To boldly go where I've been a couple of hundred times before

You know, sometimes I look back on the thirty-one years that I have spent on this planet so far, and I can't help thinking that I've blazed quite a trail across this continent of Europe. Being born on the plains of Northern Germany, going through my childhood there during the second coming of Reagan in the 1980s, moving to the Czech Republic just four years after the fall of the Iron Courtain, attending an elite International School there (and not giving a damn about it), or picking myself up after failing my bid at higher education, and going from a school dropout to being hired by one of the most iconic companies on this planet, Apple, and moving to Ireland.

Every single station along this way so far has been great, worthwhile, and hugely beneficial. I have met amazing people, seen things that shaped me forever, and learned more than I understood at each of these stops, most of the times without me noticing it.

However, the station that remains most prominent in my mind is my time in a boarding school in Austria. It was no easy time, and ultimately, I failed at getting a complete higher education, landing me in the predicament I mentioned above. However, a large number of lessons, not least those learned outside of class, equipped me with the tools I needed to dig myself out of the hole I had gotten myself into.

I still think back to that time regularly, though less so now here in Ireland than during the years of my time in Frankfurt, my "exile" as I like to call it. However, as these amazing five years drifted back farther and farther in time, I increasingly forgot about returning there one day. Until one beautiful day in January, well, as beautiful as days in January can get in Ireland.

Out of the blue, I received a private message in Facebook, from a guy bearing the name of a former classmate of mine. It was about a possible 10-year reunion, and whether I would be interested in such a thing.  Well, there was no link I was supposed to click, and i did not have any real life contact details in my Facebook profile anyway, so I replied. It turned out to be a genuine message. Fast forward five months, and I found myself packing for yet another trip to the continent via Dublin Airport. Only this time, it wouldn't be for a flight to Frankfurt as on the previous days. I was booked on a flight to Vienna via Zurich. It was Back to Bad Aussee, where I had gone to school. I was really looking forward to the trip. There was one thing however I was not excited about at all.

Day 1 - Leaving Ireland

The Alarm Clock goes off at 0500. Great, just great. The next time I have such a brilliant idea, just shoot me, okay? I drag myself out of bed, pack the last couple of things and trod down to the bus stop at St. Patrick's Quay. Anyone seeing me could be forgiven for thinking i was on my way to Mountjoy or Kilmainham or something like that. Hey, forget the fact that I would kill for early shifts at work, I'm just not a morning person. Just because I'm up at 6 AM doesn't mean I'm capable of meaningful work.
It is quiet and peaceful as I leave my apartment. The cool morning air helps me wake up a bit. Not much, though...

Morning mood at the city quays in Cork 

The ride to Dublin Airport, the blue bus in the background, of course!

The Bus ride is comfortable, as I've come to expect from Aircoach. The free WiFi works like a charm. Some wonderful lighting on the slopes of Gattymore Mountain near Mitchelstown really makes my heart jump. A few minutes later, my lights go out, and I fall asleep. We're in Tallaght by the time I wake up. I must have really needed some sleep.
Traffic is heavy, but we get through pretty quickly anyway... well, except for a couple of moments of terror at St. George's Quay in Dublin, when our bus refuses to move. After a couple of restarts don't resolve the issue, the driver does something that I know only to well: He calls tech support! Within minutes, we are moving again.
The Situation at Dublin AIrport is a bit more chaotic than usual. It's friday, that means that a lot of one-off-flights are scheduled today, including a number of transatlantic flights. This being my third departure from Dublin, I've developed a certain routine. Having checked in online the day before, I just have to drop my luggage off at the corresponding counter. Security is a breeze as well, I'm through in mere minutes. 

Arrivals Level road at Dublin Terminal 1 - Still a better facility than Skylink!

Just goes to show that Dublin Airport is capable of handling all kinds of birds!

Airside, it's the usual mess. With boarding time approaching rapidly, I just have time for a quick breakfast and an even quicker browse through the airside shops. Nothing spectacular. Pretty soon, boarding begins. I get a bit of a shock when I reach my gate, the entire area around Gate 303 is undergoing reconstruction. Well, it can't get any worse, the areas was beginning to look more than dated. Unfortunately, the same goes for the cabin aboard the Swiss A321 that will take me to Zurich. Don't get me wrong, it is very comfortable, but the cabin interior has definitely seen better days. Furthermore, the scent of the last in-flight meal still lingers in the air. Not really the smell you want to have when boarding an aircraft. On the plus side, the cabin is only half full, meaning I've got row 31 for myself.

It isn't as full as it looks - Boarding for the flight to Zurich.

