| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 28/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 98 |
| Copyright: Other |
Jet-set ABTAtrio take to the hills
NEW ABTA president Stephen Bath was done up like a kipper by his pals, board member Warren Sandral and former ABTA president Steven Freudmann.Sandral and Freudmann suggested they all climb up a mountain in Austria as a sort of fun bonding session.
Bath (see right) looked pretty smooth as he boarded his own private jet to fly himself and Freudmann down to Nice, where they picked up Sandral and then went on to Innsbruck.
But it was a different story the next day (see left) for the daring trio after five-and-a-half hours scaling the 10,400ft Schoenbichlerhorn in the Austrian Alps.
Sandral and Freudmann seemed as fresh as daisies but Bath felt like he was knocking on death’s door. Novice walker Bath hadn’t realised Sandral is a legendary climber who has scaled the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc, while Freudmann regularly hikes up and down Snowdon in North Wales.
“I was absolutely knackered,” said Bath. “To add to the torture, I don’t even get to walk up with my mates. Warren and Steven surged ahead. In that picture, I’ve just got there and I’m literally hanging on for dear life – those two are relaxed because they’ve been up there for ages. It’s the first and last time I’m doing that.”
Any chance of some expenses for the trip to cushion the blow?
Flying high: Bath finds the wind beneath his wings
On top of the world: from left, Bath, Sandral and Freudmann scale new heights in their bonding session