Sick Leave

I've reached the second hurtle of this trip that has taken the form or illness. I was feeling fine until my first night near the mountains, where cold nighttime temperatures brought on a sore throat, and later body aches and pains. I decided not to go into Austria until I was feeling ready to take on such a challenge. I rested an extra day, then two... I'm on day four right of rest now. Having a flexible schedule has its upsides, but I can't help but to think of the time I'm using up, or things I'll have to skip to still meet the three month Schengen time limit.

I have been feeling up and down, and wonder if I've contract more then one illness at a time. I've been camping throughout my recovery, which has made some things harder. The weather has generally been good. There are good amenities at the camp, including a store, restaurant, even a spa if I wanted to pay extra. I did have to bicycle into town to replenish the few cough drops I brought with me, but I've pretty much devoted myself to rest and recovery in order to to leave as soon as possible. Perhaps the hardest part was sitting still where my adventure awaits, along with good water and mountain activities. Boredom set in. I didn't even bring a book to read. Fortunately there is free wifi, and I spent a little too much time playing stupid games.

The least I can say is this is one of the most epic camp sites I've stayed at. The photos of the mountains were taken from just a few feet outside my tent, and the waterfront has lots of activity also. People have been very nice. Austrian accents crack me up. I had time to cook myself a good fish stew from supplies at the local market. I was told this morning that I had stayed the maximum time, so we'll have to see what happens tomorrow. If I'm feeling well I may head off into Austria, ask for an exception, or I go to a nearby hostel to finish my recovery. Maybe some time at the spa would help?