Doesn't really count I know but it was an early reminder of the scale of the project we're embarked upon.  And what a gargantuan undertaking it is. 

We were up, packed and at the airport by seven.  Equipment stowed, checked in and off we flew.  Milan to Vienna.  We had thought about driving it.  Through the mountains.  But the plane was cheaper.  And easier... so we thought.

Turns out the airline company lost one of our bags.  It had the tripod in, the sound boom and a lighting stand.  All pretty important support equipment.

Quick call back to the office in London and Abbie's made contact with a man called Christian in Vienna.  He's got a light stand, a boom and is arranging a tripod.  We've got just 50 minutes until our connection, a train, departs Vienna for Graz.  Christian's girlfriend is already on our way with the gear to meet us.

It's going to be tight.  Tom (the trusty soundman) heads up to the platform with the gear whilst I wait for the drop off.  It's a busy station with many entrances.  It's getting tighter and tighter.  The van is here and like Challenge Anika it's a hurried conversation and running around as we try to work out where the other person is.  We meet. 

I have the stand, the boom and run.  Run for the train.  I've missed it.  But Tom made it.  He's on the way to Graz and I'm stuck in Vienna.

Anyway.  I made it onto the next train.  I'm on it right now as it happens, winding my way up through the snow covered mountains to meet our next contributor.  An extraordinary Clarinet player.

It's 3pm...