New Links

Hello all! Am going to post the prizes as my next task today! I think you'll love them (btw, Kath, have you, well Matt, but anyway, still got Spinal Tap?? And who else out there has our dvds? Would be nice if they slowly made their way back home really!)

But i've just received two fantastic links, are now in the fun stuff category. The first, the Uncyclopedia (Click Here) is very very funny, is set on the Tasmania category, worth looking at John Howard too, and everything else really! And just for fun, here's Austria

The second is the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, a contest to write the worst opening lines for a book.... VERY VERY funny! Click here for that!

There you go! Look at them for procrastination! Have a good laugh! Gotta go and post some prizes now! (they're in the mail!!!)

And we almost have winners!

OK you've been given clues now!

Nacktschnecke - naked snail (think about it susan, and you'll get the exact word meaning!)

Dudelsack - The Goodies and the Dudelsackspinne... Yeah good one mum, they're going to understand that!! Good scottish tune, that's a bit more like it!

I'm still waiting fof the actual words to be said!

Off to Vienna on thursday!

Bumper sticker

Here's a bumper sticker I thought was kinda cool (saw it one tv) but then it got me thinking about why jesus was perfect, and i decided it wasn't so cool, but still good:

Next time you think you're perfect, try walking on water.

And I've finally realised what I don't like about the expression 'people being found' as in turning to christianity. Came to me in the shower. It implies no one, especially God, knew they were there, and it was God that did the work and found them. Really its the complete opposite, he knows everyone's there, and they find him. Perhaps the question 'did anyway find' is a better one... Anyway, that's my d and m for the month! REad on good people...

Random musings!

Well hello again! I thought it was about time you got just a random blog about the life and times and state of living in Austria! First of all I’d just like to state that this seems to be a country of many long lasting things… First it was the everlasting winter, then the multiplicities of strawberries, followed by the neverending (but sadly now ended) apricots. The latest in this list of holder ons in Austria is that of the Saturday morning (or indeed, any day of the week, and any time) lawn mower… I don’t know hoe many lawns they have here, but there certainly must be something in the soil to make them need so much mowing…

We’ve had summer… It seems official, but there were three days of sunny blue warm loveliness, and we’re back to the grey skies (although today it is not cold, I’m only wearing two layers…).. I fare ye well summer… Actually, still suffering from weather jet lag or something, so really all the rain now seems fine to me, it’ll be the snow at winter and new years (haha) that’ll get to me… I’ll prolly leave here, it’ll be -30°C get to Australia for 30°C temps!

Bibi has had a cold/flu thing for the past week, I’ve avoided it, despite spending inuman amounts of time watching trashy tv with her… Worst was a talk show, they’ve got millions of Oprahs and Dr Phils (including one really popular one where the guy is orange), with a 30 year old man, still lives with his parents.. Ok, that’s not SOOO terrible, but it got worse. This man’s mother was on the hunt for a girlfriend for him, he didn’t want one (the moderator lady’s decision was he had made himself neutral on women and men)… Ok, so far, bearable… It got worse. This man’s poor father sleeps on the couch because his son sleeps in the same bed as his mother, because (according to her) he ‘needs his mother’. Now at this stage I was thinking, can this scenario really get any worse? It then came out, when the mother was saying how her son is really lovely, not bad looking (if one goes for the spends 23.9 hours a day in front of computer in a cellar look) and divulged that his body wasn’t bad, which se knows from washing his back when he bathes…. I at this stage got a little weirded out and went on a food search…. That is strange right? It’s not just me?

Well anyway, enough about strange German men (ruth, are you sure I should be looking for sven here?) Last night my body decided to do its camp ‘hey lets be really hungry, and be the rubbish bin for everyone’s leftovers’ thing. The one catch was that it wasn’t camp, and ruth wasn’t around with half a plate of spag bol for me to finish, followed by half a carton of left over custard with tinned fruit… Instead, after eating 2 rather large bowls of salad and some chocolate, I moved on to greener pastures (well actually I moved from greener to whiter, but that’s not really the point at this stage!) I moved onto the toast. Now Imo K can also verify this, the toast here is weird. They buy bread specifically for toasting. This means it has no ends, is already slightly dry, and is almost always white. It takes practice to spread butter on it when it’s toasted without tearing massive holes all the time… I ate 5 pieces of this, with delicious strawberry (and rhubarb) jam (and one piece with milka choccie spread), then moved on to cheese and walnuts by the fire, while thinking (and saying) what a beautiful fire it was for marshmallow toasting (which they don’t do here, although apparently marshmallows are a lot rarer and different…)… I could have kept on eating, but there was unfortunatle nothing else that I really wanted (could have kept going wit hteh toast, but was a little toasted out, after the 4 pieces I’d eaten for brekkie)… and it was bed time… My host mother thought this was because it was a full moon (everything at the moment is blamed on the full moon) but I think it was because it was my ‘hungry time of the month’ (sorry, too much information? I could complain about the lack of range in feminine hygene products too, but don’t really want everyone to stop reading my blog for ever and ever!) Anyway, moving on now!

I have a word of warning for all you people out there at schools with your own laptops… DON’T GET ATTACHED TO YOUR LAPTOP! I don’t mean like Adrian Mole and the model plane (just read that this afternoon), but emotionally attached… This is a very sad confession, but I miss my laptop! I think it’s actually missing unlimited internet, having everything organised just for me, the games (donkey kong especially), and just the general aura of my own special workspace. Sad I know… But after 6 years, I think there is bound to be a little pain at our first parting…

Well I think that’s all really, will go read my emails (and I know I have about a million! Hooray!) and se if I should add anything, then post this once and for all!

Btw, saw Mr and Mrs Smith last week, wasn’t expecting much, so I really enjoyed it! Good action sequence at the end, fairly predictable, but good for a rainy afternoon! There is a strange movie routine here though, you don’t pay more for adult or student or pensioner or whatever. There are two costs, the first 4 rows (dad, you’d like this) are the cheapest, then the rest is about €1.50 more. You choose your seat (or they ask, is this one ok) and you go and sit in your numbered seat… Different cinemas have different cheap days, although Cineplexx is Monday Tuesday and Wednesday for €5.50 (about $8.50) which is rather good! Confusing system though!

