Fabulous Fiss

Friends who read my blog from afar are impressed by how much travelling I do though I always have to remind them that it's usually less than they themselves do and much less frequently than back in the day when I worked for BA or VFB. Having said that, I do want to officially mark my entry into the 'proper' overseas walkers community. Earlier this month, for just a few days, I joined a Ramblers Worldwide Holidays walking tour in the Austrian Tyrol. From a flower-bedecked hotel in Fiss - delicious food and wine, super-soft beds and duvets, bathwater warm swimming pool and choice of spa saunas - my first views of those craggy peaks looked very welcoming in the summer sunshine. The first day was challenging but enjoyable - zigzagging down from 2400m cable car station. The flower-filled meadows were wonderful as was our lunchtime break overlooking the Lechtaler Alpes and late afternoon, coffee and cakes back at the hotel. But as I had been warned, see how speedily the weather can change in the mountains. Later the next day, were hit with torrential rain showers which tested my new all weather kit as well as having to walk along a 1km wasserweg which tested (and failed) my old walking boots as we paddled our way through the tunnel under the mountain. Not so much fun dripping back later to the hotel but still a tremendous sense of achievement and fun to spend time in the great outdoors with such a lovely group of walkers. So maybe in future blogs from me, there will be less from the cultural hot spots and more from the paths less travelled?