Day 100 - Cold Water, Packed Bags & The End of Austria

Triple digits.

That feels big.

We were up around 7 again. Same rhythm that has carried us through Austria. Coffee. Breakfast. Slow start. No work for me today, which was a relief, so I jumped into a bit of website tinkering instead. Even on “days off” I seem to find something to adjust or refine.

Emmett disappeared early, heading straight to the Austrian family’s house. He pretty much spent the whole day there. It’s funny how quickly these friendships have formed. A few weeks ago, we didn’t know anyone here. Now the kids move between houses like locals.

Kia and I got stuck into packing.

Not the frantic kind. The methodical kind.

Rolling clothes. Sorting ski gear. Working out what gets worn on the plane. Making sure nothing gets left in drawers or under beds. Monday we fly to Sicily, and even though it’s just another leg of the trip, it feels like a big shift. From snow to sea. From puffer jackets to t-shirts.

Maddie mostly hung around the room. A quiet day for her. I think we’re all feeling the transition in different ways. Austria has been full on. Snowboarding. New friends. Mountains every day. There’s a strange mix of excitement and sadness when you start packing it all away.

After lunch we headed out because I had something in my head. I wanted to jump in one of the local rivers.

There’s something about finishing a chapter properly. I’ve driven past these icy alpine rivers so many times. Crystal clear. Fast flowing. Proper cold. It felt right to get in once before we left.

It took us a while to find a good access point. Snow banks in the wrong spots. Steep edges. Slippery rocks. But eventually we found somewhere manageable along the Almtal Valley.

It was cold. Proper cold.

The kind that steals your breath for a second.

But once you’re in, once you stop fighting it, there’s this sharp clarity. Everything goes quiet. It’s like hitting reset. A refresh button before the next leg begins.

We didn’t stay long. No heroic ice bath session. Just enough to feel it.

Back to the apartment. More packing. More organising.

In the evening the kids had a movie night downstairs with the Norwegian and Austrian crew. Laughter drifting up through the floors. That’s the part I’ll remember. The ease of it all by the end. How natural it felt.

Kia and I booked the car for Sicily. One more logistical piece locked in.

And that was about it.

No epic ski runs. No dramatic meltdowns. No big adventures.

Just a day of closing loops.

Day 100 was packing bags, cold water, and quiet gratitude.

Austria has given us more than I expected.

Next stop: Sicily.