ammogirl

You know, like twice a year the top guy puts out a list of days we will have off throughout the year–not like Christmas or any other holiday, but “goal” days and “family” days. We usually get about one a month, and since the last list came out, 19 October has been listed as a “goal” day. Therefore, thinking we had Friday off, John and I stayed up reaaaalllllly late Wednesday night, because who cares if you are tired at work when you only have one day to deal with?

How much do you think I hated finding out early Thursday morning that my side of the base, the Headquarters side, had decided to take their goal day on the 15th instead? You guys! It sucked so bad. I was so damn tired all day, and knowing I had to work the NEXT day as well? God.

Seriously, you do not know how badly this vacation kicked my ass in terms of exhaustion. And I don’t even know why! I mean, we were busy every day, but I mean…it was vacation busy. It had to have been the steady diet of meat and beer. I’m still trying to get my system back in whack.

That, however, is not what you want to hear about. I know this. So. The mountain at Innsbruck.

Thursday morning after breakfast (mueslix for me, every day. I love vacation mueslix!) we jumped on the J train in downtown Innsbruck and headed to the Nordpark, where we boarded a tram that took us 1,900 meters up the mountain. At first, it wasn’t that neat, really–I was tired and it was cold, and I mean, it’s just a MOUNTAIN. But then as we got closer and closer to the top, the haze started clearing and this gorgeous blue sky was revealed and then all of a sudden, all we could see all around us was the Alps, and holy crap it was so amazing. We stayed on that first level for a couple of hours, eating lunch and just soaking up the view. And honestly, there is only so many words I can use that will convey how absolutely out-of-this-world beautiful it was up there, so, here: it was gorgeous and nobody wanted to leave.

There was this…I don’t know…jump off point for skydivers? It was right in the eating area, and fucking Laurel…she walked down it, turned around, and posed for a picture. God…even now, my palms are sweaty thinking about it. You guys! We were so high! Look, I’m deathly afraid of heights. I get scared standing on a chair. I mean, I can be up somewhere and be fine (like…the mountain we were on), but the edge is not my friend. And of course Christy did it, because I hate her, and I had to walk away and not watch, and both of those girls, for that second, were not my friend. Because they are crazy.

That night, after I went to bed, I lay there for a good 1 1/2 hours thinking “but what if they slipped? but what if they fell?”. I was terrified! Wayyyy after the fact! But my inner fears+actual scenarios*my imagination=the apocalypse. It sucked! And I couldn’t stop thinking about it! I am so dumb!

It sort of reminded me of being five or six, maybe older, when I suddenly was terrified forrr….hmmm, whatever reason…that aliens were going to come down and attack our planet. I obsessed about this forEVER. I would lay in bed at night terrified, thinking of escape scenarios that involved making sure all my siblings and parents were awake so we could escape together. I was so afraid that during dinner, I wished I could sit ON the table, surrounded by everyone.

Anyway. After we sat at that level for awhile, we took the tram to the next level, where there was a trail that went all the way to the top: 2,300+ meters. We went up there for awhile, and I know it sounds so silly, but when I made it up there I honestly thought to myself, “I’m on the top of the world.” I did not follow that up with, “Looking down on creation”. The air was so clear, and I could see…well, I mean it seemed like if I looked hard enough, I could’ve seen everything. That is an amazing place. Of course, I almost died when Lindsey slipped after a photo op, and everyone was fascinated with getting as high and close to the edge as possible, and I mean EVERYONE. Pretty much the only thing going through my head at this point was “aghh!” High places and edges, people! Stay away!

The weather was pretty much perfect up there. It was so awesome, almost to the minute that we first got off the tram the haze cleared, revealing that sky…oh my god it was so blue. I just…seriously. That was fabulous.

We had to head down when they closed around 5:30, and I don’t know if it was the altitude, or the fresh air, or the hiking, or the fear (that’s just for me), but we were all pretty exhausted after that. The rest of the evening was fairly low-key.

I have to say, I’m so glad I decided to start my vacay early and meet them there.

Next stop: Munich!!

Tschuss!