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Day 20 - Sun 17 Dec 06
Just had the next border inspection, so I guess we're now in Austria. I'm so glad that I paid a little extra to get a two person cabin. The cabin is identical to a three berth, so you get an extra bit of space, and the top bunk in a three only has a proper mattress for two thirds of it's length the final bit (for your feet) is just a sponge.
For the first time since I started this trip no one nearby is smoking. It's foggy in Austria as well. The train should be in by 09:30, but I'm in no real hurry. I need to find a tourist info spot to get a map, and work out what I want to see and do. My train leaves tonight at 20:30 so I've got about eleven hours in Vienna.
The train arrived spot on time, and I dumped my bag in a locker for 2 Euros. Then I got an all day metro ticket for 5 Euros and headed downtown to Stephensplatz to find the Tourist Info. I got a map, and a walking tour, so I set off doing that.
The cathedral has scaffolding all over it! I broke off from my walking tour when I found the UBahn and took that out to the Prater. This time I decided to take a spin on the wheel. It's still rather foggy so I've no idea how good the photos are going to be.
The it was back into town to find a museum - well it's getting rather cold, so a warm building seems a good idea. The queue to get into the Fine Art Museum was rather long (I guess everyone else had the same idea), so I headed back to the railway station to pick up a coach tour of the city.
The tour promptly drive me back to the Opera House, which is where I started from! The tour was good, and it kept me out of the cold, we ended up at the Shonmbrook Palace and had a whistle stop tour. The Palace was packed, as was Vienna - it's obviously the place to visit.
The tour headed back to the Opera, and I got off there and found a little Italian place just off the main drag. I stuffed my face, and then headed back up to the Railway Station. Got on board the train just before 20:00, and because there's not many people on board they are putting everyone in a single carriage.
I've got the bottom bunk of 6 (2x3) and it looks like I might have one other person, but they haven't arrived yet. I've got my sheets and blanket and my little bottle of water and it's about ten minutes before departure. This carriage isn't a patch on last nights, and I think I paid more for this one! Ah well, I better get used to European prices again.
I got out of Vienna just in time, as the train moves out the rain starts. With any luck we'll pass through that weather front overnight and Paris will be dry! Not that it matters as all I have to do is get between Est and Nord.
The stewardess has just told me that I will have a bunk mate as the train gets to Salzburg at 23:50 - so I've made up the other bunk, it will give me the chance of sleeping through. Tonight I'm feeling rather anti-social, I don't quite know why. I've shut the door and closed the blinds. Roll on Paris, and roll on Eurostar and maybe even Seat 61!
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