Quick check of the neighbourhood in Dublin.

The flight is smooth. The in-flight snack is actually quite nice, a warm focaccia, quite a change from the cold snacks aboard Lufthansa's lunchtime service to Frankfurt, which is only marginally shorter than the flight to Zurich. And of course, I'll never turn down an offering of quality chocolate, which is a fixture on Swiss flights. After an uneventful flight, we begin our descent into Zurich airport, coming in on Runway 14. The approach is much smoother than the clouds outside might suggest, the same goes for the landing, the transition from flying to rolling is nearly indistinguishable. The same cannot be said for the braking, those thrust reversers sure pack a punch.
My first impression of Zurich airport is quite favourable, a nice and modern facility, much more so than Dublin, although both terminals have their roots in the 1970s. Getting into the transit area is a pretty straightforward matter, helped by a very friendly immigration officer from the Swiss police. The German federal police with their "Herrenmensch" ideology could take more than a few lessons from him. Once airside in the transit area, my enthusiasm goes down the drain, as the only obvious restaurants (it IS lunchtime after all) seem to be a self-service restaurant and a Burger King. My mood improves somewhat when it turns out that the self-service restaurant is of pretty high standards. 
After a quick lunch and subsequent stroll through the transit area, I decide to make myself comfortable in one of the bars, right behind the panoramic windows. It turns out to be a perfect vantage point, and the homemade iced tea isn't that bad either. A good place to while away the time, especially since most of the shops are overpriced or stock uninteresting and tacky souvenirs.

Who needs live sports TV when you have such a view?

Or this?

The architects really did a good Job at Zurich Airport's Airside Center in my eyes.

Despite their tacky name and paint job, Edelweiss Air is actually a serious contender in the holiday traffic market.

Air Berlin isn't exactly small, either.

A British Aerospace Avroliner, affectionately known as "Jumbolino".

Another view of the rather spectacular Airside Center.

Well, those guys aren't exactly from the neighbourhood. Does anyone know if this is a regular visitor, or whether this was a one-off flight, like a government charter?

Soon, it is time to make my way to the departure gate for my flight to Vienna. My hope for an empty flight goes out the window as soon as I enter the departure concourse. The evening hub operation at Zurich is beginning to rev up, it looks like it's going to be a very full flight indeed. 

My ride to Vienna waiting at the gate.

Air Berlin taxiing for take-off.

What airport are we at again?

An Airbus A340, also known as the "Four-Person Hairdryer" due to its "stellar" climb performance. They say that the A340 can only take off because the Earth is round...

British Airways Embraer ERJ-190. Due to their Brazilian origin, these Aircraft are often referred to as "jungle jets".

I just had to capture this monstrosity. I can't believe that Germanwings ditched their old silver, maroon, and yellow paint job for this. Nothing fits together at all here. Even North Korea's Air Koryo has a more attractive paint job!

Boarding the flight to Vienna. I love lass Jetways!

Nice, modern, and clean. That's how I like it.

Boarding is soon announced, and smooth as silk, not least thanks to Passbook. I really love that thing by now. The aircraft is another Airbus, this time an A320, the smaller sibling of the jet that brought me here. It sports Austrian's new, rather questionable paint job, and seems to be pretty new. The cabin is equipped with the new generation Recaro slimline seats I've come to enjoy with Lufthansa. As I was afraid, the flight is filled to the last seat. Still, we depart on time.
Take-off is much more powerful than in Dublin. Not much of a surprise, considering that we are carrying less fuel, and the aircraft is smaller, while the engines produce the same amount of thrust. Soon, we are airborne, and on our way to Vienna. The flight itself is pretty unremarkable, all the more so, as I'm seated on the wrong side of the aircraft to get even a passing glance at the alps. That'll teach me to pay more attention during online check in in the future. The food is unremarkable, just pretzels and soft drinks, but hey, what do you expect during a one hour hop? The approach into Vienna is once again very smooth, the same goes for the landing, and indeed the roll-out. There is almost no braking action at all, followed by a panicked application of wheel brakes, as we almost shoot past our runway turn-off. I thought these things only happen to me in Microsoft Flight Simulator.
We dock at the new "Skylink" Terminal at Vienna airport. It looks sleek and modern from the outside, shame that the same cannot be said about the inside of the building. Instead, it gives the impression of wannabe avant-garde. In fact, the walkway from the gate to the arrivals area reminds me of the hallway in an unemployment office. Hardly the image that an airport should convey in its architecture. I reserve my final judgement for the flight back to Dublin on Tuesday.

