After a good night’s rest I continue to walk at 06.00 am. Vienna is waiting!

I leave the silent town of Raabs and along the river Thaya and over the hills I go southeast. At some point I realize I am following the wrong track and I have to go back 1.5 km in order to find the E8 again. A roadsign was fallen into some bushes and was able to escape my attention. After passing the village Kollmitz I cross the Thaya and the path continuous through a steep valley. My motivation decreases during the morning hours rapidly as the guidebook tells me that the town of Drosendorf is only 12 km from today’s starting point, and I use more than 6 hours to get there! As if I only walk 2 km per hour! It shows that the distances in the guidebook of Trego are not always very accurate. The surrounding area fortunately makes it no punishment to be on the road for some extra time: the Trail crosses hills with woods and fields, with down in the valley the Thaya flowing. In the afternoon at 3.00pm I pass the village of Geras. There is a well known monastery situated here. Its reputation appears to be widely spread, given the fact that there are tens of Japanese tourists walking in the village. After Geras the path goes back north again, to the village of Langau. It is not a stimulance for the motivation to walk in huge north/south loops eastbound, as I have to do today. Using the regular road the distance from Raabs to Langau would be less than 20 km, and I have to walk almost double that distance. Just before Langau I am overtaken. Only by a thunderstorm, but nevertheless but it’s not a nice experience. As I have to cross high grass sections, my shoes get soaken wet. Fortunately, today’s finish location is not far anymore.

After having eaten a pizza in a cafeteria near the local lake, I go to sleep early. Behind the lake the Czech border is situated at a 500 meter distance. It’s a funny idea to know that the trees that I can see in the far are situated in a country that I have never visited. During the night there are some rain showers.

n.b.: acurately measuring the path from Raabs to Drosendorf tells me that the distance is not 12 km, as the guidebook says, but 18,5km! Add to this the 3 km that I have mistakenly walked and the 6 hours that I have used are explained.