The Misadventures of Jane - Chapter One!

Hi all. It will not have escaped your notice that our blogging has not been very efficient lately - this having been rather a busy time for us plus lots of stuff now going onto our Facebook page - what do you mean what Facebook page??? Who of you out there has not yet signed up?? Good news though - we have a willing(?) volunteer! Our friend Jane - here for a working holiday - has agreed somewhat daringly to write about her adventures in weekly chunks and here comes Part 1. We have made no editorial changes (which hopefully we won't come to regret!) but will try and add some appropriate photos as we go along.

The blog is entitled 'The Misadventures of Jane' - it somehow seemed appropriate but to those of you who are old enough to recognise the reference, tell the younger ones you heard it from your grandparents, and if you are to young to understand - just don't ask us!

THE MISADVENTURES OF JANE
Chapter 1 – Work But Not As You Know It

Ros suggested I keep a blog of mz work experience – which is going to include relearning to touch type using a German keyboard – the z and y keys are reversed which, for a touch-tzpist like wot I woy before I came here, is extraordinarily difficult. The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that I am working on that, rather than cheating and changing the keyboard settings before I start (but thank zou for the suggestion Chris!).

Arrived last Saturday afternoon, Ros collected me from the airport at Klagenfurt and explained that I would not be starting work until Monday – just settle in and nose around finding out where things were on Sunday. Yeah, right. Got to Malta about 1800 and by 1830 was serving, washing up and generally mucking-in. As learning curves go it was fun.

This place is spectacular, no other word for it. Mountains everywhere you turn, it’s picture postcard heaven. My room has a view down the valley which has to be seen to be believed. And I have my own personal alarm clock right next door in the shape of a very pretty church. The bells are electronic now and, for some wholly unknown reason, chime 60 times at 0600 – no snooze alarm, you just have to wait for it to finish. But I have got so used to it that I don’t hear them anzmore.

John took me halfway up a mountain on my day off (another concept which is not As You Know It……….) and left me there with a map, a compass, a gizmo which has GPS but proved to be wholly beyond my technical capabilities despite the operating booklet (why are they always written by someone who assumes a level of competence which lots of us do not have?), so I kept things

very simple and walked up some more of the mountain and then back down to my starting point. Knees also had something to do with that – like lots of other bits of me, they don’t work quite as well as they used to).

However, I did learn from the booklet that the gizmo has a kezboard if zou can find it and I think, as well as tracking your trip, giving you average speed of movement and all sorts of other interesting information, it allows you to write interesting things about the route as you go. Now, for those of us who still vote Luddite Tendencies, I have a question: why would anyone want to spend time on a walk with fabulous views peering at a very small screen and trying to use even smaller keys to tap in all the things you are missing by………..peering etc).

John didn’t know you could do this, fortunately, or doubtless I would have been doing that instead of just ambling up the hill, admiring the horny-handed sons of the soil (grandpa, dad and son – and grandma) who were using large scythes to cut what I gather is the second crop of hay this year. And the butterflies, wildflowers and did I mention the views and the fantastic sunshine?!

John collected me and then what was undoubtedly the highlight of my week took place. We had several groups of bikers staying here and one of the Gang of Four took me for a ride on his BMW. I am in love! Fantastic ride and thank you Steve for a wonderful memory. You and the rest of the Gang of Four will be a very hard act to follow in the coming weeks.

Thursday I went off for a cycle ride but missed the (according to John) very easz to find cycle route to the Gossfalle and found mzself meandering up and down rather more than I was expecting when I set off but as I was going in the right direction it wasn’t a problem and (have I mentioned this before?) the scenery and views are spectacular. Got to my destination 50 minutes later (took 5 in the car when Ros was showing me around) but as I was the only one there, I didn’t actually throw mzself in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall because getting out would have required clambering over a lot of slippery rocks – those who know and love me will be surprised to hear that I used that much discretion! Beautiful spot though, with a walk around it and lots of “thinking spaces” with benches, none of which have ever seen a vandal in their lives.

Paddled for a bit, got my feet and legs nice and cold and then went back via the main road. This country is very cycle-friendly – everyone overtakes you on the other carriageway rather than trying to clip your handlebars in passing without actually knocking you off the bike. There is also no road rage at all as far as I can see – everyone travels sedately and even those who have been following me on my “L” trips with Ros don’t seem overly concerned about my very slow pace. Mind you, the roads do wind a lot and are frequently bordered by drops into water on one side and sheer rock face on the other. And did I mention the scenery?!

Had mz first staff meeting this morning - a very lively affair in which I took very little part, but there was coffee and exceptionally good chocolate cake! The country is awash with exceptionally good cake of various sorts. Apparently Ros and John had agreed to host a German walking association's 100 anniversary celebrations next Sunday - there will be about 100 people coming to the Hutte at the car park where John dropped me off for my hill walking expedition the other day. A knees-up there on Saturdaz night and then down to us for lunch on Sunday.

The local bank manager's father in law dropped in for a drink last night about 0015 (which will teach us to stay outside drinking till all hours) and casually asked Ros what she was doing about music. News to Ros, although FIL who plays in a local brass band, offered to put her in touch with the band's reserve team. We will be all ledderhosen and accordions bz the sound of it. And run off our feet. But how much fun will it be?! Lots!

Enough alreadz for this week. For those who have got this far, thank you for reading it – for those who have never been here COME! It is the most amazing holiday destination and Ros and John run a fantastic operation – it would be impossible to get anything more guest-friendly. And John is not a bad little chef (sorry John, I meant excellent……….put that knife down…….), it’s pretty much all cooked from scratch and to order – a short and simple menu each day using fresh produce and all done simply and very well.

I hope your coming week is as good as mine will be……….watch this space.