How a YouTube video with no brakes inspired me to see Austria
Friday, June 15th, 2012
Some of you may have seen this epic video by David Ellis, a man who basically travels the world and films awsome roller coaster rides (when he’s not being an accountant of course). Me, I enjoy a fair bit of downhill action every now and again, so turned into a 10 year old child when I first saw it.
After seeing David acting like a human rocket, I knew that I would one day find myself at the top of that very mountain about to experience every turn, dip and ounce of speed the Meiders Alpine Coaster had to offer.
Then it happened…
It was a typical day at the office, and my Storm Trooper clock informed me that it was almost home time as I opened my last email for the day. It was my brother telling me about a rock festival happening in Austria.
“Austria!” I told him, eyes so wide in un-blinking wonder I had to wipe tears from my face… ”Do you have any idea what else happens in Austria dude? Do you! Here, watch this video!”
To this day I wonder, had he sent me a link to a Justin Bieber concert happening in Austria, would I still have gone, based purely on one video I’d seen and been inspired by?
The answer is yes; yes I would have.
So it was decided, my brother and I would hire a car in Austria, four days before the rock festival, to tour the countryside in search of the Meiders Alpine Coaster. One alpine coaster amongst hundreds across the country, thousands around the world and located in a part of Austria no one really knows.
We found it…
P.S. No clue why I felt the word “phone” deserved an operatic exit for the video
The journey we took to get to that point was truly incredible. We saw castles, stumbled across waterfalls, hiked abandoned 4×4 trails, slept in a car, saw incredible views, climbed trees and played a drinking game called stump.
Now I know this isn’t a diary entry, but what this story encapsulates is the power of social sharing. The ability to inspire people to do the unexpected, to see new places, to go on a roadtrip with their bro and high five every Austrian on the way as they hop off the Alpine coaster in Meiders…all because of a video uploaded to YouTube by an accountant.
Has a video ever inspired you to do something this crazy?
