The Werfen Ice Caves

Free AI web copilot to create summaries, insights and extended knowledge, download it at here

1209

Abstract

again. I was happy to sit outside the caves and just take in the sweeping views over the valley.<figure id="cfdd"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*[email protected]"><figcaption>Me in the bottom right-hand corner — I was exhausted and this was taken before we entered the cave!</figcaption></figure>Our guide Michael encouraged me by convincing me that I could manage the cave since I had come this far. I cannot say that I enjoyed it — just too much physical pain — 1400 steps, some extremely steep and shaky, and all of this in the semi-dark with just weak kerosene lanterns to light our way.Stacey kept saying “not far now” for about an hour — I don’t think I’ll ever believe her again. Because I was so far behind the group, I only glimpsed a couple of ice features; a polar bear and an elephant are all I remember seeing. The ice creatures were lit by magnesium so as not to damage them and the magnesium burned out before I was close enough to see.I was struggling to breathe and I was afraid my throat might close over and I didn’t have my medication with me so it was pretty scary. It wasn’t until we were

Options

on our walk down that Michael explained we were 1775 metres above sea level, and the rarified air made breathing more difficult.On the way down, we had to repeat in reverse the trek up, except the cable car was much worse going down as I was crying too hard to count the seconds as I did on the way up. I have to get over my terror of these contraptions and I only know one way! Immersion therapy.I have always been a little scared but not completely petrified. The only positive I could think of at the time was that the steps on Santorini are going to be a piece of piss in comparison to those in the caves! And I have to admit the views were the most majestic I have ever seen in my entire life, but it’s hard to appreciate the view when you are either a) terrified or b) struggling for breath, or c) can’t swallow and think you are going to die of asphyxiation or heart attack or both!Anyway, I didn’t die, but I was too exhausted and overwrought to eat (now that doesn’t happen often!) so I had a long soak in a hot bath and climbed into bed and sang along with The Sound of Music singalong version until I fell asleep just after 8.</article></body>

Not what I expected

The Ice Caves tour didn’t start until 12.30 pm. so we took the opportunity to have a lazy morning. This trip has been all go, go, go and it’s beginning to tell its toll on me. We were collected in a minibus and taken to the big bus which was to transport us to the Ice Caves — the biggest disappointment of the trip so far. I had imagined they were caves in a glacier carving its way through a valley floor. How wrong was I! The bus had to drive part of the way up the mountain, and if that wasn’t scary enough, we then had to walk up a mountain track for half an hour to an interminable (but only a 3-minute cable car ride) to the restaurant, then another half hour walk to the mouth of the caves. I had had enough by this stage, as I knew I had still to walk down again. I was happy to sit outside the caves and just take in the sweeping views over the valley.

Me in the bottom right-hand corner — I was exhausted and this was taken before we entered the cave!

Our guide Michael encouraged me by convincing me that I could manage the cave since I had come this far. I cannot say that I enjoyed it — just too much physical pain — 1400 steps, some extremely steep and shaky, and all of this in the semi-dark with just weak kerosene lanterns to light our way.

Stacey kept saying “not far now” for about an hour — I don’t think I’ll ever believe her again. Because I was so far behind the group, I only glimpsed a couple of ice features; a polar bear and an elephant are all I remember seeing. The ice creatures were lit by magnesium so as not to damage them and the magnesium burned out before I was close enough to see.

I was struggling to breathe and I was afraid my throat might close over and I didn’t have my medication with me so it was pretty scary. It wasn’t until we were on our walk down that Michael explained we were 1775 metres above sea level, and the rarified air made breathing more difficult.

On the way down, we had to repeat in reverse the trek up, except the cable car was much worse going down as I was crying too hard to count the seconds as I did on the way up. I have to get over my terror of these contraptions and I only know one way! Immersion therapy.

I have always been a little scared but not completely petrified. The only positive I could think of at the time was that the steps on Santorini are going to be a piece of piss in comparison to those in the caves! And I have to admit the views were the most majestic I have ever seen in my entire life, but it’s hard to appreciate the view when you are either a) terrified or b) struggling for breath, or c) can’t swallow and think you are going to die of asphyxiation or heart attack or both!

Anyway, I didn’t die, but I was too exhausted and overwrought to eat (now that doesn’t happen often!) so I had a long soak in a hot bath and climbed into bed and sang along with The Sound of Music singalong version until I fell asleep just after 8.