The transfer from the airport to the hotel via shuttle bus works like a charm. On the motorway into Vienna proper, I listen to the radio on my iPod. Ö3, the same station I listened to while in boarding school. It certainly feels weird coming back after ten years. The shuttle bus drops me off right in front of Vienna's West railroad terminus, where my hotel is located. Check-in is straightforward, and the room is nice. WiFi is free, but the reliability is spotty at best. I decide against a quick dinner down in the hotel bar, and go to sleep after a bit of brainkiller TV courtesy of Austria's public broadcaster ORF.

Day 2 - Back to Bad Aussee

The Alarm clock goes off at 0700. My response is far too vulgar to be published in this blog. I quickly make myself ready for the day, and make my way down to breakfast. As the hotel is pretty busy, I finish my breakfast quickly, and make my way back to my room to get my stuff ready, and check my email. WiFi is back up and running, but, alas, no one wants anything to do with me. I grab my luggage and head over to the railroad station to snap a couple of pictures. I've never really been a fan of the 1950s architecture on display throughout the station, although I do have to admit that the inside of the original station building is actually quite nice.

Well, the architecture is certainly unusual, but I like it nonetheless. Plus, the hotel isn't bad at all.

Talk about style clash - Vienna West railroad terminus.

The inside of the station isn't bad though. I quite like it.

OBB Railjet High Speed Train at Vienna West. I'll be on one of those in a few days time.

The face of liberalisation in the rail market. A double-decker train of private rail operator Westbahn at Vienna West station

Another view of the station hall from the mezzanine.

With the photos in the bag, I make my way to the OBB Lounge at Wien West, the perk of having a 1st class ticket. The lounge sounds much more grandiose than it actually is, but the WiFi is excellent, not to mention free, as are the drinks. Still nothing as far as emails are concerned, so I just update my travel notes. Before long, I have to make my way to the train. The train, OBB InterCity OIC 862, operated by the Austrian Federal Railways (Oesterreichische Bundesbahnen, OBB), is waiting at the platform less than 100 yards away. I quickly grab some drinks for the journey, make my way to the train, and make myself comfortable in the First Class section of the train, near the rear.

Boarding the InterCity train at the Platform at Vienna West.

View through the first class section. Quite comfortable, to be honest.

View from my seat. The load factor for this part of the train really didn't increase during the trip.

We leave Vienna bang on time. After about 15 minutes of snaking around the west of the city, the train disappears in a tunnel. The Westbahn, the railroad trunk line connecting Vienna with cities to the west, hence the name, has been upgraded to a full scale high High Speed Rail Line, and the tunnel is the transition from the old line to the new one. Progress is swift, despite a stop at a bona fide "Ghost Station", Tullnerfeld, a Rail station in the middle of nowhere. Quite frankly, nothing looks familiar in this area, as I never ventured that far on the Westbahn before.

Passing through Huetteldorf station at the outskirts of Vienna.

Typical station scene at St. Poelten central station.

One of OBB's Class "Taurus" type engines carrying advertisement for Austria's largest radio station. 

The Alps are coming into view.

One of numerous local stations that have seen better days.

A rake of "CityShuttle" local carriages with a class 1044 engine at the head.

Things change after we reach Linz, the industrial powerhouse in the northwest of Austria. The terrain begins to feel familiar, though a lot of the stations have been remodelled in the last decade, which was much needed. The weather, which had been positively gloomy since leaving Vienna, is beginning to brighten up as well, which bodes well for the trip through the Salzkammergut later on.

Self portrait of my train as it nears Linz Central station.

Future on Rails. While the trains are getting better, as this Siemens "Desiro" railcar shows, many stations aren't quite in such a good state. 

Large mainline stations like Wels are of course almost always being modernised.

Is that a commuter car park, or are they being stored for shipping? Making creative use of the goods ramp at Attnang-Puchheim station.

It may look like after a bomb attack, but believe me, this is lightyears ahead of what it used to be.

Oncoming InterCity train pulled by another Taurus type engine.

Talent EMUs, like the one shown here in Attnang Puchheim, usually serve the line to Bad Aussee. This one is actually waiting on the platform reserved for such services.

We stop for a longer time at Attnang-Puchheim station, which looks like it was hit by a bomb. Don't get me wrong, that is actually an improvement over its previous state. It had been in need of a major makeover even when I was still in school here in Austria, sporting all the trimmings of late 1970s Government Railroad "chic", to put it diplomatically. The line into the Salzkammergut branches off here in Attnang Puchheim, and the last four coaches of the train are uncoupled accordingly, a rarity in these days of strict separation between intercity and local services. As soon as another engine is hooked to the front of the train, and we head off into the alps. From now on, it becomes a trip down memory lane for me. Ten years, and still it all seems so familiar. I'll let the pictures do the talking for this part of the trip. Sorry about the excessive reflections in some of the pics, that couldn't be avoided while shooting out of a modern Intercity carriage. You can't open any windows on these things.

