Linz

24th July 2010

We had two options for our train journey to Linz; Pay 60 Euros and have the journey take 1.5 hours, or pay 25 Euros and have it take 3 hours. Running short of money, we decided to take the slower option. It turned out to be not a bad choice, as it was pissing down rain all day, and it saved us having to walk around in it until we could check in. We ended up arriving around 2pm, and after a brisk walk through the constant drizzle we found ourselves at our fancy hotel.

We checked in, checked finances on the internet, and then headed out in the s***ty weather. Linz, is the third biggest city in Austria, a mainly industrial city, it was one of Hitler's favourite places. We were really only stopping in here as it made it much easy (and cheaper) to travel onto our next spot.

We braved the cold (17 degrees) and the wet and ventured up to the main square, complete with town hall and 'Trinity Column'. There was a festival taking place in town that weekend, with many 'street entertainers' or buskers, taking to the streets, or, covered alcoves.I noticed a didgeridoo player that I'd hassled in Munich (after too many beers) who'd made the trip, I put my head down and walked straight past him.

We checked out the souvenir shops, bought out Austrian patch and decided on lunch. The cheapest place, which appeared to have seating, was unfortunately McDonalds. We tucked into our delicious McDonalds and got warm, and mostly dry. I decided I'd seen all there was too see and was cold and wet, and we headed for the hotel.

I spent the afternoon trying to book and organise our private shuttle transfer for the following day - no one wanted to answer the phone or respond to my countless emails, and I was getting concerned that we'd get stuck in Linz - Dan tried to help me and did a great job, he slept all afternoon! He only started to piss me off when he started to snort and snore.

Later that evening, when the shuttle was hopefully organised, we headed to a beer house for some dinner. We sat in the big room and waited very patiently for a very long time for our food to arrive. Dan had a schnitzel and I had a cordon bleu. Dan had to have a beer, while I couldn't stand the smell of it, I was happy with my Coke.

After dinner it had stopped raining momentarily and we headed for another walk. We checked out the massive gothic cathedral, which is apparently the biggest in Austria.

After our little walk we headed back to the hotel where we packed up our bags and called it a night. The end of our adventures in Austria, and the end of time on the Euro currency!