Wednesday 12.09.2018: Timișoara (Romania) - Podersdorf am See/Neusiedler See (alt 110 m): 532 km (390 km through Hungary), 31ºC hot!

We tried to visit of the Museum of the 1989 Revolution, but we didn't find any parking place for our camper, so we continued our way to Austria, crossing Hungary. Near Arad we had lunch at the Taberna Pecacini (good food but the waitress wouldn't even say hello). After crossing to Austria we were able to buy our Go-box, after having tried to do so before the border and have it charged with 145€ + 5€ rent for the box. We have to give it back before leaving the country. We drove to Podersdorf am See at the Neusiedler See and settled at the Winery Heuriger Fabian Sloboda (12,50 €/night with everything). After a reinvigorating shower we did the 20 steps over to the heuriger* and had a sampling of white wines with delicious meats and cheeses (44 €). N47º51'1" E16º49'50"

Thursday 13.09.2018: Podersdorf am See/Neusiedler See: just 22 km by bicycle - 31ºC hot

We took the (bike) ferry Holiday at 11:00 am (8,50€/pax). There were only bikers taking this ferry! And it left 10 minutes before schedule, because it couldn't take more e-bikes along, since the water level is at the moment along about 1,5 m! We biked from Breitenbrunn back to Podersdorf. But not just biked; we stopped at almost every nice place on our way, starting with a "G'spritzten" wine (wine with soda water) at the Seebad Breitenbrunn, then we had a Kraut soup and Topfenstrudel in Weiden, where we also met nice Austrian people from Villach whom we met again later at Weiden am See. Last but not least we had ice-cream at Alfaro Lodge, an Italian restaurant on the promenade near the lighthouse and where the bike-stars have their stars and hands in stone (14€). Back home first thing A/C and shower, then a visit to the heuriger next door, heuriger Grossmata (very good Kümmelbraten (= caraway roast) 16,70 €).

Friday 14.09.2018: Podersdorf am See/Neusiedler See - Sankt Andrä am Zicksee (alt 124 m): 20 km, 29ºC

Drive to Sankt Andrä am Zicksee where we settled at the Camping am Zicksee ( 25€/night without electricity). They have 3 washing machines, so we did all our laundry today. Then just into town for a drink to Papillon. N47º47'36" E16º54'50"

Saturday 15.09.2018: Sankt Andrä am Zicksee - bicycle tour and Oktoberfest - 24ºC nice

Beautiful bicycle tour around the "Lackes" (steppe landscape lakes) with a few stops on our way (52,5 km, 7 hours). We also did a detour to the National Park information centre and booked a tour for Tuesday 18 September 2018. Back home we walked at the Zicksee lake and then went with the shuttle bus to the Oktoberfest tent. Julia bought 5 raffle tickets. After we found out that the winning tickets would be drawn at midnight, so we had to wait until then. But it was worthwhile, since we won vouchers in value of 200€ to be spent in a shop NKD. We went to bed at 1:30am

Sunday 16.09.2018: Sankt Andrä am Zicksee Camping : 23ºC nice weather

We are a little bit tired this morning... Volker got some fresh bread and we had our Sunday breakfast outside. We didn't do much today. Julia worked e-mails through and Volker had finally some time to read.

Monday 17.09.2018: Sankt Andrä am Zicksee Camping - Volker record bicycle tour!

Volker did the ultra-long bicycle tour B10 of the Neusiedler See going through Hungary (124 km!). Julia in the meantime tried to go to Neusiedl by bus, but there was no bus from our place after 9:15am. So I took my bicycle and rode to the Sankt Andrä train station and there I was able to take the train to Neusiedl am See. I went to the shop from which I got the vouchers and in 2 hours I chose a lot of stuff that I asked to put away until tomorrow when we will come with our camper. Back at 15:01 with train, but at the first stop the train broke, so I got into a bus that didn't stop where I had my bicycle. But the bus driver was nice and after arriving in Andau, he took me back to Sankt Andrä train station. I met with Volker at the Papillon Beach bar and had a drink before going back home and then to the St. Martin's therme (16€/pax with the Neusidler card) -Volker did some 10 km more (especially that he went back to the campground because I thought I had left my purse outside on the chair). Back home and Julia still did a machine with laundry.