Pastoral beauty on the way to the Salzkammergut.

Typical branch line scene...

Pulling into Gmunden station...

The Alps come into view...

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this station hasn't changed in 15 years.

First glance at the area where the train will have to squeeze through...

Mountains and water are a face of the Salzkammergut. Sometimes it also feels like mountains of water, but that is another story.

Coming up to the end of Traunsee. Between the lake on the left, and the mountains out of the picture on the right, they barely managed to squeeze in the road and the rail line.

Freight cars on the sidings in Ebensee. The station sees a sizeable amount of freight traffic due to the salt mines in the area.

Industrial buildings like these signify the former importance of the salt industry in Ebensee and the entire Salzkammergut.

Oncoming traffic in the shape of a Class 4024 "Talent" unit.

Crossing the Traun river near Bad Ischl.

Stereotypical small town idyll along the line

Evidence of fresh landslides at Lake Hallstatt, a harbinger of what was to come in the weeks after this trip.

House for sale near Hallstatt station. Granted, it may need some renovation, but believe me, this is a real bargain...

Looking across Lake Hallstatt. This is the only town in Austria that I know where you need to take a ferry to get to and from the rail station.

Remnants of the last ice age.

And there's the ferry I was talking about.

The arrival in Bad Aussee brings a surprise and a shock. At the first glance, not much has changed, except for a modern central "island" platform, built for the 2005 state fair. When you look closer though, you notice a lot of changes, none of them positive. The station is pretty much deserted, the restaurant closed, just like the newsagent. The ticket counter is gone too, replaced by a ticket machine. The station is still manned by dispatchers, but there is no customer service staff available at all anymore. The schedule is a big disappointment as well, a two hour tact in each direction. To top it all off, the goods shed was torn down as well, making way for commuter parking, it seems. 

It may not look like much, but this platform really is a huge improvement. Too bad it wasn't built while I was still a student  in Bad Aussee.

That car park is the spot where the goods shed used to stand.

The station building in Bad Aussee looks welcoming, and is a sign of former glory, but unfortunately, it stands mostly empty nowadays.

I catch a taxi to my hotel, JUFA Bad Aussee, a former youth hostel, which I remember well from a drama workshop during my school years. It has been completely transformed into a comfortable hotel, with simple, though nice rooms, a nice cafe, and, most importantly, free WiFi. All in all, you get a lot for your money. 
After quickly dropping off my bags, I make my way back to the town, following a looping, steep path through the woods. I emerge right in the center of Bad Aussee, my former stomping grounds. A lot of memories come flooding back. I make my way through town, in the direction of the railroad station, to my former school. Once there, I am more than a little surprised, not to say shocked. I know that humans need certain constants in their lives, but this school has not changed one bit since I left, a bit more than ten years ago. Even the blemishes on the facade are the same. Just goes to show where the investment priorities in Austria lie, certainly not with education and public transport!
As much of a disappointment, as the building itself it, the reunion with former classmates more than makes up for it. A former teacher joins us for a tour of our old school, which reinforces what the exterior had already promised: Nothing really new, except for a couple of remade ceilings and lights. While it may be comforting to see all those fixtures you already knew as a teenager, todays students definitely deserve something better. Somebody really should have a long, stern talk with the minister for education, best combined with a water boarding session or two to make him/her see the light.
The next order of business is a trip to the shooting range, crossbow shooting range to be exact. Distance to target is four meters, and it soon becomes painfully obvious that I pose no threat at all to the target. I'm still more used to the 9mm sidearms we used to have when I worked security for the US Army. Well, somebody has to cover the bottom of the ranking. It might as well be me. The good thing about all this is, that it doesn't really feel like ten years have passed already since I left that place. It feels more like I just returned from the summer break. Sure, all of us have changed, most of them for the better while I just increased my gravity well, but it is still the same group of guys and girls.
Catching up generally takes not much more than a couple of beers, some of them with more hair than others. It is really interesting to see who ended up where. My vita, and my trip from Ireland to Austria, seems to be the most exotic in the mix, causing a bit of a surprise for many, and triggering more than one repeat of the story.
This continues over dinner in an upscale restaurant in the neighbouring hamlet of Altaussee. I won't go into too much detail, after all what happens in Aussee stays in Aussee, but there were a number of stories that really shocked me. The biggest one of them being that my former boarding school, the Jugendhaus Bad Aussee, formerly Landesschuelerheim 11, is slated for closure by the fall of 2013. The state of Styria, responsible for running it, has apparently withdrawn the funding needed for it. By the time this article will go public in the closing days of 2013, that boarding school will have become a piece of history. Discussions and drinks stretch deep into the night. By 3 AM, things start to peter out. A couple of hardened veterans continue on to the "Hof", one of THE institutions of nightlife in Bad Aussee, however I decide to head back to the hotel. The journey over from Ireland has had some side effects after all, apparently. I make my goodbyes from the group but will try to keep in contact via alternative means, such as Facebook.

