The Hidden Sides To Winter.

Cuddling under a blanket is just one of them...

Coming from South Africa where the winter season is a mere few months long and never very cold ( comparatively ) the thought that the car needs special winter attention is not uppermost in my mind. Funny really, how the mind works. I seem to remember that in S.A. during winter when it got to a maximum of for example 12 degrees, it would almost be an occasion to stay at home from work, school or life.

The winter coats or extra thermal underwear would be hauled out and a bout of shivering under the blanket might have ensued. On the flip side, here in our Burgenland, when we know the temperature is going to be 12 degrees in winter, Bob sports his shorts and t-shirt and I am so bold as to hang the washing outside on the line...Oh yes, the madhouse.

Even though at the moment our winter is almost non-existent, the mornings do get below freezing and somewhere along the trimester that is winter, there will be some very cold days in it. Cold enough to freeze water and thus cold enough to freeze the radiator and windscreen water in our chariot.

Special antifreeze liquid is needed and the Austrian A.A. ( not the non drinker's club ) gives a free winter check up to its members. Which is where the chariot and I were yesterday. All's well in the land of chariots and it is geared up for the icy days ahead and even the battery, after a two year stint with us has still a handsome 84% left in it.

Let me tell you from first hand experience that in winter the chariot needs the battery unless you want to hear that most fearsome of sounds...chugga ...chugga...chuck...chuck... and stay where you are. Our first winter had us be a part of this particular adventure and as Bob was better at hill starts ( okay, I am honest enough to admit that I was clueless about rolling the car down a hill to start it ) yours truly had the honour of pushing our chariot down that not very steep hill.

On occasions it was so #%!@ freezing that I thought my gloved hands would stay glued on the bumper and another time I almost slid down the hill with the chariot still attached to my hands. Running on ice is not particularly nice. Especially when it has the odd unwanted comment from the chariot handler:

" Jeez, just put your back into it and push a bit harder. How difficult can it be! "

Somehow even these icy layers to the winter season do have a tinge of romance in them. When you see the white snowflakes floating onto the windscreen and building another layer to the roof of your car, it brings to mind all those winter wonderland movies and books you've seen or read. Somehow being in a winter wonderland of snow coats everything with a layer of happiness.

Biggi