And, coolest german words so far: Nacktschnecke (pronounced: knacked shneka) and Dudelsack (doodle sack). The first person to tell me in a comment what they mean will win a prize... of sorts... and yes you may guess, they don't mean anything rude, particularly obscure (not medical or anything)

Snow!

I hear it'S been snowing down there! I think the tassie normal winter has come to austrian summer too, about 14°C for the past few days, lots of rain.... I want photos though! Typical that the snow would go to hobart when i'm away!! Typisch!

Prague Prague Prague Prague!

I’m BAAACK!!! Had a fantastic time in Prague, is a beautiful city, everyone should visit it sometime – MILLIONS of tourists, but still very cool and old and pretty and all that stuff! Was strange travelling with a nearly 2 year old, not in a bad way, just different (oh dear, that doesn’t sound clichéd or anything! Hey look, Word puts in the little French symbols over cliché and cliché and cliché!! TeeHee!) Anyway, back to the future… Well not really… Btw, saw Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure in German last week Susan, just as funny! Also saw a Monty Python (or at least by the Monty Python people) yesterday, ummm… Time ______ about dwarves… Missed the beginning, so not entirely sure what it was about really….

Anyway, Prague! Got up unnaturally early to catch the first train into LInz, the train was at 5:30, so lets leave it at that, I don’t think the time I got up actually exists… Got on the train, choo-chooed to Prague, were met there by our host for the stay (have NO idea how to spell her name, may look in up when I get to my emails) and caught the tram to her home. Basically this lady was a contact of Michaela’s flute teacher, who has 3 rooms downstairs in her house for guests, who are referred to her. She kept telling me I had to come back with my friends! Was very friendly and helpful, a little over helpful in many ways (explained to us EVERY step of the journey by tram, bus or underground to get into the heart of Prague, made it all sound very scary, reall isn’t!) but was good to have a local to really help! Her house was very much as I’d expected for ‘Eastern Europe’, as was the neighbourhood – watch an old film set in the Cold War era in Eastern Europe, and it all looks very similar today stil (but better living conditions). She was telling us what some of the tram stop names meant in English (all stops here have names, even the buses, not just numbers like in Tassie) and I was interested to note that a few of them had names like Our Trainstation, Our Hospital etc. I wonder if this is a Communist, everything belongs to everyone legacy (btw just read Animal Farm (George Orwell) last night, very good, worth reading, all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others…)

We spent that afternoon in Prague, with our guide showing us some of the important parts in Old Town, a funny clock where all the apostles come out on the hour (it also has the date and other stuff), a cool church, St Tyn’s I think (although I bit too much gold for my liking!), of course St George’s bridge (the bridge in Mission Impossible, that whatshisface ‘dies’ off (saw that a few nights ago too, got very excited that I could recognise things!) and just the general coolness of it all. Theres’s so much amazingly interesting history here, the Europeans just don’t understand what it’s like for those of us who come from somewhere that was colonised for the bad guys only 200 odd years ago. There are buildings here that were built a thousand years ago, that are still in use – I would LOVE to be able to see all the interesting things these buildings have seen!

The most stressful part of that day was probably buying dinner. Macdonalds (Rose was getting DESPERATE, it was fast, there and we could take it back to eat from home watching tv). Nothing against there all new healthy menu, but it’s so hard to order in a foreign language!! I wanted dressing for my salad, but when they asked I had no idea how to ask for the one I wanted… Plus I think I got the trainee… Eeek! Anyway… got there in the end...!

Next day we wanted to see the Prague castle, but set off a bit too late, and there was a massive queue for tickets, so instead we went on a wander through the Old City again, looking out for nice souvenirs on the way. Bought a few things here and there (I got a very cute TINY glas dragon wearing a top hat…) and dinner and generally just soaked in the atmosphere! I wanted to see the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments (don’t ask me why, it fascinates me that people could actually have thought up some of those instruments…) but Michaela wasn’t too keen….!! That’s ok, we saw lots of other things instead!

Prague Castle therefore was the next day, and we got there fairly early, and there was no sign of the massive queues of people (we think they were actually there for something different). The castle is great though. We spent I think 5 hours looking around at all the things our tickets would let us see, from the ultra touristy (but understandably tourist filled – is massive, beautiful and gold plated) St Vitus’ Cathedral to a prison (wasn’t very interesting, I reckon there are prolly far more interesting ones under the castle, was very small) to (my favourite part) a display of different suits of armour. There was a very cool one, would have suited someone in Lord of the Rings I reckon, the helmet was like a bird or something, with a big pointy nose/face… Scary really! There were also weapons, from spears to those spiky balls on chain on a stick and a torture cahmber display… All very interesting…! This was in this really cute little lane, shops built into the fortification wall (the armour was in the soldiers guarding part, above the shops, I reckon it must be SOOOOO cold in winter there!), and although Lonely Planet though Golden Lane was missable, I disagree, was very pretty – people were living there until the 1950s!!

Other interesting things in the castle were the MASSIVE ballroom in the palace (and a displays with pictures of the Defenstration of Prague!! Teehee!), St George’s chapel thing (much more churchy, fewer tourists) and the tower with between 200 and 300 steps, but an amazing view over Prague! There were other things, but you’ll just have to visit to see for yourself! The funniest was the 15 minute queue for the loos (I was busting, anyway, why do the women’s loos have massive queues and the men’s no queues – we can hold on longer!) with a lady behind me examining her map as though maybe she thought they were an attraction everyone was lining up to see… There’s also a massive display about the history of Prague, but Rose was getting a little fidgety by that stage, so we just went through quickly! She was very good generally though, hours of sitting in the backpack, not much running time (hehe, so cute when she walks or runs!) and strange eating habits (ie, Aunty Mog eying off all her food…!).

