David makes 1,900-mile Austria dash to rescue stranded couple
CALL CAME OUT OF THE BLUE FOR PICK-UP IN AUSTRIA
A DERBY chauffeur was gobsmacked when he was asked to drive an elderly couple home from Austria.
David Rowen embarked on a journey of a lifetime to “rescue” Freda Straw and her husband Keith, who had suffered a panic attack while on holiday in Kitzbuhel.
Mr Straw, who suffers from claustrophobia, got into difficulty in a busy hotel lift. The episode left the 75-year-old feeling he wasn’t up to flying or taking the train back to the UK.
The couple instead paid thousands to enlist the services of David, who has been running A52 Executive Cars in Spondon for 10 years.
Speaking of his shock at getting the big job, David said: “I had a phone call from a colleague who I work closely with.
“‘Are you sitting down?’ he asked, ‘You know you said you weren’t busy over the next few days,’ ‘err yes’ I replied cautiously; ‘Well how do you fancy driving to Austria to pick up some clients of mine?’
“Obviously I thought he was joking because my furthest journey for work before this was to Devon, but it transpired he wasn’t!”
With time of the essence, David began his epic journey from Spondon at midnight on Tuesday, July 2, travelling through the night to catch a ferry from Calais.
An early-morning drive through France, northern Belgium and Luxembourg followed as he aimed to reach his clients as soon as possible.
After passing through Germany, the highlight of his journey came once he reached Austria and neared the small alpine town of Kitzbuhel.
The 47-year-old added: “If you take your thoughts of what you imagine Austria to be like then its pretty much spot on – winding alpine roads through pine forests and mountains, cows grazing in fields with bells around their necks, and ski chalets.
“This was my favourite part of the whole 950 miles – small winding roads through forests and small villages. It was a beautiful drive as the sun started to set and I can only imagine that the beauty is increased tenfold once the snow of winter has fallen.”
David reached Kitzbuhel at 7pm and checked into a hotel for a good night’s sleep to prepare for the second leg of his 1,900-mile round trip the next day.
He picked his clients up on the morning of Thursday, July 4, and was very relieved that he got on well with Mr and Mrs Straw.
David joked: “Its not the end of the world if you don’t hit it off with a client on a two-and-a-half hour trip from Derby to Heathrow Airport.
“Fifteen-plus hours in a car with someone you don’t click with is a different kettle of fish though.
“But they were absolutely lovely and perfect travel companions for such a long journey. The drive back was great, lots of chat and joking.
“My clients certainly had enough stories to write a book about their times and travels.
“After plenty of drink, food and stretch-your-legs stops on the journey to Calais, I finally dropped them at home at 2am on Friday, July 5, 16 hours after I picked them up in Austria.”
Keith, from Chilwell, Nottingham, was a week into his 10-day holiday when he suffered the anxiety attack.
The pensioner, who has been married to Freda for 55 years, said: “There were a lot of people in the lift and it was very hot. I had a similar attack about three years ago.
“We’ve been visiting Austria for 35 years for walking holidays, but I didn’t feel up to getting a plane or train home. So David came out to Austria to rescue us, it was unbelievable.
“I don’t know how else we could have got home, he was a lifesaver.”