Zell am See - Kaprun, Austria

As mentioned in my last post, after leaving Munich we found ourselves caught in a large heavy snow storm. Having never driven through one before, it was an anxious time with low visibility, ice and snow covering the windscreen and freezing the wipers.  A trip that should have taken 2 hours became a 4 1/2 hour journey through snow, nightfall and dark mountain roads to our destination.
I'm glad that I don't have to live in an area that deals with this on a daily basis; I do enjoy living in a warmer climate and able to visit the colder ones when inclined.

Knew we were headed for trouble.

As beautiful as all the mountains we have visited so far, my favourite for the most picturesque town and ski area has to be Zell am See. This Winter and Summer tourist destination is breathtakingly beautiful. It's nearly picture perfect with the lake surrounded by the snow capped mountains. You just want to sit and reflect while you look out over the water.

We stayed at Romantikhotel Zell am See, Sebastian-Horl-Strasse 11, Zell am See, a traditionally Austrian 4-star hotel that dates back to 1493. This centrally located hotel is a short distance from Lake Zell. All the Austrian hotels we stayed at featured fabulous spa areas, some with adult only nude sauna and spa area or the family sauna and pool area.  Half-board was offered here, and as it was economical and let us relax in the excellent spa facilities before we ventured to our three-course dinner at the hotel's Metzgerwirt restaurant.

There are two main ski areas here, Kitzsteinhorn Glacier near Kaprun and Schmittenhohe in Zell am See. Kitzsteinhorn has 41 kms and Schmittenhohe has 77kms of ski slopes. Between the two you have varying degrees of difficulty that will have something for everyone.

Kitzsteinhorn Glacier

Schmittenhohe overlooking Zell am See

We enjoyed the Apres in the town's centre, you must try the Gluhwein or a schnapps will outside and chatting about your ski day. We loved the chocolate filled crepes sold at a vendor's cart, yum!  The local delicatessen had an excellent selection of local produce which we did partake in. The cafes on the slopes had a good choice of food on their menus for your ski break. Beer is always flowing morning, noon and night. The lifts are fast and comfortable, I especially liked the ski bubbles on the chair lifts on a windy day and even scored some heated seats! The cable cars or gondolas were very efficient, the one drawback in my opinion about these ski areas are other skiers. Courtesy is not foremost in the mind of a lot of the skiers. Between being cut off on the runs by experienced skiers (Beginners; it understandable due to lack of control), to being pushed aside by impatient skiers when trying to get on the lifts.  It left an impression of rudeness and arrogance of the skiers, especially the ones on vacation from other countries.

In the next post, we leave the mountains and head for the city of Salzburg.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

Having visited Garmisch-Partenkirchen some years ago during spring, I've had it on my list to return here in Winter.  Leaving Innsbruck and not having a car we looked into what was the best way to travel to Garmisch, (1hr 45 mins travel distance). Trains were readily available but with all our luggage including ski bags & boot bags we weren't sure on whether it could accommodate our quantity. The train trip was 16 Euro each. Scouring through the internet, we came across Flixbus a bus line that ran between cities at a cost of 6 Euro per person including three items of luggage each. We jumped on the double decker bus, were given internet access onboard and off we went. Must admit the youth of today are savvy as they all knew about these cheap & easy ways to travel.

Arrived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the train station and there was our hotel. Easy access to the ski train. Garmisch has Germanys only Glacier - Zugspitze; An annual ski jump competition and world cup race is held here annually. We found that it was easy to get to the slopes with the ski train, it leaves from the central station and stops at numerous ski areas on the way to Zugspitze. The ski terrain suits all types of skiers as you have many different ski areas to choose for your level of expertise.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen like its name is made up of two distinct areas. Garmisch being the shopping and more modern area of town and Partenkirchen being the historic area with traditional restaurants. They are both worth a visit and are walking distance if you enjoy walking or a quick bus ride. Being tourists we received free public transport for the period we stayed, makes getting around easier on the days it snowed.

                           

We did enjoy the traditional local cuisine of Partenkirchen will watching the youth of the town in their Lederhosen performing traditional dances. I enjoy experiencing the traditions and culture of the cities we traveled through.

A side note, double check all your bookings before departure, our reservation for our large car wasn't on the books in Garmisch, and no large cars were available in any of the car rental places there. So, we got to have an unexpected side trip to Munich, to see if we could find one there.

Munich is the capital of Bavaria, sadly, this time, we only got a quick visit as we looked for a large car to hire, which is not easy last minute! Thanks to Flixbus it was an easy ride to Munich, where we did manage to hire an estate,(station wagon) and luckily we're good at the game Tetras, therefore managing to get all our luggage and ourselves into the car and headed for the next destination. This was a day of adventure, going to an unplanned city, getting caught in a snow storm during the drive, but I'll tell you more about that in my next post.

Innsbruck, Austria

Arrived in Innsbruck at our accommodation early afternoon. We stayed at Grand Hotel Europa, Südtiroler Pl. 2, 6020 Innsbruck. This 5-star hotel is opposite the railway station, so it's convenient for train travellers, has a restaurant and bar, gym, sauna & steam room. The Austrian's like the Scandinavian have dedicated wellness areas with infrared or traditional saunas as well as steam rooms. Our rooms were ready and quite large & modern. The hotel offers a secure ski room for your equipment.  A typical scene in the lobby most mornings and late afternoons was skiers dressed to go skiing or returning from the slopes. It seemed somewhat strange to see skiers in a city hotel and yet be the norm.

