Day 4

Thank goodness the rain had not returned during the night but there was not enough sun to undo what the rain had created: everything wet and damp except our spirits. The breakfast crew had the food on the table and cleared away in 30 minutes. Had to run from the toilet to get on the bus for Vienna as the engine hummed for take off.

Journey started with the usual morning briefing: today a short journey, passports out in five seconds, countdown starts immediately' everyone has them in the air in no time except Anne and myself, 'all things are what?' 'changeable' and finally four new members arrived late last night. Leighton announces we're now a complete family before inviting each in turn to introduce themselves as we have all done now with our names, reason for picking Ozbuz, favourite mythical creature (?), which place most looking forward to seeing and finally plans after Sydney?

The first up Fergal a 26 year old doctor heading to take up an appointment in Melbourne. First one to get an applause for his occupation but I can't help feeling out of relief. Always good to have a doc abroad even if so young. He's followed by Paul a construction worker who gets loud cheer from Leighton who sees the potential if we need to dig the coach out. Next to take the mike is big John Paul Duggan a farmer from Ireland who delayed his trip to play in the final of a gaelic footbal final. The draw makes it possible that he will have to fly home for the replay. He must be good the club paying for his flight from Turkey and back. Last one up ? From America. Been working in advertising, now returning to Oz to get thee necessary quals to become a lawyer. Looking forward to India.

After a short drive the coach pulls in to a small supermarket to stock up with food for lunch. Panic sets in when it becomes apparent there's no toilets. Sue finds a corner behind the shop, the young party group head down the road to the next supermarket. Anne notices a sign for a restaurant with parking and toilet symbols and a large group of us make towards it. We all feel guilty at using the clean free toilets and so a mass order is taken for soup and beer. The garlic soup was memorable and will some beating especially for the princely sum of 15 krouna or 40 pence. Arrived in Vienna at about 2.00pm.

After an excellent lunch of salad, sliced meat loaf and chicken followed by a fruit salad we headed off into the capital for some high culture. After a good hour in the natural history museum we headed towards the opera house and the St Stephens church. Lastly we dropped in an Australian bar recommended by Leighton just to find Scooby, now firmly established as the leader of the lets get drunk brigade, and the rest of the gang downstairs going at it as though they were enter Iran tomorrow. It was obvious they had been there since leaving the coach three hours earlier. Finished up having two pints of a delicious local wheat beer and a very tasty beefburger. At about eight joined the party gang downstairs who were by then in full flight much to the delight of the pub's manager and the amusement of the two Ozzie waiters serving them. In the middle of the table were two glass towers, with pouring taps at their base, of beer. One was a 3 metre and the other a 2 metre and with all the screaming and shouting, laughing and gaffawing, pushing and shoving it was a microcosm of what Babel must have been like just before it fell. When we left at 9.15 to get the coach the lads were in heaven and Babel was still in tact.

Finished the night off sitting in the campsite kitchen drinking wine and hot chocolate. Went to bed reasonably early but many found it hard to sleep for the noise being made by a group of Ozzie campers.