Discoveries in Durnstein

We started the morning with a bike ride along the river and through some small villages. This was a highlight so far. It was absolutely gorgeous- vineyards on one side, climbing up steep hillsides and the lush riverbank on the other side. The villages looked like they were out of a storybook, although the cobbled streets provided an Austrian massage while cycling. Having not been on a bike for at least ten years, I was a little anxious, but it was wonderful and not too challenging. I was so pleased I pushed through the anxiety and gave it a go. It’s hard to top the ride experience, so the walking tour of Durnstein later in the morning was a bit dull. It’s a lovely picturesque village (only 300 residents), with a big monastery that we wandered though, but our guide was not inspiring and there were a lot of tourist shops. Team Starrett opted for lunch back on the boat before the afternoon activities - either a hike up to the medieval castle up on the cliffs, or a game of soccer. The boys voted for the soccer game and I took the opportunity for an afternoon nap - it is a holiday after all!
After dinner on the boat we reluctantly headed to the lounge for Karaoke. Surprisingly, we had an absolute ball. Cam and Flynn smashed out a Backstreet Boys number and Josh was the hit of the night with Baby got Back. I was taken aback when he went and signed up for a solo effort and even more surprised at the panache of the performance. The crowd supported all performances with sing along assistance and the night ended with the whole room up on the floor doing a few anthems and the bar attendant doing the worm. Fuelled by a huge sense of fun and a little bit of alcohol, the crowd was ready to party.