down the danube part 7... dream team

This is one of my favourite series of portraits I've ever taken... 
In the vineyards of the Wachau...

Best friends, perfect parents, possibly the most awesome
travel companions ever...

I hope my memories of this day will last a lifetime...

x

 Mama! Valerie Lawrence...

 Papa! David Lawrence...

 Jig! Jack Johns...

 Ally! Alexandra Green...

 Snicker! Nicola Robey...

 Dreamo! Lucy Higgins...

 Rooofy Leee! Ruth Ley...

It's a kat! Andy Lawrence...

down the danube part 6... grein to melk

As the days went on, we would often chat about what our favourite days had been, or what our favourite moments of the trip had been... Our overwhelming conclusion was always that each day seemed to be filled with so many unique events, experiences and happenings that it was too tough to choose! Today was a perfect example... 

Faced with grey and rain in the early hours, our morning began with some lazy looking around Grein with crossed fingers that the weather would turn... Thankfully as the clock ticked past 12 and our ferry arrived on the south side of the river, the sun finally burned through the clouds, warming our legs to push the pedals once more... 

Our main stop for the day was Marbach, where we'd planned to have lunch and head up the hill to Maria Taferl, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Austria. Our lunchtime BBQ on the banks of the river ended up being one of the most decadent, meat heavy feasts I've ever enjoyed. For some reason I then decided to put said meat to use and cycle 250m vertically over 4km. Tiring, but really rewarding, and worth every bit of the speedy journey back down the hill...

The day reached new levels of radness on our return to the group as they'd befriended a bunch of local wakeboarders who'd been kind enough to take the peeps out for a ride in their boat! Jack and I even almost got a go on the end of the rope, but the session sadly had to be cut short after one of the guys fractured his cheek bone trying a front roll! Ouch...

By the time we left Marbach headed for Melk, it was getting on 8 o clock, but spirits were high and Girltalk had our crew pumped! The twenty or so kilometres breezed by and before we knew it, we were tented, tired and ready for bed...

Sunshine! A post midday start (again) near Grein...

BBQ of dreams in Marbach...

The amazing interior of the church at Maria Taferl...

The view from Maria Taferl over Marbach, before the downhill descent of dreams...

down the danube part 5... linz to grein...

Despite some overnight rain, we awoke to clear skies and light winds for our fourth day on the road. Our party decided to split up for the morning with most heading into Linz to check out Austrias third largest city while Jack, Ally and I embraced the best of holiday relaxation by beautiful Pichlingersee.
After a midday meetup we were soon back in the saddles on our way to Mauthausen, which provided us with some testing times both on and off the bikes.
Sitting above the town is the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp memorial site. Though it isn't as well known as Auschwitz, Dachau or Sachsenhausen, it's history is no less atrocious, and the remaining buildings, information and memorials left us feeling quite drained. 

However, the show must go on and the remainder of our journey onwards to Grein was a combination of some of the nicest and foulest weather we'd experienced. Needless to say, when we arrived at our campingplatz and were offered a cheap upgrade to cabin accommodation, we jumped at the chance to recharge ourselves sheltered from the wind and rain...
Again, if you'd like to read more about our trip, check out http://at-eleven-eleven.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Danube or http://heirstoall.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/down-by-river.html

Jack, Ally and I relaxing by the picturesque Pichlingersee...

Team Danube amongst the fields of green...

Oh the excitement...

A guard tower and wire topped wall outside Mauthausen-Gusen...

The "execution facility" was pretty overwhelming, the most grim of which was a working bathroom which had been deliberately converted into a sealed gas chamber so as to be able to walk prisoners to their death without them realising... Hectic...

Not that long ago...

down the danube part 4... a long day to linz...

Our day started off in fantastic fashion as we made our way through flatter lands on the way to Linz. Our lunchtime biking break was one of our best yet, by the banks of the river with a range of fresh bread, meat and cheese, as the sun shone down. However as we made our way through Linz and beyond, the heavens opened and, as it turned out, it was a taste of trying things to come... 

Eventually, after wind, rain, and a fair few extra km than expected, we arrived at our camping platz by Pichlingersee. Vibes were dampened by the long day and encroaching storms but our crew were defiantly positive in the face of negativity and it turned out to be an amazing eve, tucked into our saviour of a gazebo, playing games, eating pizza and drinking wine... Team work at its best!

