Holidaying at a Fever Pitch
Despite having a high temperature every night, I would be up and running in the morning.
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When it comes to travel, it is not every time that things go as planned. There are periods when you are forced to make changes. Then there are occasions when you have to cancel the plan altogether. It was one such occasion.
We were forced to cancel the travel plans that we generally make coinciding with our anniversary. Professional requirements meant both of us were going to be in a different part of the world, thousands of miles away from the other. The possibility of getting together during the anniversary had been nullified, rather we were forced to postpone it.
The next couple of months followed a similar pattern. While my better half was back to the base, I was forced to undertake additional work-related travel. We had been away from each other for four to five months. As I was wrapping up work, and eagerly awaiting to take the flight back home, I came up with an idea.
My better half was palpably super excited. We would be traveling together again after that long, work-imposed break. It was going to be a belated but well-deserved vacation. Besides, Salzburg was a place she had always wanted to visit.
So when I came up with the suggestion, she took up the responsibility for making all the necessary arrangements. In any case, I had been undertaking work-related travel at a stretch and had she relied on me, our plans would have got cancelled.
The woes of work-related travel
Excess of anything is bad, and travelling is no different. Worse still, are those many work-related travels that you have to undertake as a professional. Anyone who has a “mobile career” will agree that after a point it takes a toll on the body and the mind.
Getting stuck in the office on a day-to-day basis ensures ennui alright, but that is mostly from a psychological aspect. The home-to-office-and-back routine can have a negative impact on the mind, and a job with some traveling involved helps break the monotony. However, there’s palpably a flip side to it.
If the travelling is long and continuous, it does have an adverse impact, both physically and mentally. The continuous change of setting, the weather, the pollution — unlike during vacations, here you don’t decide the place you have to visit, the food… almost everything. Not to forget the fatigue factor that sets in the longer the business trips get.
My case was no different. While I do not mind work-related travel per se, I hate living out of a suitcase for a continuous period. On this occasion, I had been on the road for a few months on the trot and it had taken a toll on my body. As I checked out and headed to the airport, there was something I couldn’t stop thinking about.
Another postponement would have been…
While waiting for the flight announcement, I was still thinking. I was not feeling well and was in desperate need of some rest. At the same time, I didn’t want to be a spoiler. Postponing a planned vacation again was never going to be easy… more so at an emotional level.
Even as I was winding up, my better half had made all the necessary bookings and was waiting for me to get back home. We were supposed to go ahead with our vacation the day after my homecoming. I would, on any given day, detest the possibility of being the reason for her disappointment.
On the morning of our scheduled departure, I woke up feeling feverish. My better half suggested we cancel the trip, but I would take none of it. I chose to push through instead. Thankfully, she had opted for the locomotive.
Salzburg has a small airport alright, but flying to Austria’s fourth-largest city is not exactly an appealing alternative. Besides, the calm compartment coupled with the long journey time offered ample time for the body to rest and recover. Carrying paracetamol (analgesics) comes naturally to those who travel regularly, either at work or at leisure.
Salzburg is really worth visiting
It was in the afternoon that we finally reached our intended destination. Even as the locomotive ground to a halt at the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), it was a pleasant sight. The weather was sunny and bright. I was feeling well. The decision to push through despite of the fever was now making sense.
We checked in, had lunch, and then began to explore the beautiful city. in fact, the next couple of days were devoted completely to this beautiful city. Besides exploring the city’s historic center (Altstadt) — enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we also visited the imposing fortress of Hohensalzburg (Festung Hohensalzburg) that sits atop the Festungsberg at an altitude of 506 meters and seems like a jewel on the city’s crown.
Then, of course, we attempted to know more about the name that has become synonymous with the city over the years. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the legendary composer, was born and raised in Salzburg. His house of birth (Geburtshaus) as also his residence (Wohnhaus) are now major tourist attractions. There’s also a historic square with a monument (Mozartplatz) dedicated to the legend.
In all these days when we focused on exploring Salzburg, the weather held on beautifully well. As did the fever. I would have a high temperature every night, something that required me to pop up an analgesic before going to bed. That being said, I would be up and running in the morning, energetic during the day and gradually worn out as evening set in.
This routine continued for four days. I was holidaying at a fever pitch. Well, literally. In any case, I managed to hold out and explore the gamut that Salzburg offered. By the fifth morning, I had completely recovered. The fever had subsided, so had the sunny weather.
Rain made the towns look prettier but…
We had two days left, and the idea was to venture out to the beautiful village of St. Gilgen on one of those days and to the picturesque town of Hallstatt on the other.
In the morning we were scheduled to visit St. Gilgen, it poured. We moved ahead with our plan, nonetheless. The village had beautiful hiking trails. Since the sun god had made way for the god of rain, we couldn’t avoid drops of water seeping through despite of the waterproof gear.
The next day in Hallstatt also involved a lot of walking, but the place is beyond all expectations. Even though we enjoyed the sun in Salzburg, it has to be admitted that the rain made both our trips it particularly memorable. The continuous precipitation, albeit the pace, kept changing throughout, enhanced the beauty of the two destinations we visited.
The holiday period was over and it was time to head home. Deciding to push through despite the fever had not only absolved me of the guilt — that would have been there otherwise, but also turned out to be a great decision in the final analysis.
However, it came at a price. On the morning of our scheduled return, my better half woke up feeling feverish… reminiscent of my condition on the day of the departure.