Tuesday 18.09.2018: Sankt Andrä am Zicksee - Illmitz - Neusiedl am See - Cselley Mill at Oslip (alt 130 m): 89 km - 28ºC hot but windy

Drive to the National Park Centre to participate at the excursion with the solar boat (13€/pax with the Neusiedl Card). It's the first time we tried to identify fishes! Very interesting tour from 10am to 13:00. Grocery shopping at Spar in Podersdorf then drive to Neusiedl where we parked at the P2. Lunch at the Mandarin Asian Restaurant (good 28€). At NKD we "bought" stuff for 170 euros (= 17 vouchers) and then continued to Rust. Rust is a posh nice village, we had a Mara Blue Ice-cream cocktail at the Café Seehof (10,70€) and also bought two bottles of wine at the Weingut Karin Gabril (Sauvignon Blanc 2016 and 2017, 7€/bottle). We decided to continue our way towards the Schneeberg and made a stop for overnight in Oslip at the Cselley Muehle Kultur - Aktionszentrum. We didn't find anybody so we stayed here in a quiet corner. N47º50'28" E16º37'33"

Wednesday 19.09.2018: Oslip - Puchberg am Schneeberg (alt 575 m): 68 km - 28ºC but high in the mountains 15ºC

Drive to Puchberg am Schneeberg. We caught the "Salamander" cogwheel railway train at 11:00am (37€/pax, 32€ seniors >62 years old). Hike up to Damböckhaus, our first  Jausenstation at (alt 1810 m), Klosterwappen at the top of the Hochschneeberg (2076 m), and then Jausenstation Fischerhaus (alt 2049 m). 3,5 hours, 400 m ascent, 9 km. Parking and overnight at P4 (free of charge). N47º47'27" E15º54'35"

Thursday 20.09.2018: Puchberg am Schneeberg - Losenheim - Hike up  (alt 860 m): 8 km - 24ºC nice weather

Drive to Losenheim and up the hill with the Schneeberg chair lift (10€ return). Hike up the Fadenweg to the Fischerhütte via Schauerstein. Lunch at the Fischerhütte (25€), then down to Damböckhaus and further to Baumgartner Schutzhütte where we had a delicious cake with gespritztem Sturm. The hike was strenuous when climbing over the SchauersteinThere we took the Salamander train back to Puchberg (23€/pax). With a taxi to Losenheim (18 €). We saw the bus going to Losenheim that left from the station in Puchberg in front of us (which we could have taken, if we had known that one of the 3 times a day was exactly when we were waiting for our taxi. Back home and  settled at N47º47'29" E15º49'57"

Friday 21.09.2018: Losenheim - Reichenau an der Rax (alt 560 m): 42 km - 25ºC wonderful weather

Hike up to Mamauwiese with 2nd breakfast at the Gasthof Mamauwiese. From there we walked up to the Almreselerlhaus (gebackene Pilze, very good!) and then to the Edelweißhütte (Sri Lankan red bean soup, also good) and back at 12:40 with our return ticket from yesterday to our parking (. Actually we did the whole hike only because we had an unused return ticket! Drive to Reichenau where we settled at the Flackl-Wirt hotel (20€/pax with breakfast!). After an ice coffee we walked down into town and had an aperol gespritzt at the Park Café -which belongs to our hotel, so we had a private van that picked us up and drove us back to the hotel (free of charge for guests) N47º41'26" E15º49'41"

Satudary 22.08.2018: Reichenau an der Rax - Hirschwang an der Rax: 5 km - rainy in the morning, better in the afternoon

Breakfast in the restaurant of Gasthof Flackl-Wirt. Julia went to a second sauna session. At about 16:00 we left to the Rax-Seilbahn (cable car) and settled at the botton parking lot. It was a good relax day. N 47.7169334, E 15.8054504 Nº'" Eº'"

Sunday 23.08.2018: Hirschwang an der Rax - Kapellen (alt 705 m): 24 km - rain until 14:00 then sunny, windy - 22ºC and 13ºC on the mountains

We took the cable car Rax-Seilbahn (28€/pax return) at 9:30 am and back at 16:00. Walk up to the Ottohaus where we had a snack then Volker walked to the Neue Seehütte (very small inside, so no stop here) and back along the Preiner Wand. Walk back together to the Bergstation where we had lunch (very nice and good food). Back down we drove to Kapellen, stopping at the Pass Greiner Gscheid (at 1070 m) and having a drink at the Edelweißhütte (super cosy and nice atmosphere). Settled at the aire for campers next to the former railway station and the Röststation, which closes at 18:30 and wouldn't serve anything at 18:00... And it is closed Monday and Tuesday. So we had dinner in our camper (always good!) N47º38'43" E15º37'53"

* Heuriger is the name given to a tavern in Eastern Austria, where a local winemaker serves his or her new wine under a special licence in alternate months during the growing season. The Heurige are renowned for their atmosphere of Gemütlichkeit shared among a throng enjoying young wine and simple food.