Day 3 - The Day After

I wake up with a "slight" hangover. Well, that was to be expected, and it was worth it as well.  Breakfast time is long past by the time I'm fully awake, so I simply grab my camera and head into town. On closer inspection, even less has changed than I had thought at first glance. Stores are closed on Sundays, unlike back in Ireland, which makes a photo tour even easier, so I'm off to retrace my former steps. 

This shot of the town of Bad Aussee gives a good impression of the beautiful landscape it is nestled in.

Loser. No, I haven't suddenly started to insult my readers, that is actually the name of that mountain.

My old school. It was hardly an architectural marvel when it opened, and it certainly hasn't improved since!

The plan is to have a quick lunch, and, after another extensive photo tour, to visit my old regular cafe. That Plan goes down the drain as soon as I see that they are actually closed. Seriously? A Cafe in Austria that actually closes on Sundays? The world is really coming to an end. Thankfully, there is still an alternative available, and quite frankly, that is one thing that we really need, a good old Austrian "Kaffeehaus". If one of those were to open here in Cork, I'd be a regular, and there's a good chance that Costa Coffee would have to scale back.
My attempt to catch a couple of shots of my old boarding school is simultaneously thwarted by the foliage around the building, and cut short by ever increasing rain. I drop of my camera at the hotel, and head down one last time to grab some dinner in town, a the Italian restaurant across the road from my boarding school, a place I visited numerous times during my student years. After a unremarkable dinner, I make my way back to the hotel through the driving rain.

Day 4 - The Long Voyage Home

Day of departure. It is pouring down outside. I know that Bad Aussee is the rain capital of Austria, but why does it have to be proven on a day like today, WHY??? Well, my cries certainly won't make the situation any better, so I get ready for my imminent departure, before heading down for breakfast. Said breakfast turns out to be excellent, and gives any "Full Irish" a run for its money. The only downside is that there is no coffee. Well, there is always the hotel bar, where the cappuccino is excellent. By 9:45, I have cleared the room and am I on my way to the station.

That is the reality for a large number of branch line stations in Austria: Just an empty building with a ticket machine and some seats.

That's where the newsagent used to be.

The building still harks back to the glory days of the line.

The track side doesn't look too bad actually, at least everything is clean. However, with such a thinned out schedule, nothing can happen at the station for hours.

Looking along the line to Attnang-Puchheim, where I came from.

I can't even count all the times that I waited for a train here.

These new electronic displays are a real improvement. It's just a shame that there is not much to display anymore.

Looking along the new platform and the line towards Stainach Irdning.

There still is rudimentary cargo traffic in Bad Aussee, however most of that went away when the local salt mines were shut down or became remotely administered by the Ebensee mine.

My train has finally shown up on the electronic information display. Another thing that would have come in handy ten years ago.

I do have to admit that the new central platform certainly is a major improvement over the way things used to be.

Bad Aussee Rail Station is all but deserted, which doesn't come as much of a surprise, given the sparse timetable. After battling with the ticket machine and its horrific user interface (Seriously, has anyone told OBB management, that it's 2013, and not 1998 anymore?), I spend the rest of the time updating my notes and snapping a few more shots for the travel report. When the train does arrive, I'm in for a mild surprise. I had expected one of OBB's streamlined new Talent trains, instead, I get treated to a blast from the past. What pulls into the station is a rake of "CityShuttle" cars pulled by a Class 1044 electric engine. I still remember how I inwardly celebrated when I saw one of these pull into the station ten years ago, as it meant that I would get to ride a somewhat modern train, instead of the 1970s and 1980s vintage claptrap cars that were still legion back then.
Boarding a train in Bad Aussee headed for Stainach Irdning. If anyone had told me a year earlier that I would be embarking on such a journey in a year's time, I probably would have told him to lay off the drinks and sober up. Yet, here I am in May 2013, doing exactly that. What's more, whether by sheer luck or the whim of some higher being with a weird sense of humour, my iPod exclusively plays songs that I used to listen to on my Discman when I was a student. As we leave Bad Ausse, I send a quick prayer to whichever deity is responsible for the weather in order to get the cloud base to lift, in order to get some pictures of the landscape on that stretch of the journey. In reply, the rain increases. Thanks for nothing, buddy!
Still, the ride to Stainach is pure nostalgia for me, well almost. No more 45 minutes of layover in Stainach Irdning. Today, I only have a 7 minute connection, not enough time for a detailed photographical tour of the station. In fact, I'm unable to even get a few overview shots, as the train with which I arrived remains at platform 2, blocking the view. I just manage a couple of makeshift shots before the train to Leoben arrives. Another engine related surprise there, as it is another Class 1044 engine at the head of the rather short InterCity train.