After the castle we went back down the hill (and it was was hill) I bought a wooden frog that hangs on a spring (so cute though!) and a nice poster of Prague and after going through Old Town once more, we went back to our lodgings!! The next day we got up a bit later, had brekkie, ran to Spar (supermarket, they ad Cadbury’s chocolate there! Why can’t Austrian Spar’s have Cadbury’s????) then drove to the station. Eventually got on the train, got settled, only to discover our cabin was actually reserved and there was only standing room remaining! Michaela got a seat after an hour or so, I got one after 2ish. It was fun to stand and look out the window though (between watching Rose run up nd down the corridor charming the socks off all the people in the cabins!) Got to Vienna, said bye bye Rose and Michaela, got to the other train station in Vienna (although by that time I was so confused about where I was) and got on the train to Linz, then to home… Overall it was a 7 hours in 3 trains day…. Long, but worth it!

Prague was great, was good to see Michaela and Jim (for one day in Vienna, spent in the VERY museumy Natural History Museum, I think it was in Inspector Rex once, but really a proper museum – built as one in the 19th century!) and Rose, so overall I had a good week! Anyway, going to see Mr and Mrs Smith this afternoon (I NEED to see a new movie! Wanted to see Batman Begins, but not on today!) so need to connect to the internet, check my email and of course post this!

Watched most of American Beauty last night, the voice they use for Kevin Spacey (and always use apparently) is not right! Everyone else is ok they! Also saw The Glass House on Sunday, that was fairly good and suspenseful.. Read Wuthering Heights last week, not bad, not as good as Jane Eyre (different sister I know), a bit sad, but still good! Ok! Bye now!

Downhill stretch now

Btw, (don't forget to read the longer post too) for those of you who've been telling me how much they miss me, how it feels so long until I return (wow, I feel loved!) it's the downhilll slope now - past the halfway point - was last week (ok, so not that far away, but anyway)... I'm now in a mixture of wanting to come back and not wanting to... Bit sad that I'll prolly have to miss camps (maybe one at the end, summer fun) but will get to set of fire crackers instead, and have a white christmas, so nyah nyah!

4 countries, 2 days...

But unfortunately no stamps in my passport... Silly open borders of the EU!

Well, my adventures were fun! Italy was stinking hot, Switzerland was raining and now Austria is a combination of the two!

The LONG drive on Friday, not too bad, long, but bearable, didn't get carsick, wahoo! Discovered sleep is the best prevention against that - I slept for a lot of the drive!

Arrived in Fumane in Italy, in time for lunch, ate tortellina that the rellies there cooked (just for me!). Rellies were Hannah and Hugo, Hugo is my host mother's brother. We hung round there for a while, I pulled faces at the 6 year old boy, son of the cousin of Bibi (yes, it was a little bit of a Spaceballs scenario, saw that in German by the way) then went on to our lodgings! The coolest place ever! Very cute! Fumane is about 20 minutes drive from Verona, and this was the most italian hotel you could imagine! Only one person workign there spoke English, the (rather good looking and Italian) son of the owner, so we did lots of sign language and stuff with the lovely owner! I think she loved the fact I was Australian! Bibi and I were left there, while Fritz and Magrete stayed with business important people for 2 nights in Verona, so we spent our evenings at Hugo and Hannah's, which meant ghetting fed lots of icecream!

On Saturday, we were supposed to catch the bus into Verona, but were a little unsure of how or where or how much or anything, so we asked a couple of German visitors who ewre also going to Verona (they were very nice, and I felt it was ok to ask, after praying for protection), so we got into Verona. It was about 38 degrees when we arrived, so we wandered, slowly, around, saw the Arena (the colleseum of Verona), Juliet's grave, the Romeo and Juliet balcony, and other nice old buildings (alhtough I'm starting to get a little old buildinged-outed now!). Because it was so hot we only managed about 4 hours, including lunch with Magrete and Fritz and their friends. Then we went back to the hotel, watched tv (in Italian) for a while (even the ads were funny!) then went to the rellies.

Sunday we slept in, then went for lunch at a pizza and pasta place (mmmm, gnocci) then went back for an afternoon sleep (it was just SOOOOO hot!) then back to the rellies! Did so much really! The one event was that a waitress accidently spilled an espresso in Hannah's lap, to which I think I was the only one feeling really sorry only for the waitress. I know it's not a nice thing to happen, but it does, and the poor waitress (Bibi says Maria once spilled a whole bowl of spag bol down someone, from chin to legs type of thing, I think that's far worse). Anyway, that was really the biggest thing that happened!

MOnday we packed, had breakfast, said goodbye to the laovely owner, wrote in the guestbook, drove onto Switzerland, over a whole heap of mountains! So much fun, I wanted to get out toeh car and go for a bushwalk in the mountains - just make one feel like doing outdoorsy stuff! Definately going back there! Was 30ish degrees at the bottom, 10 where we originally stopped to eat (too windy, went down a bit further). Switzerland was beautiful, reminded me of what you see of britain on tv! Lots of window boxes and flags!! Imo K is very lucky to be working there! The german is munted though.... Got to our hotel, went out for dinner (spag. cabonara... mmm!) then watched fireworks! It was the National Holiday, for liking your country type of thing, and it is legal to set off any fireworks you like here!! Looking forward to New Years now! There were so many different shows all over the place, and we had a perfect view of about 3 from our hotel window. Filmed a bit on my camera, before the battery died! Watched Dead Ringers on BBC, finally some british comedy (not the best, I'll agree, but still good for a starved girl!)....

Tuesady we had about an hour in Basel, while Fritz had a meeting, but it was raining, so we sat in a cafe for most of it. Will definately have to return to Switzerland! Drive home was fairly plain, 7 hours though. Slept a bit, listened to lots of cds, including Findet Nemo (understood most of it) and we stopped at a autobahn cafe place. Saw a few brits driving right hand drives on the autobahns... Looked kinda funny, and now I can't decide which side is the correct side! Freakiest thing was when I was (for some reason, can't remember now) listing what sports i've participated in over the years, fell asleep (or dozing) on Canoe Polo. Woke up and literally the first ting i saw was a car with 3 kayaks on the top..... Mildly weird!