Dream team with Naw making a token twin tshirt appearance...

Cyclers unite for fun! Good times at our amazing lunchplatz...

Jig journeys down an Austrian metal mega slide...

 All sorts of green as the storm approaches...

 Eventually the flash flood rain gave way to probably the most amazing light of the trip... Gold and grey is simply a combination made in heaven... This was the view across the fields by our campsite following the storm...

 Jig embracing the golden hour...

Cuteness... Ma and Pa beside a Linz seasonaire...

Tents, bikes and warm light... Afternoon delight! x

down the danube part 3... engelhartszell to aschach

Our third day on the road was a relatively short one, though taking in no less incredible scenery along the way... The hills seemed to tower along both sides today as the river wound its way around the Schlogen Loop... Along the way, we stopped by a farmhouse to sample our first taste of the local "Most" before ferrying across to the south bank and on towards Aschach, possibly one of the most picturesque campsites I've ever enjoyed staying at...

 In the words of Wiley "Uhhh, two, three, four, I'm cycling!" Lining up for our first taste of Most near the Schlogen Loop...

 Jig's bike taking a well earned rest...

Tents up, mattresses aired, time to chill...

The peaceful waters where I enjoyed my only Danube swim of the trip...

Dinner was fun filled with food, wine and laughter... Especially the simple entertainment of the card game "Cheat"...

happy days mama...

Thought i would take a quick break from holiday blogging to wish my amazing Mama a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Twas so amazing to share another awesome adventure with both my parents... 

I'm a lucky kid! 

Lots of love Mama xx oo

down the danube part 2... to passau and on the bike...

Twas an early rise once more and a couple of hours of train and bus time on our way to Passau to pick up our bikes from Rent a Bike Passau... I think we all initially had fears about weight and space on our bikes, but these were soon put to rest and by mid afternoon we were off, heading out of picturesque Passau, across the border, and on our way to our first overnight stop in Engelhartszell. With warm weather, a quicker than expected journey, an infinity pool awaiting our arrival at camp, and schnitzel for dinner, it was a perfect start to the trip...

 Loading up our trusty steeds and checking the maps in Passau...

 Just across the border and making tracks...

 The team take a break to soak up the serenity...

 Dad proclaiming his love for St Augustin...

 Jig's displays his cat like skills above the Danube...

The girls embrace the unexpected campsite infinity...

down the danube part 1... munich

After years of dreaming and months of planning, on the 26th of May 2012, a group of eight intrepid adventurers headed off to Germany with a plan to cycle and camp our way across Austria (some 350km from Passau to Vienna) following the mighty Danube river. And what an adventure it was... I'm going to try to stick to short intros and minimal captions, but if you'd like a little more of the story from our holiday of a lifetime, you should check out http://at-eleven-eleven.blogspot.co.uk/

A little note to go with these next few posts...

In keeping with our stripped down adventuring, i decided to take only one camera with me, my recently purchased Kiev 60. I shot a total of seven 120 rolls during the 10 days; five Fuji 400, one Ilford Pan F 50 and one Ilford Delta 3200. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I had all the films processed on return that i realised there'd been a problem with the camera. The result was, sadly, a lot of blown out photos. Some I like, some i don't, but overall, I'm still really happy i chose to shoot film. Live and learn...

 Leaving the digital world in lovely Lewisham... An early rise for our flight from Gatwick to Munich...

 Starting it off with sunshine... Twas an amazing day for cruising Munich... Hofgarten...

 The Eisbach was packed with people, either surfing or snapping photos... For an amazing winter view of this iconic wave, check out Nick Jacksons beautiful "White Winter Wave"...

 A litre of Hofbrau, half a chicken and roast potatoes in the Englischer Garten = LIVING...

 Good vibes in the sunshine with our Munich guides, Nick and Alisa Jackson...

 Colourful train station tomfoolery with Dad...

 With Snicker...

 And with Jig...

For some, the excitement of the approaching Eurovision final was all too much... Jack and Ruth napping it out before Sweden took the honours in one of the most rigged contests I've ever seen...