an aussie in austria

Was I crazy for considering a weekend away, just me and my toddler? Some would for sure say yes, others would say go for it!

The idea began forming after I came home from Australia earlier this year… as a way that I could re-connect with Sammy after such a long absence. But the months went by and I baulked when it came to actually booking. I have to admit, I was afraid. How would it work? Would I survive? Holidays with kids are not holidays, it’s just parenting in another location without the comforts of home.

I think part of my reason for wanting to go was nostalgia. When I thought about where we would go, my natural inclination was Ossiachersee. I’ve stayed there twice before with Sammy and my parents when they visited. So, somehow, it was a way to relive those memories even without them. In the end, I figured, if I was in Australia, with more friends and family around, there would be a lot more solo trips for me and Sammy, visiting people, and so what if I didn’t have that here? I would just do it alone.

Even though I’d done my research, by the time the madness of September passed and I finally got my head space clear enough to book, the accommodation was gone. And I felt equal parts devastated and relieved that it wasn’t going to work. I tried to make peace with it over the next day, but ended up feeling like a failure. Like I was taking the easy way out just because I was afraid. So, I rallied, and with 4 days to go, hit upon some accommodation that was suitable, and committed.

It wasn’t pricy, and at only an hour away, I figured, worst case scenario, if everything went bad, I could just pack up and come home. Luckily it didn’t come to that. We had a GREAT time.

The part I was most worried about, packing and unpacking, was quickly resolved because the parking space backed onto our rear door, so I could easily and quickly unpack the car while keeping an eye on Sammy, who was too excited to explore the new place to get into much mischief anyway.

I’d picked the location carefully, with a toddler in mind. There was a supermarket, the lake, two playgrounds, a café, a pizza restaurant, and most importantly, train tracks, all within walking distance. We spent the first afternoon running between the two playgrounds and watching trains go by every half an hour, because that’s what Sammy loves best. The weather was sunny and warm and everything just worked. The only difficult thing I noticed was that it was a bit lonely for me, with no one to talk to while Sam happily played.

The following day, it took a while for the sun to push through and Sammy and I went on an excursion to the local animal park. I knew it was probably going to be a bit too old for him, but it was something keep us busy for the morning. After some down time in the apartment over lunch, we spent the afternoon in exactly the same fashion as the day before, watching trains and exploring, ending the day with too much pizza and a very tired toddler, happy to go to bed.

So suddenly, it was time to pack up and go. To fill in the morning so I could drive home at lunch nap time, I took the chance to pass by a café in the area owned by a fellow Melbournite (Yarra Café). While Sammy drank multiple babycinos, we had a good chat about the quirks of moving from Australia to Austria and not only did it do me good, it gave Sam more exposure to English, which was another reason I wanted to go on a solo trip with him.

All in all, it was a great success, and one I’ll repeat in years to come. I’m really glad I took the chance to go, and even though it didn’t change the I just want papa tantrum the day after, I’m sure it helped our bond, even just a little.