So that meant I was in Italy, Switzerland and Austria, but what was the 4th country? Lichtenstein? No, not quite (we drove past thoguh)... It was Germany, because you have to drive through germany to get from one part of Austria to the other - too hilly for autobahns in that part of Austria!

Well overall it was good. Watching Hornblower and Ghostbusters in Italian was funny, as was driving around in the car of Hannah. She has a (I think) Megane cabriolet thing, which does a very cool thing wehen the lid folds up! We drove around Fuman at midnight in that, and were whistled at by Italian boys (ohlala!)... Although we think they were actually whistling at the car...

Well, must be off, have to go and buy a bag before the shop closes (is like my kathmandu blue small bag but bigger and therefore better for sightseeing), but must first decide whether I want the lilac or the red.... thik the red.... will match my new shoes!

Now I really want to go and see a movie, tempting to go and see Somersault (the aussie one, in English at one of the arthouse cinemas) but not entirely sure where it is, maybe tomorrow! Maybe I'll see Mr and Mrs Smith, or Batman Begins instead...

Hooroo then, Prague next week! Yay!

Vienna cool!

Vienna coool, recon it would be a better plaee to live than Salzburg, but I liked Salzburg more on a there for a day basis!

Going to Verona tomorrow, 6 hour drive, on autobahns, so gotta go and pack!

Mum, photos onto cd today, finally! May send them over with michalea!

Bought new trousers (not jeans, but cool!) and shoes for under €35 (about $55)... Bargain! Did new visa, have to wait 4 weeks´- they really don't want me to stay here or something! Gotta run now!

Wow, last week was fantastic!

First there was Munich, on Wednesday, which in many ways reminded me of Queensland, alhtough I'm not entirely sure how or why! We went to a really cool museum, with a whole level for puppets and marionettes, and a whole heap of old fahioned fair games - shoot Hitler for example, and a big king kong that moved when you walked past him! There was also a room of old wax bodies, for medicine, and pphotos of the 'freaky people'... Very cool! Down a couple of levels was a room with heaps of stuff from WW2, was kinda weird to be seeing it all from germany, but anyway! That was cool, there were first aid kits and food boxes and stuff, all with a little story about who owned them, how they were found, all in German! I could understand most of it!

I also bought Finding Nemo on cd (a read out story) for aural practice, because that's still my weakestz point!

Last week for 3 days was a massive street artists festival! It was amzing - I went everyday and saw heaps of people. Some I actually recognised from ZTaste of Tas (sorrry, i'm writing this very fast, don'T have time to correct!), like Leopardman, that lady on the trapeze and silky things and a few others - they came from all over the world! Said hello to most of hte Australians and New Zealanders, gave them money, nice to talk to my own kind again! Funniest were a Japanese duo... Hilarious, had my sides hurting at times! Other funny ones were Married Men, from England (one was heaps like Bill Oddie) whos' finale was to be arguing, juggling clubs between them, then the Bill Oddie one whips off the table cloth, during the argument and juggling, from under the dishes. He then also puts it back.... Very very funny! Best overall ws the fire show I saw three times, by FlameOz. Was AMAZING, I filmed bits of it on my digital camera, not brilliant, but better than just photos!

Vienna tomorrow. Verona Friday... Need new jeans and shoes (have a little toe hole in my reeboks, can live with it though and a mobile phone hole in my jeans...!!)

Gotta go!

The continuation finally!

Well I’m finally writing my update about salzburg that i promised last week, haven’t had time really, or enough enthusiasm...!!! I had to write it all in my diary, isn’t that enough? Currently the house has been reinvaded by small children, the kids from the other two sisters… They’re good at amusing themselves though, although selina doesn’t actually talk to anyone other than her mum, teacher and cousin (who’s also here)… Very strange!

Read Harry Potter on Saturday (bibi and I went halves, she gets to keep it), very good, though very different. Much more of a hanging ending than the others – nothing specific, like OWL results to wait for…. Wasn’t entirely surprised by the death, that name had crossed my mind! The end very much reminded me of Star Wars though – during the final scene by the lake with lots of people, I was completely expecting Harry’s parents and the other people who’d died to be standing behind everyone, as ghosts… Like in the celebration bit of Star Wars! Then I realised I was just thinking of Star Wars, and forgot the idea…!

I’m writing this is word, so I’m not on the internet for so long, can you tell – it’s kindly correcting all my mistakes!! Well most!

Ok, Salzburg… We met up on Tuesday morning, my second day of summer holidays (although we’ve brought the weather with us, lots of rain! And thunder and lightening – proper long loud rumbles of thunder too!) I got up at 5am to be in Salzburg by 8ish. Met Imo, who’d been there since 4am, and off we set (actually had to do the ring Imo then realise she’s just ahead of me thing, but anyway, we found each other!). It was drizzling a bit, or more mizzle really, and we walked through the city, to Altstadt, then wandered through there, bought a few postcards and started to do the tourist thing! We saw the house where Mozart was born (were going to go on to where he lived, but were a bit Mozarted out by then…), which was very interesting, I never knew he was such a freaky looking child really – MASSIVE eyes, oddly out of proportion, although it could have just been the artists style, but it was in more than one painting!

We also went to the catacombs, where various important people are buried, which were kinda cool, and we had to help a couple of Americans find their way to somewhere… Don’t know why we looked like the English speaking experts, but go asked a few times for that kinda help…! Also went into a massive cathedral, which was very nice, but so many tourists… (learnt the city normally has a population of 150 000, in tourist season, there are an additional 100 000 people…..) saw a group of people playing classical music on funny triangular guitar cross violin things (there was a tiny one and a cello sized one too…) which was very good, and we had to run off, from fear of being stuck there listening all day!

