Mayrhofen, Day 7.

Home, sweet home. It doesn't matter how good a holiday has been, it is still nice to get back to your own bed. Today M and I let ourselves lie in (every other morning we've been up at 7am) and had a gorgeous bacon and egg sandwich from Seb and George. The chalet has fed us so well this week!

We decided after breakfast to chill out for a little longer before packing, so I read my book and M had another nap (I'm sure he was a cat in a previous life). Once we'd finally organised ourselves into packing up, we were able to leave the bags at the chalet and head out for lunch at a brilliant Coup & More (definitely worth a visit for their cracking food, gorgeous non-boozy cocktails and chilled-out bar).

We had a wander round the shops then a walk to the edge of the town after we'd eaten, and then back through the smaller streets where found a barn of very tame cows to pet (I was probably not the only tourist to want to scratch behind their ears). The houses in Mayrhofen range from brand-new-yellow-monstrosities-that-have-been-built-in-a-day to ancient barns made with wood older than M and I put together, converted to houses, chalets and pubs. Stone water troughs for animals indicate that in summer the ski runs probably turn into grazing farmland for cows and sheep. It's really a beautiful place.

After a hot chocolate and cake (a fairly common theme on this holiday) and a spot of shopping, it was time to catch our bus from the chalet to the airport. Our flight left early (brilliant!) but it took a whole hour and 20 minutes to get our bags at Edinburgh and take them to the car. M was ace and drove us straight home, even though I didn't make it past Dundee before falling asleep. Off to bed, to dream about snowy runs and gluhwein. Thank you, M, for a brilliant holiday - it was the best Christmas present you could have given me.