Sat 1st April 12° Vienna to Stainz sth of Graz

An observation thru Europe, when we were walking around a place and stopped to look at Street sign or map, someone would always approach and ask if they could help, all very friendly and most times would turn to conversation by which many were surprised how far we had travelled and where we are from. Including in Vienna, an Iraqi soldier outside their embassy who was very chatty and walked with us to end of road to show us where to go.

Back to today, warm and sunny as we drove south, passing enormous garden centres the size of football pitch, full of people stocking up for Easter plantings.

Think we have struck Tga winds today....although high barriers along the road sides and steep banks to protect the vehicles, so seems they are used to such winds through here.

Good road no trucks so no trucks stops to pull over, when we did find one it had a little wooden huts with a toilet in. We have seen this a few times, some even have proper toilet blocks, both sides of road and signs notifying in advance often with the wheelchair symbol.

We started to climb up winding our way through forested hillsides, a little village at the summit 980m then slowly decending on very good roads, you can see where the taxes go in Austria.

Another mountain lunch, this time no snow.

Hazy view from up here so no good for photos, many shades of green, peaks clad with trees then flat with pasture and crops dotted with little houses in the valley. Began driving up again along a ridge plateau looking down into the green dips and troughs below with more tree clad hills on  opposite side of the valley. A few animals appearing up here, is this where the weiner schnitzel grows.

Fill of diesel  €1.05 ltr got 41 litres  €43. Haven't seen any lpg in Austria. Good job weather has warmed up and we haven't had the heater on at night for about a week, so it should last longer now.

Passed by huge tree nurseries, either for the garden centers to on sell or to replace the large foresters industry here. Also lots of fruit plantations of different kinds.Each row had black nets along ready to be unfurled to stop the birds having a feast.

22° at 3pm in Graz, just south is our free park for the night at Stainz, another very good spot on search for sites, our own car park to the side of a car park with a huge former Monestry looking down from the hill, original occupants Augustininan Cannons but ..........Looks like they have all been fired........haha lol ..... it is now a museum.

Coming into Graz, a typical onion top spire.

Former Stainz Monestry guarding us for the night

A cold cleansing ale for the driver on arrival purchased at our favourite shop Lidl at a good price. Cheers.

Keep meaning to thank you all for comments, replies and emails as it makes us feel closer to home.