The local train that took me from Bad Aussee to Stainach-Irdning.

Given the right condition, the Grimming would certainly be an imposing sight from the station.

I make myself comfortable in the 1st class section of the train, and lean back to enjoy the trip. I seem to have forgotten that the train is reversed at  Selzthal station due to the track layout. I'll be doing the rest of the trip in reverse, thanks a lot! Still, it could be worse. And it almost is. About two thirds of the way to Leoben, near a small nest called Kalwang, the train shudders to a halt in an apparent emergency braking. Great, as If my connection in Leooben wasn't tight enough already. Thank god we get moving again within minutes. The feeling for the remaining trip is eerie, especially at St. Michael station, where I used to change for Judenburg, where the Austrian part of my family has its roots.
Once at Leoben, the connection is swift. I jump out of one train, and immediately board the Railjet High Speed Train waiting at the other side of the platform. Once again, I make myself comfortable in the 1st class section, as the train, one of OBBs flagships, leaves for the trip to Vienna.
Railjet is Austria's answer to the High Speed Rail revolution that is currently sweeping through Europe. Built by Siemens in Maribor and Vienna, the trains operate both on services within Austria, and on high-profile services to neighbouring countries. However, while these trains are bona fide high speed trains, their design differs significantly from other high speed trains both in Europe and abroad. Normally, high speed trains like the French TGV, the German ICE or the Japanese Shinkansen trains are Electric Multiple Units, or EMUs, where the carriages are permanently coupled together and have their power units distributed underfloor throughout the train. The Railjet carriages, like those of other high speed trains, are permanently linked together. However, there are no power units in these carriages. Instead, traction is provided by a dedicated engine, in this case a Siemens built Class 1116 "Taurus" locomotives, a type of engine that has been pretty successful with several rail companies in Europe. These engines are high speed capable, and can easily reach 230 km/h. The entire system has one big advantage over class high speed units. When one of those suffers a propulsion failure, the entire train is out of business. With the Railjet, you just couple another locomotive to the carriages, and off you go.

Overview of the First Class Section of the Railjet  High Speed train.

As far as comfort is concerned, the train is top notch in 1st class. The seats are comfortable, the cars are quiet, and the WiFi is excellent, not to mention free. While waiting for the train to make its stop at Bruck an der Mur before going to the onboard restaurant for lunch, I take advantage of that WiFI by checking in for the flight back to Dublin tomorrow on my iPod. The Boarding Pass is imported straight into Passbook. That's how it's done, ladies and gentlemen. 
Then, it's on to lunch, which is not bad at all. Tasty, hot, which can't always be said with Deutsche Bahn to be honest, and quite affordable. Main course and drink for 10€ really isn't bad at all, you'd easily pay twice as much for inferior quality at Deutsche Bahn.
Back in my seat, it's time to enjoy the trip over the Semmering pass, a living, breathing piece of railroad history. The first true mountain railroad line in Europe, it snakes its way through some of the easternmost stretches of the Alps in a spectacular way. However, while the winding tracks, and elegant viaducts may be a supremely beautiful ride, it is also a blast from the past in more ways than one. The curves in the summit section of the line are not designed for modern, rigidly coupled trains like the Railjet, which is limited to just 50 km/h in that section. It makes the quest for a base tunnel under the Semmering pass understandable, and indeed logical. Still, there is no doubt that a bit of travel culture will disappears once such a tunnel opens.

My Railjet snaking its way across one of numerous viaducts along the Semmering line.

This gives a good impression of the landscape of the Semmering.

Once on the eastern slope of the pass, we quickly pick up speed as we leave the mountains behind. Not only that, but we leave Austria's imperial railroad history and the Habsburg idyll of the Semmering line for the high speed reality of the OBB. We reach Vienna Meidling station much faster than I would have liked. I quickly catch the subway to Vienna West, where I started out two days ago. Talk about coming full circle. I head back into the Motel One, and all but keel over when I see how many suits-and-tie creatures are slithering around the lobby. Apparently, there is a big conference or trade show in town. However, as I see one of these "gentlemen" berate the receptionist next to me, I wonder how these people can claim themselves to be any sort  of "elite" and demand to be the natural leaders of our society. No time to think about it. I grab my camera, and head into the city.

