10m length, 2,5m width and 3,8m hight visitied the camp ground. It was not easy to find a place so finally he decided to park in a galley - just in front of a hut of 2 old ladies (both around 80?) 

The monster motorhome owners possessed also to „monster dogs“ (German dogge - each the size of a calf).  As soon the motorhome parked the 2 dogs were out and „marked“

their new terrain - right in front of the ladies.

Of course the two started shouting and lamenting. The war began. The ladies tried to find supporters (also us). The two „monster truck owners“ also tried to find supports (also us) - we thought we are in the German Bundestag.

Of course we as foreigners we will not interfere in „Inner - Austrian politics“.

In the meantime a cease fire was arranged - with the help of the camping place manager.

The „monster truck owner“ built a fence with benches around his motorhome (the fence had not even half the hight of the dogs). 

The whole thing looked like „Alcatraz“.

The ladies instantly hoped that the dogs would not „lay mines“ around their terrain.

Since we leave we cannot report if the cease fire remained stable.

Tour from Graz to Bad Radkersburg

Cintinuation please refer: Slovenia / Croatia