Bucking bronco/camels - free sightseeing for the locals!!

Another great day today - the sun was shining and making the below-zero (I think all this week we'll be getting about -4 during the day, at least...) temps a little easier on the body.

I asked G to take me sightseeing, so we ended up heading to an open day at a school for girls to learn hospitality, housekeeping, florist and general "life" skills (I think Australia's equivalent is TAFE), but the thing is, this school is in an old castle. So while I was absently wandering through each room of displays and chatty girls, I noticed some amazing old floor-to-wall paintings and the odd piece of furniture rescued from the rubbish tip that echoed of times gone by.

There was cake at the end. Oh, so much cake. And, after supplying the school with a generous tip as thanks, we devoured so much cake. Oh, so much. I waddled out of there, pretty sure that any weight I may have miraculously lost in the last few weeks was sitting pretty in my belly once again. Hello, old friend. I missed you.

G being G, and an opportunist at the best of times, took the chance while there to peddle her camel business and before long, I found myself sitting in the director's office telling her how nice her school was. Waiting outside that door for her to be ready really took me back to high school... haha

After that, G drove me to Shallenburg castle (spelling?), I'm told one of the most famous of the castles in Austria. It really was a sight to see, but unfortunately only from the outside again. This time it wasn't tightass me that stopped the inside peruse, but the closure to all tourists of the whole building. I had to be satisfied with some happy snaps outside overlooking the beautiful garden, currently covered in almost undisturbed snow.

Back at the ranch, I took Creo out for another forest adventure and he was great... again. After, G had said we would take the camels out for a run but she was feeling tired so I let her rest while I sorted things out for the afternoon muck-out. Not long after, I got a call saying she was up and ready for camel action, so I took Wolga (pronounced "Vulgar" - she's Russian, I think it suits) out of her box, got her ready and was off for another camel cursing exercise.

I wasn't 100% thrilled about having to exercise the camels, given the hefty blister I got on my thumb last time, but I am so glad I did it. They were FULL of life today, and with G at one end helping to yell, they didn't take much encouragement. Seeing a camel buck and canter is really something you will never forget - it. is. absolutely. hilarious. I was cantering along behind them yahooing with the whip... today the cars really had a reason to slow down!!