Human Kindness & Walking Alone: Day 5!

This day really has taken a lot out of me, BUT I am happy to say that I have successfully walked 20.4 miles through wine cellars, forests, open fields, and straight through the middle of a cornfield (when I got lost)--completely alone!

I knew that one of my goals during the EPW was learning how to be alone and physically challenge myself, so when the rest of the group decided to taxi halfway, I decided this would be a good day to put the pedal to the metal and walk the entire 30 km (and then some as I got lost). I started off the day walking through some open fields, listening to various voice messages, when after 2 hours, I stumbled upon the little town of Moschendorf, and took a stop for sunscreen. Little did I know that this would lead to more than an hour of wine tasting, talking to the wonderful Wolfgang and Barbara, playing guitar, and learning more about the area!

I said hi to Wolfgang as I saw him, and we first started conversing in German (by this time, I had crossed the border back into Austria), before using English. Wolfgang told me that the area around was a wine tasting area built in 1787 and recently rebuilt within the past 20 years, and the area was known for Uhudler, a rosé tasting of strawberries and blackberries, that was only Horne and sold within this area! He then told me normally the area didn't open until 2 PM, but today there was a tourist group coming in, and if I wanted to join in the wine testing, he would not mind. I agreed, set my pack down, and Barbara came and offered me a glass of Uhudler. It was deliciously sweet (I already love Rose and this was truly prime!!), and before long, I had decided to buy a bottle to bring to the rest of the group when I finally reached my destination! I sat around strumming a guitar I had found, sipping Uhudler, and talking to Wolfgang about his retirement two years ago and moving from Switzerland here to this peaceful area in Austria. Before the tour group came, however, I realized I should probably get going since I had a long day ahead of me, and Barbara sent me off with some sweet bread :)