This building caused quite a stir when it was built in the historic heart of Vienna.

Impressions of St. Stephens Cathedral

The State Opera House in Vienna.

It may look like a tram, and granted, it acts like one within the city limits, but it actually is an overland rail line running out into the suburbs. Known locally as the "Badner Bahn", the Wiener Lokalbahn not only operates these trains, but also cargo trains running throughout Europe.

The home of the world famous Vienna Symphonic Orchestra.

Vienna is far too large to check out within a couple of hours. A couple of impressions are all there is time for, so that is exactly what I go after. Additionally, I go after some civilised foodstuffs that can't be obtained in Ireland. My feet signal when it is time to return to the hotel. I venture out once more to grab something to eat for dinner, which turns out to be unremarkable. After a couple of drinks at the hotel bar, I call it quits.

Day 5 - Not so fast, buddy!

My alarm clock, apparently infused with a death wish, wakes me at 7 AM. I quickly shower, make myself presentable, and head off to breakfast. The number of suits and ties has increased once again, however, I won't let that stop me from getting a decent breakfast today, I've got a long day ahead of me, after all. Afterwards, I quickly pack my stuff, taking special care with my purchases. It wouldn't be the first time that a mobile phone charger and some bars of chocolate are mistaken for a bomb.
The shuttle bus to the airport departs right outside the hotel, and is bang on time. As we make our way through Vienna, I can't help but notice the numerous new office developments springing up all across the city. The old Suedbahnhof, the southern rail terminus has been torn down and replaced by a crystalline monstrosity that is the new Central Rail Station of Vienna. The areas formerly occupied by yards, maintenance shops and warehouses are quickly taken over by more new office building. It reminds me of what happened in cities like Cork or Dublin during what is now known as the Celtic Tiger. We all now how that ended. Granted, Vienna is a city of more than 1.8 million people, and yes, it is also a major UN hub, as well as the seat of the IAEA. Still, two questions occupy my mind: 1.) How in the name of hell is a country of 8 million people supposed to fill all of that office space, and 2.) Hasn't anyone taken any lessons from what happened in Ireland?
I am jarred out of my thoughts by our arrival at the Airport. We are dropped off at Skylink, the newest terminal, as well as pride and joy, of Vienna International Airport. To say that I am unimpressed by the building is quite an understatement. The entire building is much too narrow to be of any practical use. The situation isn't helped by a four story high atrium stretching through much of the facility. Instead of making the facility appear more airy, it turns it into something akin to the surreal buildings in Terry Gilliam's Brazil, or something straight out of Kafka. Signs are painted directly onto the walls, the choice of colours and materials is cheap. One has to wonder where all the millions of Euros that this thing went over budget ended up, because they certainly were not put into the building.
The Situation does not improve at check-in, which is a cramped, confused mess. Well, at least the baggage drop off works like a charm after checking in on the train the day before. Security is a breeze, efficient and friendly. However, once past the checkpoint and into the departure area, the disappointments continue. The Duty Free/Travel Value area is small and bland, the only restaurant is a small and overpriced self service joint brutalising the name of one of Austria's former premium grocers/supermarkets, Julius Meinl. How bland, you ask? Let me put it this way. The cobbled-together 1970s contraption called Dublin Airport Terminal 1 with all its haphazard additions still feels more homogenous and cosmopolitan than Skylink.

With all the charm of an unemployment office, one has to wonder  where all the money for the Skylink Terminal at Vienna Airport.

Those seats are actually quite convenient though.

I sit down in a cloud of stale wine and overstored fish in the restaurant. The last check of the departure boards gave me a shock. Instead of departing this architectural hangover at 11:40 AM as scheduled, my flight to Frankfurt, where I will have to change planes, will now not depart until 1 PM. I wouldn't be so worried if it wasn't for that connection. Well, with no Lufthansa ground personnel to be seen, I set about exploring the facility. Not that there is much to be explored. The departure area of Skylink is one long, drawn out pier with all the charms of a 1950s post war tenement. No, scratch that, they would probably have been bolder as far as the colours and fittings are concerned.
The one thing that this terminal has plenty of is comfortable, if unconventional chairs and seating arrangements. One variety of these actually has power outlets, which, together with good free WiFi make the time much more bearable, as I take the opportunity to fully charge my tablet. Thanks to flightradar24.com's great app, I am actually able to track my flight on the way in, and even manage to grab a few shots of the incoming aircraft. 

