Grünau, Austria
Hey Cool People!
So we decided to change our plans last-minute and spend an extra few days in Austria. Here is what we did:
Day 47 Saturday, July 4th - So this morning Lydia and I woke up in Vienna and hopped on our bus to Munich. There were a couple of stops along the way, in Grunau and Salzburg, to pick-up and drop-off people. During the ride, our bus guide started talking about Grunau because it was the first stop along the way and was talking about how beautiful it was and how amazing the staff is and how you just have an open tab there and how everything is so homely. Well a bunch of people decided to change their plans on the bus ride to Grunau, so they could spend a couple nights there. Lydia and I were supposed to go to Munich for 1 night and then head to Venice for three nights before flying to Athens on the 8th, so we really didn’t have much room to change our plans.
Well, like I mentioned, the first stop was Grunau. We got there around 12:30 where we stopped at the Treehouse Hostel to pick-up and drop-off people. At this point we had the option to have homemade lasagna for lunch. During our lunch Lydia and I kept on debating on how we could stay in Grunau, so finally (10 minutes before the bus was supposed to leave) I asked our guide how long I really needed in Venice and if there were seats on the next bus to Munich and then Venice. Well, she said I realistically could do Venice in one day, and that there were only two seats left on the next bus. So, we booked those last seats on the next bus, grabbed our bags of the bus and decided to stay in Grunau for 2 nights. To give you an idea of how amazing Grunau is, only 4 people were originally planned to stay in Grunau and 13 people decided to change their plans and stay on the bus ride over (if that makes sense).
Anyway, this place was breathtaking. The hostel is run by the nicest guy named Gerhardt and his sons Sebastian and Tommy. The hostel was located a little up in the woods with a river that runs through the back of the hostel. The water is crystal clear!!! I mean crystal clear!!!!! Like we were filling our water bottles in the river it was that clean. It was glacial water that had melted down from the mountains.
After Lydia and I got checked into a room, a group of us decided to take a hike up the mountain to go swim in the waterfall. Sebastian was nice enough to hook up the trailer to the tractor and drive us half way up. We hiked up in about 85 degree weather through the woods to this secluded waterfall. The water was so refreshing. It was pretty cold because it is glacial water from the top of the mountain. After our hike back to the hostel, we had a family dinner at the hostel!
After dinner we played some pool, had some drinks and then were in bed by probably 10:30 pm at the latest. It was incredibly relaxing to have a break from the busy touristy city! The last minute change in plans cost us a little bit because we had to pay for our accommodation we had originally booked in Munich, but it was so worth it.
Day 48 Sunday, July 5th - Today we woke up and had breakfast. I had some of my Aussie friends prepare Vegemite toast for me! It was actually really good! After breakfast a group of us decided to take a bus to the lake. Because we were from the hostel, the bus driver charged us the kids’ rate, which was really nice and saved us some euros!! The beach was really nice and relaxing! The water in Grunau is so crystal clear you can see 50 ft. down to the bottom, no problem. We relaxed near a lagoon-ish part so it was a bit warmer than most of the lake. I would lie out until I got hot and then jump in the water to cool off. Four of my friends decided to swim to this floating cabin across the lake (Teagan, Julio, Gibby and Sophie). When they got there, they saw this Austrian guy waves at them, so they swam up to his docks and he invited them into his home for some beers! I was kind of a cool story.
On our walk back to the car park, my friend Kristen said she wanted to jump into the water because she had yet to. So me, Kristen and our friend Teagan stopped near the edge of the lake, close to where the river pours in. Me and Kristen jumped in there... let me tell you... it was FREEZING!!! The water was so cold in that specific spot. There is a video somewhere that I will try to get from Kristen to show you; my reaction is hilarious.
We took the bus back to the hostel around 3:40 pm relaxed a bit at the hostel and had a couple beers before dinner. Dinner was amazing! We had goulash!! It was sooooo good!
That night we had a few drinks! Lydia had a 2 liter of beer. She was the first girl to ever finish the 2 Liter (We are from Wisconsin so I had no doubts). I had 4 liters through the night along with a couple shots. The night was pretty fun for the most part, until some drunken Australians shouted at me Fuck America, Fuck Americans as I was walking by to go to the river. Yahhhhh.... that pissed me off!! Luckily, my friends brought me inside, one of the guys, Clint, came and apologized, and the rest of the night was grand!
Note: Most of the travelers I have met along the way have been Australians, and I love them all. They guys were just being dicks.
Day 49 Monday, July 6th - This was the last day in Grunau. The morning was a little tense after last night’s events. The Aussie guys that were being dicks had a big mess to clean up in the morning (broken glass and vomit).
After breakfast, Lydia, our friends Teagan and Kristen, and I decided to go for an hour horseback ride. It was pretty cool. The weather was a bit hot and humid, but the ride was still so much fun. On the ride, Lydia's horse stopped to poop and Kristen was right behind her and well it’s hard to describe, but Kristen almost got horse shit all over her.
After we got back from our horse ride, we had lunch at the hostel and then hopped on the bus to Munich.
Because we had changed our plans, Lydia and I did not have any accommodation booked in Munich. So we talked to our bus guide and she said there was one bed left at the Wombats Hostel in Munich, so i told Lydia to take it and we would find a bed for me when we go there. We met back up with our friend Kate who left us in Vienna! Got Lydia checked-in and then, Lydia, Teagan, Kate and I walked around to a bunch of different hostels to find me a bed. Every place we stopped was booked full!!! So long story short I snuck into my friend Kate's room and slept in her bed for the night!
Anyway, Lydia, Teagan, Kate, and I went out for dinner. After dinner, Lydia did her washing, I took a shower, and then we hung out in the hostel for a little bit before bed. After Teagan and Lydia went to bed, Kate and I stopped in the hostel bar for a quick drink. After our drink, Kate stopped outside for a smoke, where I ran into about 4 people I had met in Vienna!!! Talked for a little bit and then went to bed!
The next day Lydia and I were catching a bus at 8 am for Venice!
Grunau was amazing!!!! I had sooooo much fun and it was so beautiful and relaxing. The pictures I have will not do it justice!
