We were due to leave Venice at 4.00pm, we had to be out of our unit by 2.00pm, so there was plenty of time to get to the station and catch the train to Vienna. We caught our water taxi, and made it to the station without any fuss, then we found a quiet place to sit and read our kindles. We were keeping an eye on the electronic board, but some how we managed to lose track of time. Before you know it, we were rushing to catch the train. As it turned out, we had only just sat in our seats, and it started to move off. Phew that was close!

The trip was 7 hours, but worth every minute of it. It took you through some very scenic areas, particularly when you started to get into the mountainous terrain. Coming into Austria was amazing, and you could see the distinct changes in country. Austria is very beautiful, very clean and tidy. In fact Australia could learn a lot from it. Looking out the window was like looking at a postcard, or a story book.

We arrived at Medellin Station at about 11.30pm. After a quick connection to the wireless at McDonalds I was able to order an Uber to take us to our AirBNB, which was located in central Vienna.

The lady had left the key out for us, under the mat of the shop next door. We only had one flight of stairs to tackle this time, but we also had a lift.

The unit is great, very modern, and certainly well located. WELL DONE Dianne & Brian, you picked another winner.

We all got up fairly early next day, as we really did not sleep that well. I think it was because we were running on so much adrenalin. Brian and Dianne have been to Vienna before, and they could not wait to get back to show us the sites.

Once we had breakfast at this excellent café down the corner, we made out for the main precinct. The first thing you notice about Vienna is: though the buildings are quite old, they are in extremely good condition, and so well maintained. Nothing is out of place. There seems to be so much pride in maintaining this city. Perth could learn a lot from Vienna. The public transport is ultra modern, and clean and efficient. People are orderly and courteous. Once you get the hang of it, it is also easy to use.

As with all the other cities we have visited, we try to get an overview first, and then decide where we want to spend our time. Brian and Dianne took us to all the major landmarks, and there are many, which all worthy of praise. This took most of the afternoon, but our late night was beginning to catch up with us. Time to head back for a nap!

We had a rest, then we went out for tea at a pub Brian and Dianne used to go to when they were here last. We had a very nice meal, and a few ales.

After our meal we went back to the apartment, and Brian and I spent time planning our next day. Cheryl and I decided to take the hop on hop off bus, and then we would meet Brian and Diane at the ferry terminal for a trip around the Danube.

Next day Cheryl and I hopped up early to have breakfast and make our way to the bus pick up area. Today was wet and overcast, and a little cool in the morning. We met the bus, and commenced our trip. Whilst I do not believe this particular trip was as good as others I have been on, it is still the best way to see a city quickly. We finally got to the ferry stop, and Brian and Dianne had already caught the no 2 tram to there.

Before we knew it, we were on a river ferry. We secured some seats up the front which made for great viewing.

The ferry ride took 31/2 hours, and did a circle around Vienna. We had to go through 2 locks as there is a substantial difference in the height of the water. In the old days Vienna used to get flooded regularly and building the locks was a way to prevent this from happening in the future. The cruise had good meals on it, in fact all the meals in Vienna have been excellent. Unfortunately our cruise came to and end. Shame because it was very enjoyable.

We made our way by tram back into town, as Cheryl needed to pick up a larger case to take everything home in. (Dianne bought one yesterday as well!) We are going to need more than a jumbo jet to take us home..

After doing some more site seeing, we arrived home about 4.30pm. It has been a big day, but it has now all come to an end. Brian and Dianne need to prepare to leave early tomorrow morning for their flight Athens to catch up with the Kevin and Annette Coote. We will be leaving later in the day for DOHA.

For our final meal and to celebrate our trip away, we went to the pub that we went to last night. A couple of champagnes, red wine and whisky, and a good meal was had by all. We reflected on the past 5 weeks, and all the fun we have had, Paris, with our friends Pete and Roz, and Ray and Joanne on the boat in Croatia (Hi guys hope your trip is going well!), Italy, Bologna, Milan and Venice, and of course finally Vienna. We have seen a lot, learned a lot and laughed even more.

This is my final blog, I will be signing off. I hope you have enjoyed our trip as much as we have. Dianne will be writing a blog from now on to keep you informed of their escapades with Kevin and Annette, which I am sure will be a good laugh.

Auf Wiedersehen!