I am an avid swimmer. It is my favourite form of exercise, probably even my favourite form of forward motion. I can basically swim better than I can walk. Our local pool is only open from May to September, but at least we have one, so I spent my first summer smashing out laps there. Although the idea of lake swimming (or wild swimming, as it’s commonly referred) appealed, travelling to a lake just wasn’t as convenient at the time.
The lakes of Austria are renowned worldwide for their beauty… and so they should be with their spectacular blue-green expanses, fresh, clean water and warm summer temperatures! Whether you’re sightseeing, swimming or just relaxing nearby, they’re a must-do for every Austrian summer. And it’s not all about swimming and sunbaking either – many of the lakes are set up like mini-recreation-parks, so even though you generally have to pay an entrance fee, you are paying for something. Continue reading
Summer in Austrian is generally (when I say generally I mean, meant to be) mild: late 20s/early 30s. Last year was an exception (colder than normal) and this year also seems to be an exception (warmer than normal) but that’s beside the point for this post. Living amongst the mountains invariably equals summer storms – lots of them – and decent ones too. I love a good storm… I just don’t love being out in it. But when you’re safe inside and the storm isn’t wreaking havoc on you, or any surrounding villages, they’re super impressive and strikingly beautiful. So here’s a few of my random thoughts on Austrian summer storms. Continue reading
Hanging in a small town of less than 26,000 people, 45 minutes away from a decent-sized city… boring, you might say. Who would come and stay here? Well, for those of you who don’t mind a bit of a rural retreat, I’ve put together a list of ten things you can do in Wolfsberg in summer, all of which could be done without access to a car (though a bike might come in handy for a couple of them. Seriously, this town is a gem! Continue reading
Following the excitement of our Australian nuptials, followed by our return to Austria and my parents’ visit, it was time for the long-awaited Austrian wedding party. Weddings in Austria are generally full of tradition and involve a huge party along with various random things you may not have heard of. Here’s the low-down on what we did for ours!
Prom/ball season in Austria is big. It extends from November to February and on any given weekend could include a number of events in or around the surrounding towns. I feel as if I should explain a little bit here, because a prom or ball in Austria is not like one in Australia.
I was never very excited about visiting Germany.
But then we went to Hamburg. Hamburg is definitely a city I could visit again. Seafood, salt air and the chance to see the Lion King… winning!
On my parents’ recent visit, I was very excited to take them on my ‘ Free Wolfsberg City Walking Tour’ (ice cream tips accepted). The town is small enough that you can get around it, but big enough to be interesting, with beautiful, scenic views. In fact I was so excited, that I think I went a bit overboard, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting to show your folks all the good parts of where you live!
Paris – the romantic capital of the world, right?
Sorry, not for this chick!
It’s not like I had an especially bad time in Paris the first time I was there, it just wasn’t overly memorable compared to all the other amazing cities I’d seen.
When the opportunity came up to go there again, just for the weekend, I originally baulked at the idea. See, I guess I’ve become part-European. I thought to myself, it seems like a lot of hard work, driving 10 minutes to the airport to go to Paris just for two nights. Of course, I soon realised my mistake – any opportunity to do these things shouldn’t be passed up – who knows how long I’ll be here!
My recent trip to Australia for our wedding almost felt more like a working holiday than an actual holiday, due to the large amounts of somewhat boring (though essential) tasks that had to be undertaken, interspersed with crazy, emotional drinking sessions.