The most time was spent at the Festung Hohensalzburg (Fort Salzburg) which is this MASSIVELY GIANORMOUS castle, with city inside the walls too, ontop of a big cliff. Waas amazing! Has never been taken by force, but was handed over the Napoleon…. We went on a guided tour, with little walkie talkies telling us what we were seeing… Inside only. And outside we just wandered around and looked at everything! I reckon being a guard there can’t have been too bad a job, except for the walk up (there’s a funicular, but we walked), but it is one of the speckiest views of a city I’ve seen….!! Saw a copy of the Sound of Music video for sale, for €40, or about $65…. Went by train home, in the train station was a great group of brazilian flautists playing (and a few drums and clarinets etc…) Not sure why, but we had an hour to listen, and they were so enthusiastic!

Wednesday we just spent in Linz, Imo seeing just normal Austrian life – didn’t do any touristy stuff (except see the Danube, my school and Mariendom), just showed her the good shops, ate pizza etc etc! Outside Mariendom (or Neuer Dom) we were accosted, well stopped, by two guys from Cameroon who told us they were just interested in getting to know people and stuff on their travels.. We weren’t that keen on going with complete strangers to eat icecream (hmm, funny that) so we kinda twisted the truth and got away… I don’t like lying, but I think it was the only way with them – were very persistent, I was worried they’d offer to escort us to the train station for out ‘2:30’ train…. But they didn’t, good answer to prayers there!

Thursday was back to Salzburg, onto the Sound of Music tour. First we bought fresh apricots and bread and stuff from a market that was near where we had to meet. It had a fruit section, a vegie section, meat, bread, cheese… Etc! Was great! The tour was pretty good, maybe not as good as expected, but I think that may have been the fact we were in a tour group – can’t actually see the attraction there, nice to have someone to say what’s what, but the pressure of it is a little irritating! Was good though, we learnt lots about behind the scenes of the movie (for te record, I’ve only seen it once, so wasn’t always entirely sure of the relevant scene, but anyway!)…

We departed slightly sadly at the train, and headed off our separate ways… Will meet up again, hopefully in Switzerland next time! And that was the (condensed) meeting of Imo and Imo! It was great to talk to someone (a) in English (as a native language) and (b) who knew me, and understood all references to past events in tas and stuff! THANKS IMO!!!!!

Well I think I’ve written enough, will now connect to the internet, post this and read my emails, including a couple of exciting ones that I know are waiting for me! Will share when I have permission! On Wednesday I’m off the Munich (Germany) for the day, looking foraward a lot to that!

Well, Salzburg is FANTASTICALLY cool!

Were in Salzburg yesterday, and it is a very cool place! Spending today in Linz, doing LInzy things, basically Imo is just seeing ordainary Austrian life! Yesterday Salzburg was CHAOS though, with SOOO many tourists (many american), and we were actually assked for directions a ew times, which is funny, we were speaking English, but obviously looked like we knew what was going on! WE saw a big castle on a hill,very interesting, old and cool! Went on a guided tour of the inside (for safety reasons it was guided) but we got these little walkie talkie type things to listen to, to tell us about what we were looking at in out own language!!

Anyway... Will continue this later, trying to look at about 5 different things at once, so will have to continue this tomorrow, prolly after Imo's gone (boohoo!)... she goes at 2, so I'll get into LInz in the afternoon, will write all about our adventures together then!

Once thing though, i've gotten a good guide of my German now, I keep on accidently saying things in German to Imo... Just little things, that are automatic for me now... 'willst du mehr' was my biggest so far (do you want more?)...Is kinda weird having conversations with both her and Bibi in the room, I'll switch into German for Bibi sometimes, but then back to English - don't think anyone ever knows what languge I'm going to use next erally!

Ok, gotta go!

Red Dwarf hunt

quick one this time! Anyone have Red Dwarf on video that they want to send over to me?? My sister is coming over in a month or so, so if you got it to my paretns who then got it to her, I'm sure that could work (one video doesn't weigh that much! I was explaining it to Bib, and she really wants to see it now, doesn't have to be much, just a couple of episodes would be fine! In fact any British comedy would be nuce, on video! I'm missing my british comedy really! But Red Dwarf would be super! PLease please someone feel generous! (A really generous person would offer to make me a nice tape of episodes from lots of different programs, but really, not expecting that!! Just suggesting!)

Meetin Imo K tomorrow! Hooray!

Clarrie now home, weird that people who were overseas are now starting to go home - elise goes in a week or so...

They need to learn German here!!

Honestly! I was just in the library, wanting to know (a) how many books I could take out, and (b) how many I already have, whether I could get one more (have to return a whole heap, but forgot them today!). Went and asked the lady in good, corret german (I'm pretty sure it was correct, alhtough my 'take out' mayhave been a little wonky, but i gave her options there to choose from!) Eventually we worked out that I may take as many as I can carry, but not how many I have (which was kinda irrelevant by then, but anyway!)... I went and found a book (Jane Eyre, been wanting to read it for ages) and took it out. Here you don't get the little bits of paper unless you ask for them, so the lady just did the 'she's non-native speaker' thing and said very loudly and slowly when it's due back... Was kinda funny, but still, really, they need to learn german!! Nah, I think it wsa partly my own fault too - I think she told me I could fill my bag type of thing, which I misunderstood... but anyway! Over that now, onto my list of stuff I have to report about!

Found some very funny things on tv recently. First there was Silent Witness (unfortunatly the series I've seen about a gazillion times, so I can remember who dunnit just from the ads, why and how...) then the Midsomer Murders, sunday nights at about 10:30, but I do get them on y tv in my room (also discovered I can get about 3 other stations there, by twiddling some thingys!) so maybe when insomnia sets in... The funniest thing I have so far seen thoguh has got to be McLeod's Daughters, in Italian. Was channel surfning, came across the Italian channel, said to Bibi, hey, I've seen this, she asked me how I could have seen an Italian tv show, true, said I, maybe it's just the actress.... Onto the next channel. Next day, found it again, really was trying to work it out, then came one of those millions of paddocky horsey people in Akubra shots, and I literally yelled with surprise at seeing McLeod's Daughters, dubbed into Italian... Scary thing was that from watching it about 3 times in my entire life, I could say who died, who got cancer, who got married etc etc!!

