The Akermen Family European Tour Scrapbook

Charlie AkermanCharlie is the youngest of the team, but can pull her own weight with camp-kitchen chores. She can grate cheese competently but always likes to have a bit to check it's ok. Around the camp fire she will entertain with her very own version of Santa Baby, and is a keen air-guitarist Lena StranksLena aka Mum is the tours chef, route planner, photographer and geologist. It all sounds quite grand but it really just means she did rocks at university once, can make an omelette and knows that if the sun is on your left you are most likely heading west(ish). She is wonderful in many ways, hem hem and edits the website Bear AkermanBear is just a freeloader along for the ride and the icecream Nick AkermanDont be confused by the sombre look, Nick is actually genuinely grumpy. He is with the trip for 4 weeks out of 7 as he had to pop back and do some work for a bit in the middle. He is chief campfire entertainer with his guitar and singing. He is also the main driver and in charge of interpretting navigational instructions from Lena. As if that is not enough he will be lifeguard at the seaside, and helping bear with his icecreams Abigail AkermanAbi is the team artist and ballerina. She will be looking to document the trip on her own felt-tip version of the bayeaux tapestry. Her speciality in camp-kitchen is "Gods Own Mash" but she will hopefully get to experiment with local ingredients on her nights cooking tea. Libby AkermanLibby is the eldest of the youngsters on the trip and so will no doubt be keen to stay up after all the others and watch the telly....ah there is no telly. Fortunately Libby has other means of entertaining us and herself as she is able to sing all of the three HSM soundtracks and the Sound of Music from memory. She will no-doubt be persuaded to join in with Nick singing even though he has a penchant for 70s tracks and Elton John. Shes nice like that!

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Austria

Austria has been different from previous countries in that we have not had to camp at all and that we have stayed in one spot for much longer and got to know it.

Our base for nearly a fortnight was Filzmoos about 70km South of Saltzburg and then on a farm about an hour north of Saltzburg

From here we were able to do a lot of walking. We got to know the footpaths some of the flora, and even some of the locals. Mum was nervous of the cows with their massive horns

When we eventually moved on it was to meet up with our nephew/cousin and his girlfriend. We were lucky enough to stay with her parents for a couple of nights on their farm which was really lovely. It was a very sociable time because it was Karina and Libby's birthday, so there was lots of great food and partying and a few drinks for the grown ups too.

Austria in Pictures

There are lots of calbe cars in Austria. We went on this one on our way to see some icecaves. Sorry but there are no photos of that (photography wasnt allowed)


The view from the mouth of the icecaves was really wonderful


Nearby to the icecaves was this fabulous castle. This is where we watched a falconry display (see videos on homepage)




And heres yet another natural wonder...a gorge cut by a river into the side of a mountain


Of course Austria has some beautiful cities too; we visited Satzburg, home of Mozart, cake (see food page) and some film about a not-quite nun


but we really enjoyed our time outdoors


especially the walks




Although occasionally things got scary


or just plain cold


We had a great time at our cousin's girlfriend's house (it was her birthday...)


....and Libby's too. Luckily Karina's mum was a fabulous cook. This cake was a lovely end to a great stay in Austria.