There she comes, my ride to Frankfurt.

Boarding at Vienna Airport

Boarding is done via Busses, leading to a little apron tour of Vienna. Not that there is much to see, mind you. The airport feels pretty much deserted at this moment. Another surprise is the number of passengers. One shuttle bus can take all the passengers for the flight to Frankfurt, meaning that the A321 that will carry us there is mostly transporting air. Boarding is completed fairly swiftly, as you would expect with such a light load. However, not much happens after that, leaving me to worry about my ever tightening connection at Frankfurt. Then, out of the blue, the engines spool up, and we taxi to the runway. After waiting five minutes for a biz jet to take off in front of us, it is our turn to take to the wild blue yonder.
The flight to Frankfurt is fast, though it can't be fast enough for me at this moment, with a certain connection to Dublin never far from my mind. Still, I try to relax and enjoy the flight. No hot food on this flight, but the cold snack is still more than sufficient, especially since my flight time is down to just one hour. It appears that the cockpit crew has "lit the afterburners". It may not be as fast as my flight to Frankfurt in February, but our groundspeed still exceeds the 1000-km/h mark for parts of the flight.
We land on Runway 25L at Frankfurt. The taxi roll to the stand appears to stretch into infinity, as does the disembarkation, even with the flight being pretty empty. Once in the terminal, the big race begins. The big question is whether I will manage to get into the Non-Schengen Area at Pier B in time for my connection. Despite a couple of sloths on the travelators, I do manage to get into Concourse B with time to spare. Thankfully, the old transfer tunnel under the apron between Concourses A and B, though it apparently hasn't seen any improvement since 2002, when I last used it. Passport control is quick and efficient as well, though the Federal Police Officer is confused by my Passbook boarding pass. I'm not surprised about that, German authorities have never been too tech-savvy about this internet thingy.
I breath a sigh of relief as I reach the gate. I still have 45 minutes before boarding begins, more than enough to have a quick snack, after passing on any food in Vienna, and browse through the airside shops. When I return to the gate, my previous experiences with Lufthansa flight LH980 are repeated yet again. The flight is packed. Well, at least it is a new aircraft, the newest Airbus A320 in the Lufthansa fleet to be precise, and the first one to be equipped with the new sharklet upturned wingtips, which will feature prominently in the new Airbus A320neo.

And there she is, my ride home to Dublin at the gate in Frankfurt.

The flight back home to Ireland is fast again, though not fast enough for me. As great as the last few days have been, I can't wait to get home to Cork. Thinking about it, it's weird. I feel more at home in Ireland than I ever did in Germany. There is a premiere when my flight reaches Dublin. The airport is experiencing easterly winds, meaning we'll have to fly inland to land. We pass north of Howth and fly deep into the Meath hinterland. Just as I come to the conclusion that our pilot has decided to land in Shannon, we bank steeply and turn into the glide slope for Runway 10. 
The landing itself is surprisingly smooth given the turbulence. The taxi roll from the runway to the terminal is pleasantly short, one of the advantages of arriving on Runway 10. Disembarkation, immigration, and baggage claim are all extremely efficient. It takes me just about 10 minutes from disembarkation to purchasing the bus ticket for the trip to Cork.
That bus ride is tedious as ever, seeming to stretch forever. Furthermore, it becomes obvious that the Aircoach Service may be on the way to becoming a victim of its own success. The scenes at the downtown stop for the Cork service are reminiscent of the last chopper out of Saigon, and my hopes of an empty seat for the ride home are dashed. Well, at least there's a stopover. 
After three hours, I am finally back in Cork. After disembarking, I get a final shock, as I can't find my mobile phone. It finally resurfaces after ten minutes of feverish search, tucked away in a shopping bag from Frankfurt Airport Duty Free. That's what you get for not putting the stuff back where it belongs. Finally home, I just manage to fire up the router again before dropping into bed.

Fast forward to the present day. Several months have now passed since that trip to Austria, and I'm firmly back to my everyday life here in Ireland. Still, I regularly think back to that trip to Bad Aussee, especially in light of the disaster that struck Austria shortly after my departure. The pictures are still shocking, even in retrospect. I just hope that all of my former class-, and schoolmates managed to get through the events of June 2013 unscathed.
Another thing became clear to me on that trip, something that may not quite be obvious at first. Both Cork and Bad Aussee are places where I felt, and feel in the case of the former, at home. I will always look back fondly at my time in Austria, but I sure am glad to be able to call Ireland my home.