“You’re moving on to new places! You’re off and away…

Your journey is calling, today is the day!

You’re sad to be leaving, Yet glad to be going,

Your flight is awaiting. Keep moving…keep going…

“Be off now, just go” ….Get on your way.

Set up that Sat Nav and keep going I say”

― Adapted from that wonderfully philosophical little Dr. Seuss book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

Isn’t it funny how our lives can be such a mixed bag of feelings and emotions, even on the most exciting of days.

Afterall, today was to be a big transition day for us… shouldn’t we have actually been more excited (far less introspective) about the prospect of moving on?

We were going to be travelling from lovely little Bad Gastein, in the Austrian Alps, to the extremely busy Franz Joseph Strauss Airport in Munich (by car …er oh no!!!), then on by plane through Oslo Airport and into Schiphol in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It was a very big day!

YES, we were a bit keyed up about leaving; YES we were looking forward to exploring new countries. YES we were interested in becoming acquainted with both the contemporary and the historical aspects of Western European culture …… and….. YES we actually did want to continue exploring, and “to be on our way”!

I was particularly looking forward to discovering Amsterdam’s Spring landscapes which I’d only ever seen in photographs and movies before. My camera was ready and waiting. I was also looking forward to seeing the canals, the historic windmills, lots and lots of lovely golden daffodils, the colourful flower fields and the amazing splendour of the tulips at the Keukenhof Gardens.

But you know deep inside….. both of us were also “kinda sad”…. (maybe even a BIG BIT SAD).

After all, we were now going to be leaving this new, magical, mist-shrouded country where Mozart was born and we’d really only just started exploring it. We were going to be leaving this Austrian landscape that had already created such beautiful memories and rekindled our work-weary spirits (well – except of course when driving in the car as you know– and you’ve already heard way too much about my tormented “wrong side of the road scariness” and all that stuff)! Anyway, we knew we would even miss the village church bells ringing through the wilderness AND….., sadly it was going to be a very, VERY LONG TIME before we could return.

Over our past four night stay at the comfortable alpine resort called the “Bellevue Mondi” we had started to feel like we’d found a new home away from home. We had great views, peaceful surroundings, plenty of cooking facilities, and some wonderful hosts downstairs who were able to provide us with anything from a light cuppa to a full buffet, depending on our fancy at any particular time.

For the past few days we’d been able to pull back, to relax, to unwind and to spend time just expanding our significant connections….both with each other and with our inner selves. We were able to take on a whole new aura… a completely new and invigorating focus… able to kick back and explore who we were away from the usual ho-hum of the daily routines back at home.

Everything around us had slowed to a much more relaxing pace. For the first time (in quite a long time) we had been presented with moments where we could just sit and ponder…..to really look at the clouds…..to discuss and marvel at snow on the mountains in the distance, and to restore personal inner peace….we were quickly developing a less work intrusive sense of personal perspective…reacquainting ourselves with who we really are.

However, I have to say, my dearly beloved probably wasn’t able to fully relax just yet. After all, he was still working, working, working,…. not all the time….but certainly at various times throughout the quieter periods of the day and even sometimes even in the wee small hours of the morning.

But today was the day….we were going to be on our way. We arose early…… (no make that extremely early…. Around 4.00am Austrian time in fact)!!

We were soon brushing the sleet from the windscreen of the glossy little black beamer and loading her up..… this beautiful but temporary little BMW would soon be ours no more. We would have to say our goodbye to it later in the morning.

As we drove off into the darkness our thoughts became more taken up by practicalities. Where were we going, how were we going to get there and how long would it take? We were soon wishing we’d spent just a little more time really getting to know how the Sat Nav worked!! Maybe, with a little bit more forward planning our unfolding driving adventures back to Franz Josef Strauss Airport in Munich may have been a little less stressful and eventful! At the very least, let me say that when one is in Germany, it is highly advisable to take a little time to plan out your trip and to really sort your Strauss’s from your StraBes….especially if you are hoping to arrive at your desired destination in a somewhat calm and timely fashion!

Oh well just look on the bright side….we actually got to do a little bit of extra, unplanned sightseeing!!