The funniest Austrian show here is one called 'Echt Fett' which is very much like many Aussie shows (or bits of) where the people go out and make fools of themselves in public (or make the public look like fools!)... SOOOOO incredibly funny, a lot is visual! One example, man walking through lots of different settings (just a shot from each scene between other skits) wearing jockeys clothes calling 'Beauty... Beauty'. Or the man with a man dressed as a chicken who asks a random lady to look after his chicken for a short time. She just zhas to stand there and hold his hand, then the owner comes back, takes the chicken and they walk off. Or the three moutaineers going up the escalator... And so on... i'm going to see if I can find a vidoe of it to bring back, or I might be able to tape it off tv.... Just spent my mornng watching it. Was suppsed to be going to a bbq at the 'beach' (lake), but the weather is icky, so we were going to have it at school, but then the grills didn't work, so we just watched echt fett and the simpsons (in english - taped by the english teacher in america I think!) (Teeeeeheeeee! Bart and Milhouse go to a Spinal Tap concert... Didn't get to see the end, but stzill made me want to watch Spinal Tap!)

We went to Isabelles new house last week. She's another daughter in the family, married with 2 kids, who are building a new house. Ws funny, had all thewalls and everything, but no doors or windows, we ate sandwiches off a plank for lunch... The weather returning home however was crazy. The kind of driving rain you can't see 4 metres ahead in... People were driving with their hazard lights on, but we were going very slowly.... onyl 70km/hour.... ! Was strange, very patchy, parts of the road were completely dry, but then you'd hit one of these patches....

Saw a hilarious ad on some 'best ads' tv show, for a new car. Man walking his white scotty dog (or seomthing like that), gets to his new car, sees a spot of dirt on the bonnet... Looks at it for a moment, looks at the dog.... Picks up the dog, cleans spot with god, chucks dog (fairly gently) into car (who then escapes out the window at the other side)... Slogan: Man's new best friend. Maybe you have to see it, but i couldn't stop laughing for quite some time... They've also got some strange anti-smoking ads here, but a bit hard to explain, so I won't... Basically people secretly blowing party hooters in the loos, hiding them when the teacher comes, or another is a man 'smoking' his tooter at various times of the day, then throwing out the packet, then sitting by the bin smoking from that packet.... It's all about looking silly and folling the pack an stuff... I have no idea how effective they'll be, but it's a start!

I'm getting rather worried about two new fashions that have hit Austria (hopefully not, and never, in Tassie!)... Girls wearing singlet tops. with the back of their bra way above it... I don't understand that, or the other, which worries me whenever I see 10 year olds follwing it... platform shoes are coming back.... In about 30 years, there are going to be lots of 40 somethings wiht massive hip problems.....

Sorry about all the typos today, don't have enough time to fixy them, and i really can't type at all today!

In English, over the holidays (they get homework over the summer holidays... how mean is that!) we have to read Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck) (nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!) and The Loser Takes All (Graham Greene)... Alright for me, but since the English teacher has set them without reading them, i'm a little worried!! Anyway... What can I do! Just read two Jane Austen books by the way (what' going on, you ask, she's reading classic chick lit... Austen, Bronte...) Northanger Abbey (her first written book) which was alright, but made me really want to read Pride and Prejudice, which I did... It's so close to the tv series! COuld hear all the characters saying their lines and everything!! Very good read though!! Also read About a Boy, that's also very close to the movie (or should I say, the movie is very close to the book...)... Bought two books in German last week... One, Terry Pratchett, the fifth elephant (it was €3) and the other Tatsächlich... Liebe (Love Actually, also only €3)... Teehee!

Went to a horsey do on Sunday (mum's birthday, say happy birthday if you see her!) where Bib was riding. Won't explain it all, but was long, but in the sun (burn to prove that, although mine's lovely brown now... farmer's tan...) with a good book (P and P) so it was fine! Walked home afterwards, past the Reformed Church, and discovered they have a morning and evening service on sundays, but wasn't sure if the evening is a normal service (had a srange title!) so will ring up sometime this week (although where I'll find the phone number, don't ask me... Phone book... Pah, confusing as anything!) so hopefully!!!! Pray there please, is kinda scary to go by myself to a completely different church in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, in a foreign language... Is also very easy to make excuses....

Ok, have another quiz, will stick it on here sometime soon.... not quite finished...! Have to go now though, my times going to be up soon, and I have lots of things to do!

Here's a quote I found recently that I thought was good:
Jesus never called us to a fair fight. (George Otis, Jr)

Anyway, I like emails, they're fun to get.. and I like comments just as much (especially from people I didn't know read my blog! Hi Stelle! Not that the others aren't good... I'll stop now hey...!)

Salzburg, Vienna, London, Munich, Berlin, All of Austria...

Well, my list is getting longer and longer... Am going to get an Austria wide train ticket, which basically means i can go on as many train trips around Austria as I like, on just this one ticket.. is VERRY good value! Hopefully should be able to get it (keep on finding silly rules like you have to have been living in the EU for 6 months before you can buy a certain ticket... etc etc) and it'll make life sooo much easier!

Meeting Imo K in Salzburg in a couple of weeks, soooo looking forward to it!!! Can't wait to see someone from home! We'll be doing te SOund of Music tour (so Bibi isn't going to come with us to Salzburg, which i9n some ways will be nicer, but she can't stand the Sound of Music) and then Imo might come to Linz for a day or something...

We also want to go to London in August (I'm really looking forward to this, hopefully will happen, just for being in an English speaking country again...), so if anyone has rellies or friends there who'd love to have an Austrian and an Australian to stay for just a couple of days, please tell me!! I love being in Europe - it's what they do here, just go off to other parts for a few days at a time!!

Anyway, have to go, longer at some other time, I know I'm not writing as much at the moment, but not really doing much, and the stuff we do do just kinda fits in to the day and I can't be bothered!! I think it's a sign that i#m really fitting in with the famiy though!

