2015 Trip Day 27
Fantastic! Mission Accomplished! I'm so proud!
But to start at the very beginning, which, I've been told, is a very good place to start. (Apologies for the ear-worm.)
After writing my entry last night, I went out for drinks with a friend I made during my 2012 visit, and who I had not had a chance to see earlier in the trip. It was a wonderful chance to catch up, but we drove home through incredibly thick fog that made me fear I would leave the Achensee without a final look at the place, seeing only walls of white.
The fog was still there this morning, but even as I started doing a final tidy, I saw it starting to move out of the corner of my eye. I sat at the window (I wasn't dressed and it was a bit chilly on the balcony, not to mention that there are splinters that poke into my feet every time I go out on them) and watched in fascination as first light peeked through, then the sun made a fleeting appearance, and finally the fog was blown from Buchau clear over the lake into Pertisau, then over the mountains and gone.
It left behind a gorgeous, sunny, even warm day!
That decided me. After breakfast, I finished packing and then checked out, but I left my case at the hotel and headed for the ferry. I had to pay for the trip as my Erlebniscard finished yesterday, but I thought it was well worth it, particularly given the huge amount of travel I've done on the cards - I've paid for them both multiple times over!
Anyway, I got them to drop me at Seehof and from there started off on the walk back around the lake in the direction of Seespitz - the only section of the lake I had not yet walked around. (I was going to say 'circumnavigated' but I knew some bright spark would mention that I was walking rather than sailing.)
It was the perfect day for it, sunny but not too hot, and it was early enough that the path wasn't too busy so I could go at a pace I found comfortable. I was pleased with the time I was making - an hour and a half to Buchau from Seehof. Having caught the 10.15am boat from Pertisau, I was aiming to get to Seespitz for the 2pm boat, which I would have done with time to spare even if I stopped off for lunch somewhere - but it was as I arrived at Buchau that I realised I had not gone into the church at Achenkirch, which was on my list of things to do.
Luckily there is a bus-stop at Buchau so I checked the times and a bus was due in 10 mins. I caught it (it was nice to have a chance to sit down!) and it dropped me off near the church. I had exactly 7 minutes before it came back, or else I was stuck in Achenkirch for an hour and would miss the boat. Fortunately I just managed to do it (although there wasn't a church guide, which was annoying - does anyone have one?) and caught the return bus by the skin of my teeth.
I tossed up whether to get off at Buchau or to get the bus further around the lake, but I really did want to say I had completed a full circuit of the lake on foot so I got off at the same stop and then took off around the lake at my best pace. Apart from not being sure of the exact distance, it was also hard to see because by that point in the day half of the lake was in sun and the rest was in shade. I was certain I would either make it with time to spare or just miss the boat by mere moments.
Thankfully it was the former. In fact, the ferry had not even arrived at Buchau when I arrived at Seespitz. Hooray!
On board, I bought a round trip ticket and sat back to relax and enjoy the trip. It really was the perfect way to end the trip, watching the shadows extend over the lake and also watching the staff, who were finishing for the season, getting all excited about being on holidays. Waiting until the final trip, which got back to Pertisau at 4.10pm, did mean there was then a wait of almost an hour for the bus to Jenbach, and the train didn't drop me off until 6.30pm, but you know what? I don't care. I don't care because this trip has been incredible and productive and I've loved it.
Now I just have to survive the trip home...
But to start at the very beginning, which, I've been told, is a very good place to start. (Apologies for the ear-worm.)
After writing my entry last night, I went out for drinks with a friend I made during my 2012 visit, and who I had not had a chance to see earlier in the trip. It was a wonderful chance to catch up, but we drove home through incredibly thick fog that made me fear I would leave the Achensee without a final look at the place, seeing only walls of white.
The fog was still there this morning, but even as I started doing a final tidy, I saw it starting to move out of the corner of my eye. I sat at the window (I wasn't dressed and it was a bit chilly on the balcony, not to mention that there are splinters that poke into my feet every time I go out on them) and watched in fascination as first light peeked through, then the sun made a fleeting appearance, and finally the fog was blown from Buchau clear over the lake into Pertisau, then over the mountains and gone.
It left behind a gorgeous, sunny, even warm day!
That decided me. After breakfast, I finished packing and then checked out, but I left my case at the hotel and headed for the ferry. I had to pay for the trip as my Erlebniscard finished yesterday, but I thought it was well worth it, particularly given the huge amount of travel I've done on the cards - I've paid for them both multiple times over!
Anyway, I got them to drop me at Seehof and from there started off on the walk back around the lake in the direction of Seespitz - the only section of the lake I had not yet walked around. (I was going to say 'circumnavigated' but I knew some bright spark would mention that I was walking rather than sailing.)
It was the perfect day for it, sunny but not too hot, and it was early enough that the path wasn't too busy so I could go at a pace I found comfortable. I was pleased with the time I was making - an hour and a half to Buchau from Seehof. Having caught the 10.15am boat from Pertisau, I was aiming to get to Seespitz for the 2pm boat, which I would have done with time to spare even if I stopped off for lunch somewhere - but it was as I arrived at Buchau that I realised I had not gone into the church at Achenkirch, which was on my list of things to do.
Luckily there is a bus-stop at Buchau so I checked the times and a bus was due in 10 mins. I caught it (it was nice to have a chance to sit down!) and it dropped me off near the church. I had exactly 7 minutes before it came back, or else I was stuck in Achenkirch for an hour and would miss the boat. Fortunately I just managed to do it (although there wasn't a church guide, which was annoying - does anyone have one?) and caught the return bus by the skin of my teeth.
I tossed up whether to get off at Buchau or to get the bus further around the lake, but I really did want to say I had completed a full circuit of the lake on foot so I got off at the same stop and then took off around the lake at my best pace. Apart from not being sure of the exact distance, it was also hard to see because by that point in the day half of the lake was in sun and the rest was in shade. I was certain I would either make it with time to spare or just miss the boat by mere moments.
Thankfully it was the former. In fact, the ferry had not even arrived at Buchau when I arrived at Seespitz. Hooray!
On board, I bought a round trip ticket and sat back to relax and enjoy the trip. It really was the perfect way to end the trip, watching the shadows extend over the lake and also watching the staff, who were finishing for the season, getting all excited about being on holidays. Waiting until the final trip, which got back to Pertisau at 4.10pm, did mean there was then a wait of almost an hour for the bus to Jenbach, and the train didn't drop me off until 6.30pm, but you know what? I don't care. I don't care because this trip has been incredible and productive and I've loved it.
Now I just have to survive the trip home...