To Vienna and Beyond

So here's the story, no, saga, of our trip from Vienna to Freiburg via Frankfurt. On Wednesday afternoon we were to take a fast train from Vienna to Frankfurt. Once there we were to pick up a rental car, stay the night, and then get an early start for Freiburg. We hadn't reserved seats and when we got on the train people were sitting in the aisles. Since it's a 5.5h trip we didn't want to join them. (As we found out later there were seats amongst all the full seats and the aisle-sitters actually preferred to "slum it".) The tickets were good for the next train only so we stepped off and hoped to have better luck on the 2nd train. Come to find out there was no 2nd train! Long story short we had to buy 1st class tickets to get reserved seats on the last train of the day, which turned out to be painfully expensive 😱😭.

When we got into F'furt at 00:30am and walked out of the station it felt a bit like a third world country! Multi-culti, bustling, and noisy. Turns out that F'furt is a hub for travellers, both those of some means like us, and also for the multitude of backpack wearing, hostel-staying vagabonds. Warily we walked the few blocks to our hotel, which was very clean and snug, showered up and conked out.

Next morning we awaken at 10:30, not having set an alarm (duh). We were supposed to pick up the rental across from the station at 8am and so I sez "Oh shit I hope they still have a car!". We throw on our clothes and as Beth finishes packing I hoof it to the rental agency. After much discussion of "no we can't find your reservation", "Yes I called yesterday" to "well you must have called the hot line" (meaning what exactly?) to "here's my confirmation email so there!" we got our car. All smiles and "danke schoens" all 'round in the end☺️. Hit the road for Freiburg, not having a bite to eat until 1pm.

The car is a Opel hatchback, like a VW Golf in size. Stick shift too (whee!). A dog around town but amazingly it's geared for the highway and does quite well for itself there.

No pics of F'furt so I'll leave you with one of our special friends. 🛸

Next up, Tommy's first experience on the famed German autobahnen 😎En savoir plus