Travels
In May '99, Buster accepted an invite to travel to Austria with a group of local trouble makers for a canyoning and rafting weekend. The pretext was to improve my German, the real reason was to teach the Germans how to drink beer. Coals to Newcastle you might think... click on the thumbnails to find out.
After
the 'five hour' drive predictably stretched well into the night,
we finally reached our destination at Unterobergurgl (try saying
that after a few beers!) where Bernd and his wife were waiting
to welcome us. A quick celebratory beer and we hit the hay ready
for a long day ahead. |
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For day
one, we hadn't planned any activities, so after a hearty mountain
breakfast, we set off to discover the Ötz valley (made famous
by the discovery of the iron-aged man preserved in glacial ice). |
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After
a short stroll, the serene atmosphere was broken by the first
snowball fight of the trip (Germany won on penalties) followed
by the new sport of 'Shoeing' and ice-wall climbing (as shown). Careful
with those hands, Claus! |
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Because
the weather was turning nasty, Bernd (our guide) cancelled the
afternoon's planned activity of climbing. When we were nestled
in front of a log fire, beer in hand, later that evening, Bernd's
scary slide show of his definition of 'climbing' made it obvious
the decision had been the right one. |
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Patrik
leads the way in the evening's sporting activities. He didn't
stay the distance (or even the full ninety minutes), though,
and spent most of the next day promising he would never drink
red wine again. So young, so much to learn. |
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We planned
canyoning for Day 2, the new sport where you throw yourself down
waterfalls protected by 3mm of neoprene. Our hosts at Faszinatour decided
it was too dangerous (two weeks later, a dozen tourists drowned
canyoning in Interlaken) but it's never too wet for rafting,
so we donned wetsuits, condom-like helmets and set off to ride
the rapids. |
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With
exceptionally high water levels, the ride rough and swift. Our
hired 'driver', without local knowledge, steered the boat over
a particularly large (house-sized) flurry, only to be told afterwards
by other guides that this was 'illegal' and stupidly dangerous.
Hey, hey! We closed the day by having a go at Faszinatour's climbing
wall, as demonstrated by Rainer. |
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Jochen
demonstrating newly-learned skills. Or maybe its a just a scarry
dopplegänger for Jochen from Bernd's brochure. I certainly
don't remember any ropes or advanced safety gear, and I was
never that pissed. |
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Our
host and master Bernd shows us how its all done on his climbing
wall. |
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'Now
I am the master'. Patrik, showing an uncanny knack for hanging
above the ground, shows up our Obiwan Kanobi. We spent hours
persuading Patrik not to give it all up and become a mountain
man. He did eventually (albeit reluctantly) come home with
us. |
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On day
three, the weather had turned even worse, so we decided to head
for home and avoid another drenching. The tourists' route took
us home via Innsbruck and Garmisch, to which I was to return
just the following
week. Here, Buster shows he hasn't lost his touch with the
dogs. |
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Buster's
attempts to blend in work to alarmingly realistic effect. This
is in Innsbruck in a sunny spell between outpours. We used
the time wisely by having beer outside. |
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Team
photo in the centre of Innsbruck. |