Will tell you all about Salzburg though, and it's the 'fun' week next week (well more fun) where we do interesting stuff, and clean the class room, get reports and then HOLIDAYS!!!! two months of SUNNY WEATHER!!

A BBQ here is a big deal!

I'll tell you all about the 'grille' we had on saturday, but first, to the comments on the other post!

Alex: picked Warren Clarke, he looks almost identical to now, with fewer wrinkles! Thought that was funny! We're actually not going to finish watching it, because it doesn't work properly, but Bibi wants to see it fully as well, so we'll borrow it off someone (they don't seem to do video shops here... or something!) alhtough it'll still be in german, but better than nothing! Btw, had a very strange dream where everyone from home went weird, and you got about 10 ear piercings for each ear, looked a bit like Rimmer from Red Dwarf when he loses all his cowardice actually, including the hair... I'd just read 5th Harry Potter, with Tonks who can change her appearance at will though, think that's where it came from, because you could do that to your hair too... Can't actually remember how other people went weird though... unfortunately!

Mum: Dunno know about the Old Vienna Choir boys, will keep my ears open!

Kat: What's your new blog address?

And now the important bit, the bbq! It is a process that takes several hours! No such thing as 'hey, how about we 'grillen' these chicken wings today', instead all the food gets prepared (salad, being the weird kinda lettuce that I don't really like, but eat a lot of here, because it's absolutely coated in olive oil and vinegar, and the meat, and any grillable vegies). The bbq has to be dug out of the cellar, and assembled (just like lego actually), and then lit and then everything gets cooked while you sit and eat the salad entree... Very strange I think.... Is kinda hard to explain how they're so different to aussie bbqs, but they are! Like the sunsets which are completely different, still fantastic, but aren't as colourful (they go through stages, rather htan having every colour at once), but are much wider (maybe that's just the horizon is wider) and last for ever! Today is the longest day of the year!!

Have discovered my complete favourite cake! Erdbeer Kuchen (Strawberry cake)! Would be learning how to make it now, but started checking my emails, and writing this, and then Margrete asked me how long I'd be, said 20 minutes, and she's making it now.. but I'm sure there'll be more opportunites! The cake however is a kind of sponge base, with a yummy custardy layer and then strawberries with gelatine all over that! I'm sure I've seen them in Australia, but can't remember them being so yummy! Yesterday I ate 3.5 slices (they were FORCED upon me! Really!)...!

Oh and I#m staying here unti lthe first week in January... Just thgouth you shoudl all know! Will leave here somewhere between the 1st and 8th.. i'm thinking the 5th would be a nice date! Christmas in Europe! Hooray! And NEw Years!

Must be off! We might be going starwberry picking soon! Ahhh, I love summer here! ANd my legs have actuyll tanned! They never tan in Tassie! Usually i'm just too scared of sunburn I think, but here they've gone a nice slightly brown shade (mainly on the front though....!!!!)

What do Songs of Praise and The Sound of Music have in common?

Answer: I have NO idea, except that they were both mentioned in the same breath at a concert i went to on SUnday. It was a boys church choir, so that may have something to do with Songs of Praise, and it's (apparently) the 40th year anniversary of Sound of Music, or so I'm told (I'll find out when I'm in Salzburg I think) even though they genenrally hate the movie here... Why in the same breath beats me... It was then followed by a short scene from the Barber of Seville... I don't like to ask about the ways Austrians think sometimes! The concert however was nice (not really my taste in music, discovered i like loud classical music, with lots of loud instruments, not any of this timid, 'what if the audience has their hearing aids turned up too loud' business...) but it was quite nicely sung (although my bum was LITERALLY numb by the end, they just don't know how to make good chairs here or something!). The building however was beuatiful... It was a something-or-other, with lots of paintings of important people and stuff... Will go back soon hopefully and tour it, and then give you photos!

For some reason (once again the strange thinking capactities of the Austrians astounds me) we're watchign A Clockwork Orange in German. It's interesting, except that the dialogue has disappeared from both dvd players, so we were watching wiht just the music and people mouthing words (it's as though they turned off the english to dub it, and forgot to turn the german back on) so i really have NO idea what's going on... Hopefully we'll get to see the whole thing with words sometime... Won't be able to watch Singin' in the Rain again for a while without thinking of it though (man breaking into house, bashing up man, raping woman while singing... leaves an impression)... Despite the violence and stuff, it is actually a 'good' film, and has all those aspects that make me see why it fits so nicely into the 'you just HAVE to see it' category...

Watching Forrest Gump in English... Ahhh, first English film in 4 months... Ahhh... Bliss (going to Hitchikers Guide sometiems soon, in English with German subtitles...!!!)

Photo thing may be resolved sometime soon, this computer does have a usb port, and a cd drive, so I'll hopefully be able to do something with them! They're both cunningly disguised as a usb port and cd drive though... (was someone relevants birthday on Sunday or Saturday, from Blackadder I think, but cannot remember their name, and the newspaper is too far away... Speaking of newspapers, the Tassie devils got into the New York Times segment that is in the Standard every monday! Colour photos and everything!!)

Ok, going now!

If you're looking for fresh pigeon for dinner, come to Linz

The pigeons are so dumb here - was just walking along, and the pigeon in front of me decided I was a threat when I was about 10cm away, and then just decided to waddle sideways... Makes me think of the Goodies: Dumb animals...!

The guy in this internet cafe now knows me, and I don't have to show my card anymore - he actually remembers my name and everything...!

Going to Vienna on Saturday, to visit another daughter, so that'll be good! Then on sunday i'll prolly be helping Melanie with her English (she failed her test, so has to redo it, but needs help in prep...!) I got my test back, got an A, hooray, apparently there was a Texan girl last year who got a D (out of A-F), so I was a little worried, but then someone reported to me that i'd gotten a B, which I thought was funny. Then It turned out i actually had an A, alhtough a few mistakes (some I just say were colloquialisms or informal ways of saying things) but I have the advantage of being able to say 'that's how we say it in Australia'.

