Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Entering Austria - Lake Worthersee!


5/7/12

2257 (local time)

Wothersee, Austria

Wothersee, Austria

OK, before I start, this is going to be a long post because I really loved my time in Worthersee, but if you can’t read, at the bottom of each Major Paragraph ill write TL;DR which means (Too Long; Didn’t Read) I’ll summarise in a few words what happened. Happy Lizzie J


WOW!!! I am having an awesome time in Austria! Wothersee is awesome! There is so much to do here!
If its Windsurfing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Swimming, Mounting Biking, Hiking, Wakeboarding, Photography! This place has it!

I don’t even know where to begin, I suppose I should tell you about where I’m staying. So, when I did my winter season in Austria I worked with a Austria girl called Nancy. Nancy introduced me to her friends Max and Nicole. When I let Nancy know that I was coming to hangout with her in Austria she had to find a place for me to stay, and the unfortunate ones were Max and Nicole.

Max and Nicole are renting a beautiful apartment that lives no more than 5 minutes from the lake! To be honest we hardly ever see each other, because when I am home, they are working and when they are home I’m off hiking! There are some parties happening soon, so hopefully we can spend some good quality time with one another!

Ok, so I arrived to Worthersee on the 2nd of July at Night so nothing much occurred, a few beers, no dramas! The next day I spend the entire day hiking! It’s so beautiful just walking on your own, listening to your own footsteps over the forest floor. This is what I have been wanting to do since Italy.
I picked up a map, was told some tracks and trails that I had to see, and off I went! With plenty of water, food and lollies off I went.

I got completely lost on my hike, and had to hitch a ride back into down, but I learnt a valuable lesson! “Trust your Compass”
Check out the photos!

TL;DR: Went Hiking, Got Lost – Remember Trust Your Compass.


Day 2, 4th of July. Again, went hiking! My legs are aching by now! I’m not used to this hiking at all. Again, I headed up into the forest again to get some views, but before I did I met the guys that own and run the local windsurfing shop here. Tommy (the owner) showed me around his shop and then told me about a party the windsurfing guys were having this Saturday. He is planning a party at the ‘secret location’ which is just out the back of his shop in this massive warehouse (aka, and old bakery)

He had bought tonne’s of beach sand, and was going to move it into this huge warehouse! I offered to help, as I thought I can meet all the local boys and just have a good night.
It was probably the hardest I’ve worked in about 3 years! :)

But it was great! We got it all done, beers and sausages were had, and I met all the local guys, and hopefully on Sunday, there is some wind and they will take me windsurfing!
Looking forward to the party on Saturday.

TL;DR: Went Hiking again, got Lost, helped the windsurfing boys put sand into a warehouse for a big party.

Day 3, 5th of July, was a very slow wake up day! My legs and whole body was in pain, I had a sore head from last night. Once I got myself into gear the plan was to hike up to the Pyramidenkogel, which is the biggest mountain near the Lake at 851 Metres. I caught the bus from Velden to Keutschacher See, and started my hike. It was estimated that it takes 2.5 hours. I blitzed it in 1hour an 6 minutes!

At the top of the Pyramidenkogel there is a 52metre high viewing station that gives you panoramic views of the entire area!

Unfortunately for me, after I sweated my way up there the guys that work up there told me it was closed because of thunderstorms in the close region. I was gutted! So after waiting around for 30 minutes I made my way to the bottom, I decided to run it.

So off I went, jumping over vines dodging trees as I made it all the way back down. When I got to a beautiful clearing I stopped, and found some shelter from the rain and just watched the angry clouds form!
Hearing the thunder boom through the sky and the forest was surreal. I loved it, and took some great photos! What do you think?!

TL;DR: Hiked to the top of the Pyramidenkogel, realised it was closed. So I watched the clouds.

Day 4, 6th of July
Today was Nancy’s day off, so I hung out with her for the whole day. The plan was to relax at the beach, getting a tan and going for a swim! Anyway, all of a sudden a huge storm kicked in! Dark Clouds, Thunder, Lightening and – WIND! It was howling, maybe 25 knots! And I just knew that all the boys were out windsurfing at the other beach, but there was no way I could get up there! No Worries!

Instead, I met Nancy’s friends where we had a few drinks, dumped our stuff and entered the Worlds Body Painting Festival! I knew nothing about this! We paid out 15 Euros entry, and walked in!

