Packing to go

I've never been to Vienna before. We're leaving early in the morning. I should have watched 'The Third Man' again but didn't fit that in (just think of that tune, dang-de-dang-de-dang, de da-n-ng....).

We'll be staying in an apartment belonging to a friend of a friend, it sounds lovely. I can get to my conference by metro in about 40 minutes. We'll also go by train to Attnang Puchheim to see our friend Edith who used to be our au pair. Attnang Puchheim has a webcam in the town square. Not much going on. Snow on the ground. Edith said on the phone yesterday: we're so OLD now. It was a long time ago. She has three lovely daughters, and so does the lady who owns the Vienna apartment, so we're taking lots of bits of bling for these six girls. And some marmalade for the grown-ups. It's hard to know what to choose in shops, to take something typically British or English as a present. Marmite? Tea? Shortbread?

So Vienna! Sache torte, Freud, Klimt, Spanish horses, Mozart, waltzes, Hapsburgs, etc etc. That's all ok.

I must say I feel slightly uneasy doing my own check-in from home, hours or days before we go.... I know it's the modern way, but surely it's meant to say we've put ourselves into their system AT THE AIRPORT? A kind friend is being our taxi. I am enjoying being an international businesswoman, I must say. Now I am going to pack. I hope to keep this updated throughout the week. Please sign on as a follower.