Hours walked: 9:15 - 4:30
Kilometres walked: 18
Quote of the day: “You don’t have a car? Did you come by taxi? You walked from where??” - Hotel clerk
Jesuses seen: 4
All of us really liked Ossiach and didn’t really want to leave. But after devouring another wonderful breakfast we did leave. It was the first time in two weeks that our accommodation seemed to be full and there were lots of other families eating breakfast with us. Although we like our solitude, it was also nice to have other families around.
After a couple of easy kilometres on roads, we entered the steep gorge that was to kick our butt for much of the morning. Unlike previous schluchts which had built-in walkways, this was a rough trail lined with slick roots and wet rocks, many as large as Zadie herself. Although our thigh muscles quivered, we were rewarded with cool shade and incredible views. A small victory was that I learned through the process of walking through the schlucht that Aurora would prefer to walk steep hills in the shade than gentle hills in direct sun (it was a very hot day.) Little Zadie was in Slow Trudge mode, but we all rallied round and entertained her with stories, games and cajolery.
It felt very easy walking on 4x4 roads after the schluchtweg and we all lapsed into conversation. Jakob read aloud a chapter of the girls’ current storybook, The School For Good And Evil; told a long Moomin story which hinged on a crucial misunderstanding of the words “Nyttårs’aften” and “ Nyttår-saften”; and futilely tried to make progress in Zadie’s D&D (she is a tough dungeon master and calls all the shots she wants. I have literally spent years in hospital with a bleeding head wound, and have amnesia. But my magic powers include making pizza appear by snapping my fingers, and projecting myself high into the air via, of course, farts.)
We passed a lovely pond, some crumbling ruins, and had a bite of lunch outside a fire station. We briefly lost Tova and Zadie on a forest road, but they did a good job of not wandering randomly. So far, every time we see blueberry bushes in flower, it tends to be pine trees going uphill. Pine and blueberry bushes makes for a very serene setting, even if the bushes have no berries yet.
As we headed downhill, we were graced with beautiful views of the Slovenian mountains that we will soon visit. By late afternoon, the sun was shining strong and the walk was feeling long. During the last kilometres, Tova was full of energy and decided to carry my pack; I’m astounded she lasted about two kilometres, talking nonstop. Zadie shuffled her feet and talked about moving back to Canberra so she could stop walking.
Hotel Garni Wurzer was an oasis situated between a highway and a railroad track. The girls perked up instantly with a tree swing, playground and swimming pool beckoning them. It takes Tova about 10 seconds about relaxing after a long day of walking before she starts begging to be let out to play.
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