Running on empty, except for the cardboard.

To describe the last two weeks as 'frantic' would be an understatement. Exhaustion is a constant friend and we've both developed a deep loathing of the cardboard box. We left the UK on the 17th of July for Vienna. The day ran smoothly, with connecting flights working perfectly and an on time arrival at Vienna. The only problem we hit was leaving our luggage at Vienna airport. The one counter was full, so we had to use an alternate. Small issues really. We caught a train into the centre, enjoying a lunch at the station, then we checked in to our hotel for the night. Weirdly, this is the last hotel we'll ever stay at in Vienna. The NH Wien Belvedere was chosen partly in price but mostly because it had a very good noodle shack nearby. Seriously, the noodles served up at Rennweg are delicious. With a carton of noodles and a view out into the Belevedere gardens, we settled in for the evening watching a newly discovered show on Pro 7, Grill Den Hennsler. For Brits, this is a mix between 'masterchef'and 'it's a knockout.' Fun stuff. 

The next morning, with a cup of tea and a few Manner biscuits. (Love those things) and we set off to meet Wolfgang, our tame Makler, to meet the other Makler and sign the paperwork. After all the fuss and fighting to get out chosen apartment, the final signing was remarkably easy. In just 45 minutes, we'd signed the contracts, paid the deposit, paid Remax and we were presented with the keys. Then we took the cemetery tram (yes I live on the 71 line that leads directly to Vienna's central Cemetery.) and we chatted with Wolfgang as we traveled. From his point of view, he was happy to see us in our new place, but his commission was, well very sad. With our deposit paid, the Makler fee was around €1400, which was then split between Remax and the other firm. So out of the €700 left, Wolfgang got just about €140! For that €140, he's helped set up our electricity supplier (a good deal of which I'm sure he'll get commission for the recommendation.) sorted out the apartment viewings and dealt with the negotiations with the apartment landlord. He went above and beyond, and even further, as I'll come to later. Anyway, with the keys in hand, we set foot in our new home. Home is now Kobelgasse 7 , Wien. We checked the place over, detailed with Wolfgang any floors in the paintwork, fixtures and fittings. Then it was time for Wolfgang to leave, and for us to start a new life. The man from the electric board was due that day to switch on the electric, so one of us would have to wait in for him to do his job. We both figured we had time to grab a bite from the Bakery across the road. With a bite to eat sorted, it was time to bring the place to life. My job was to fetch the cases from the airport. Lynda sat in waiting for the electric man, I headed out, deciding to take a stroll through the cemetery to a nearby station to the Airport. The whole trip to the airport and back took around two hours, but I got the heavy cases back to the apartment. Wilting in the heat, Lynda got us two ice cold beers from a local shop, and damn was it needed. We took our stuff and filled the very empty apartment up with traces of us. 

It was a nice moment. What was becoming clear though was that the Elelctic man wasn't coming. Wolfgang told us to drop him a line if we still had no electric after 3pm. We did, and bless him, he came down after work to rig the electric for us. The apartment has three main fuses, but we only had two. That meant the fridge and hob worked, but not the dishwasher or oven. Plus half the sockets in the apartment worked, the other half didn't. We coped though. With partial power restored, Wolfgang apologised for the electric board. He was not happy and promised to get to the bottom of it in the morning. 

With time getting on, we had just enough time to pop out to a local Mömax to pick up simple essentials, like a lamp for light, a few basic plates and even some pillows to put on the inflatable mattress. Then all we had left to do was to pick up our hand luggage from the hotel. They had a facility to leave our hand luggage there. It was gone 7 by the time we got back, hot, very tired and hungry. We managed to drag ourselves out to the local Chinese takeaway, enjoying our first warm meal in our new home, sat on an inflatable matress with a laptop and the first season of House M.D to enjoy. 

The rest of the week was a constant feeling of running. A trip to ikea on the Tuesday revealed a huge difference when ordering in a big city versus the Welsh valley's. With our new bed and other furniture paid for, we headed for the delivery area, expecting to see the new stuff in the morning. Instead we were told the new kit would arrive anytime after two. This was and 12.45. Time to get running again. We made it, and Wolfgang also came by on his way home (he lives in the 21st district, which is definitely NOT on the way home from the 11th. He brought with him new fuses, fixing the last of the electricity issues. He mentioned that the electric man had two jobs at our building on the books, one at ours, and one at the Kindergaten that sits under part of our building. The Kindergaten was closed until the 3rd of August. Confusing the two jobs for one, he left to return on the 3rd. Wolfgang has told them he's sorted the issue, but who knows, the man may still come.  

By the Friday and time to return to the UK, the apartment is doing ok. Now the battle is on to get the rest of our stuff across the channel this weekend. Exhausted isn't the right word, as come next week, I may declare myself legally dead, just for rest. After all, it's only a 2200 mile round trip. :) 

Jess 

The wild blue yonder

It's a Saturday night. In two weeks we head out in a van, crossing the continent in three days. Two girls, one parrot, little sleep. But that's for the future. In the present, well, it's Saturday night, I'm sat in a hotel bed, next to the UK's biggest airport. Tomorrow we fly out to Vienna. Moving day just came early. 

Monday's are fun days. 

Last month, we headed to Vienna to do a little apartment hunting. A week of looking around at various places. And we found a place. I won't go into details now, mostly because I want to cover the whole process in another post, hopefully once we have the keys to our new place. What I will say is it negotiating the lease took patience and caused a lot of stress. However, Monday, glorious Monday, hopefully marks the completion of the contracts, and by Monday afternoon we'll have the keys to our own place. And it can't come soon enough. 

Prepacking for action. 

When we planned the move, we expected, perhaps naively, to pick up the keys on the day we arrive with our stuff. What's actually happened is that we needed to find an extra trip to Vienna to sign the paperwork, take possession and relax in the peace and quiet of our new place. It's actually worked out well. We've booked a few days in the city, allowing us time to go to Ikea and Mömax to get the bits of furniture we planned on buying once there. Things like a bed, TV Unit and sofa's will all arrive next week, get set up and will be waiting for us in two weeks when we arrive with the rest of the stuff. We'll also get the cupboards filled with groceries so there's food when we get there. Plus we'll have the electric sorted (thanks Wolfgang) and we hope to get UPC cable and Internet hooked up as well. The last thing we'll do is file our residency paperwork, before we head back to the U.K. To finish packing. Gulp! 

Buying stuff in Vienna is all well and good, but Monday night we'll probably find ourselves on an inflatable mattress. So with Lufthansa now offering flights where you can pay to take lugguge one way, we've loaded up two suitcases, filled with little bits and pieces, all to help our new home, feel like home. So there's a kettle, cutlery, curtains, blankets towels and a host of other things to fill up the blank spaces. Come Friday, we leave the suitcases there and travel back with hand luggage only. It's exciting stuff. And damn well nerve racking. It's also fun.