All of a sudden I’m greeted by this topless 6’2 stunning green woman! I was shocked, anyway I got chatting to the artist, and I realised that she is from England, and she explained to me what the body painting festival is all about!

Artists from over 20 countries come to Worthersee to paint ‘models’, which are then voted on by specific judges, based on the body painting the personality of the model etc.
It was amazing!

At night, after the body painting festival a shitty German 6 piece boy band got up on stage and sang some very, very average songs for about 1.5 hours. It disgusted me. Myself and a bunch of 30 – 40 year old guys behind me mocked them for their entire set.

By 11.30pm the crowd was moving on, but I was really enjoying watching the UV body painting festival because they had great music! But all my friends were leaving. Anyway, I bumped into a bunch of VERY drunk Austrian guys celebrating their friends Bachelor party. They told me that they were heading to a club called the Tenner. So I convince Vici (one of Nancy’s friends) that we must go there.

On arrival I couldn’t stop laughing. This was a barn, with a bunch of old guys and girls dancing around to very sketchy German Pop. It was the sleaziest thing I have ever witnessed… I think we stayed for a couple of hours until it was just too much…

TL;DR: Hung out with Nancy, Went to the bodypainting festival, then visited the sketchiest bar ever.

Day 5, 7th of July

The Big Day! Saturday! The day of the Wind n’ Waves party, and also the Red Bull – Gravity Games Event!

I eventually found the beach, joined a team with 2 guys called Flo, made up a group name called ‘Team Skippy’ We assigned an event for each of us to partake in and we were set!

There were 3 events.

- Assebomb – Biggest and most Stylish BOMB off a Diving Board.
-Stand Up Paddle Challenge – 2 people on a SUP board, and you have to shake the other off.
-Running on water – 6 foam platform tied in the water, you have to run from the beach and see how far you can get.

I was assigned to the Stand Up Paddle challenge on the basis that: 
1) I am Australian so I can surf = balance.
2) I am a windsurfing instructor = balance.

It was a great choice as I came 2nd. I made it through several rounds, only to be topped at the end by another windsurfer who is the importer for ION. It wasn’t so bad!

The other guys in my team also did really well, and we ended up coming 2nd overall out of 13 – 14 teams!
We ended up winning several cans of Red Bull, and – wait for it – A bottle of Absolute Vodka!
We can all see how that ended up. Need I Say More!
TL;DR: Came 2nd at a Red Bull event, got free vodka!

Day 6, 8th of July.
Sunday, was a slow day. Got up late. Had eggs for breakfast, went down to the beach to relax. Hung out with the guys. It was perfect.

TL;DR: Don’t Be Lazy.

Day 7, 9th of July.
Another easy day, there was predicted some wind today, so I headed down to the beach early. Realised that there was no wind, so I hired a Stand Up Paddle Board, and paddled around the Lake for a hour! It was lovely! So much fun! The guys at Wind ‘n Waves hooked me up, and gave me the board for free! It was great.

In the afternoon, the wind looked like it was going to come in, so I borrow one of the boys kit, and tried to get planning, but to no avail.\

TL;DR: Went Supping, went Windsurfing.

Day 8, 10th of July.

Monday was travel day, I booked my ticket 3 days before to St Anton, so I could do some hiking in Zurs/Lech. My ticket was only 19 Euros! Bargain!

I got into St Anton at 9pm, where I eventually met Stef Eggler, who was going to let me stay at their hotel for a few nights… Cannot Wait! But that’s for the next post!

So till then my lovely little lemon drops!
X Steve

Just getting arty! Like?

Hows the view of the lake for my first hike!

Self Timer!

My little lunch spot!

Hows the hiking trails! Awesome ey?

Great Views!

Hows the views!

This was just taken after it had poured with rain! I found this grassy opening!

A nice little viewing platform!

My new best mate!

Great Clouds!

In the wheat fields!

More hiking tracks! How Beautiful!


The signs i use to show me where to go... with the help of a compass!

This is taken hiking up the Pyramidkogal - i had to follow these signs!

The Pyramidkogal

Clouds

More Clouds!

So i like clouds...



on the lake worthersee!
Next photos are of the Body Painting Festival! Enjoy!


All painted on!


Ill leave comments to you guys.

"point at her boots, not boobs"


Now, the Red Bull Gravity Games! Second Place WOO!
Red Bull Gravity Games

Red Bull Gravity Games!



SECOND! VODKA! YESSS!

You Ripper!

the Flo's and Me!




END!





SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT ME IN THE VIDEO!

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