Well, really don't know why I thought i'd write an entry right now, nothing really to write, should be reading the Sydney MOrnnig Herald or soemthing.. SO byesybye

Me sleepy.

Can't write long sentences. Brain switched off. 6 hours sleep. From 6am till 12pm. Got home at 5;30am. Big birthday night out for Melanie.

Actually that's not entirely right, the times are, but I am kinda vaguely able to write longer sentences. Well... Last night...

The night started at about 7:30, when Bibi and I started to get ready, etc etc, then we literally ran to the train station at 9pm. Got into Linz (Bibi had two run ins with ticket inspectors, and having forgotten her pass for free travel, had to explain over and ove, and gain the sympathy of them...) and eventually met up with Simone, after a little confusion about meeting place. The four of us (Melanie travelled into LInz by train with us, she lives near us) then headed off to a pub/bar (what's the difference, as in definition?) called Walkers, where we met Maria. Not much happening there, so went to another place called The Living Room, which was very cool, but a bit smoky. After that we went down to their favourite pub, but it was almost empty, so we went back to Walkers, where we spent the rest of the evening. Apparently Maria is usually the popular one, all the guys vying for her attention, but it was Bibi last night. In the Living Room, the classic friend-asking-for-a-friend thing happened, wanting to know how old she was (disappointment, the friend was 16...!), then in Walkers a 'happy' man wanted to know if she was Austrian (I thought this was kinda funny to ask her, when I was there, but shows I looked the part...!) That was funny, except that he was leaning right over me, threatening to spill beer all over me! Anyway. Then I went to the loo with Melanie, and when we got back, there were three new guys. One was the most interested, called Christoph, 28 (!) from Vienna, and the others were similar ages. They were all nice, and we talked to them for a few hours... They had lots of fun when they found i was Australian.. Especially one who kinda spoke English... Anyway, was funny to watch them all trying to get Bibi's attention, but Christoph was the successful one..! This was the highlight of the evening... Bibi says it was very strange, that that's never happened before!

Alcohol just makes me sleepy... Why I don't know, but I was so close to falling asleep at times... What did I drink.. Hmm... I tried a bit of Maria's Sunrise tequila shot, some white wine spritz, rum and coke, and some cocktail (this was the ultimate fatigue giving drink) with rum, tequila, 'wodka' and gin.. And orange juice i think... Was very yummy though. I didn't actually drink that much - most of this was just stinging a sip from other people! I think I'm over my dislike of the actual taste of alcohol, but don't like being so tired! I think it was also because i always forget how tiring it is to live in a different language (should have told this to the three guys in walkers, they prolly think all australians are inactive, exhausted and can't take their alcohol or something)...

Well that's pretty much my evening from yesterday, as usual I'm sure there was something else...

We walked from 'Altstadt' to the train station (that'S why were out till so early, the first train was at 5am, and while there were parents willing to come and collect, it just isn't practical here) which was interesting. The sky was starting to light up, and there were heaps of drunks around, but we took a route that was almost deserted, by them. Good answer to prayer, was freezinh when we left, i said 'god, keep us safe, warm and let the train be running' almost immediately Bibi thoguth of a safer route to walk, the air started to warm up and the train was running. I felt completely safe, although Melanie and Bibi I think were a little scared. Really was fine though!

Don't know what i'm going to do about photos on my blog now, this computer doesn't have usb port, is an old laptop, so maybe at the internet cafe, or even a school, but the likelyhood of the school ones having usb is not high! Anyway, wil see what i can do! Gotta go, lunch in a moment...

Ok, new home and all!

New host father: Fritz, manager of a big company, think it's a steelworks or something, but not completely sure... Bibi doesn't really know...! Speaks English, reasonably well, so that's good, we all generally just speak in a mixture of English and German (more German though, but is good, my german is now leaping and bounding!!). He's very nice, funny, plays gol onsunday mornings, but that'S about all....

New host mother: Margarete, housewife (used to work, had kids, liked staying home so much she now does it permanently!) Very nice, anxious to make sure I have everything I need, especially in terms of food... Mmmm! Very good cook! I get hot choccie for brekfast, and cornflakes now... Also went and bought juice for me and stuff, she asked though!! Speaks a bit of English, I think its at about the same level as my german... understands a lot, but doesn't speak as much! I feel a little uncomfortable with her doing ALL the work around the house, but get the impression she enjoys it...

New host sister: Bibi (weird going from school friend to officially host sister)... Very nice... umm, in same class, hopefully we won't crowd each other, but shouldn't....

Also have two other host sisters (plus there'sa half one I think, but not nearly as comfusing as with teh others!) One lives in Linz and the other in Vienna, so we'll prolly go and stay with her for a bit in the holidays...

House, very nice, pool, good garden, i'm being taught how to mow lawns soon... They'Re really into art and stuff, so the house is very coordinated and smart looking. My room is in the cellar... WEll right downstairs, and I have a window that's at 'street' level (actually looks onto the pool...). Have my own bathroom, wuith shower, loo etc etc. Show kinda dodgy, but I think its just clogged up, so I'll have to ask! Have an old tv, no remote, but that stops me just lying on my bed channel surfing! Actuyll, not planning on spending too much time in my room... But is kinda cool to have a tv...!! Got to watch Desperate Housewives twice because of it (is on two nights in a row on diff channels!)... Umm.... Pets.... Two rabbits, Bibi has a horse she goes to everyday, might learn to ride.. .He's very nice, ad you know the saying about dogs and owners looking alink... I think it fits to horse as well! Very cute! Both have the same fringe!! Bibi isn't so sure...

Goota go

Quick note

New family super, planning weekend trip to vienna or salzburg sometime in the next couple of weekends! Hooray!

Am alive and well! New host mother very good cook! More later!

THunder and lightening at the moment, ohh ahhh!

A very quick one

New family super! Planning to go to Salzburg or Vienna in the next couple of weeks, hooray!

Am alive, going well!

Lotso f thunder and lightening here at the moment!

Commenting

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Danke schön! Viel Spass für Eure Wochenende...

Inside the courtyard

Outside view