Photo courtesy of Grand Hotel Europa

At the Grand Hotel Europa and a few other hotels, they have a free shuttle bus that leaves at regular intervals to take to the local ski resorts. The closest is Axamer Lizum about 40 minutes by bus. The ski area was where the women's downhill was held at Innsbruck Winter Olympics. The area would have about 25% beginner; 60% Intermediate & 15% expert runs. Whereas the other larger ski area Stubai Glacier, which is about 45 minutes away, is approximately 60% beginner, 30% Intermediate & 10% expert. We enjoyed Stubai Glacier the most, as it had good length runs, fewer people and we had fresh powder snow, what a blast! One thing to know is that it's freezing on the top of the glacier we had a high of -22C, thoroughly enjoyed the coffee break after that.

Innsbruck itself is a smaller city, with everything you would need, good restaurants, great shopping lots of places to visit and nightlife. The one thing I loved about Innsbruck was that it didn't matter which street you looked down at the end was a mountain covered with snow. It's stunning to the eye and such a picturesque city in a valley surrounded by mountains high in the sky with a cap of snow.

One of best places to grab a snack was the Speckeria where we enjoyed Leberkase rolls (a meatloaf) for about 3 euros each. Quick, yummy and cheap eat. Across from the Speckeria was Kroll a strudel cafe. They have both sweet & savory strudels, worth the wait you sometimes encountered. Although my top pick for authentic home styled Austrian food is Stiftskeller, we enjoyed more than one meal there. The choices of Austrian dishes was extensive, and the food was excellent. I'd recommend it if you wanted to try local cuisine. We also tried out a local bustling burger joint, where they emphasised that the products were organic and healthy. Enjoyed my turkey burger as chicken is not as common here. I also recommend that you check out the Tirol Geniessen, do a taste test on the local schnapps & liqueurs of Austria.

I like Innsbruck for its city vibe without the chaos of a larger city, its beautiful surroundings and  having the ski areas practically at your front door. I would definitely recommend a visit to this picturesque city.

Lech Austria

There are a lot of great deals and packages for holidays, but for some reason, the holiday deals that come out of England are fantastic in value. We were referred to a company called Ski Total that is English. The package we chose consisted of staying in Lech am Alberg, Austria, one of their most up-market ski resorts for seven nights accommodation, return flights and half board, at a very reasonable price. We understood our accommodation would be basic, but knowing the hotel from a previous trip many years ago; we decided to be nostalgic and stay there.


The company's organisation was good, but they did have restrictions and limits on luggage although they weren't as strict at the airport. We flew from London into Friedrichshafen Germany flying 'Fly Niki' (not a bad budget airline and you get a snack!) and then were bused to Lech am Alberg, dropping off other guests at different resorts along the way. From the bus, we were taken by taxi to our accommodation. The Hotel was exactly as we remembered it; nothing had changed! Looking around it did need some TLC, but it was adequate accommodation although there are none of the little niceties you get these days in most every hotel. In its heyday, this Hotel was one of the most sort-after accommodation in Lech and was known for its fabulous restaurant & food, sadly this in no more.

We settled in, were given some supper as we arrived late and got ready to head out the next day.
The cost of a daily lift pass was approximately 50Euro (or best value was six days for the price of 5).
It had just snowed enough to allow more runs to open, although not all were ready and the season had a late start. The ski runs are mainly beginner to intermediate skill, and there are some off-piste areas for the advanced skier. The resort does make snow as snowfalls average about 2.5metres a year, which doesn't compare to other resorts.
Lech itself is very pretty typically Austrian ski resort, home of the rich and beautiful. You will see the latest in designer ski gear at this particular resort. Apres and nightlife in Lech may not be as predominant as St Anton, but it hits the spot.

Lech Apres Nightlife

We found the best coffee at Baristro', an excellent seed-encrusted chicken salad at Pfefferkorn'  a delicious Salzburg nockerl at the Berg Hotel in OberLech and great apple strudel with warm vanilla custard at all the rest & coffee break places on the slopes. The food in Lech is excellent but can be pricey so if you're after a quick cheaper meal head for the butcher and have their Lerberkase rolls (I have to say they hit the spot!)

Lech am Alberg easily connects to Zurs & St Anton with a free bus that runs half hourly, so if the weather closes in head to the other resorts and check them out.
Next from Beautiful Lech am Alberg to the city of Innsbruck.

London, UK

We arrived in London on New Years Eve, had a driver waiting (thank you Qantas Business Class) to take us to our accommodation for the next three nights at Chelsea Cloisters Sloane Avenue London SW3 3DW.  Being New Years Eve the price for accommodation in London which is typically high became close to exorbitant. Our accommodation was small for four adults, it boasted a two bedroom apartment, which it was but the bathroom was tiny, and the kitchen was a kitchenette at most. The bedrooms were decent. The complex was huge, and you walked quite a way along small corridors. I believe it's both holiday rental and residential. The best thing I can say is that its location is fabulous, pretty much between Chelsea & South Kensington. There are stores & restaurants in both directions of the apartment block, and Knightsbridge and Harrods are only a 20min walk away.

Harrods - Knightsbridge London

Getting used to the Winter hours, darkness arriving at 4:30 pm makes the day short and the night very long.  If you're going to be in London on New Years Eve like we were and you want to see the fireworks, you need to plan ahead. It's now a ticketed event and fenced off. You can still watch the fireworks from further along the river but for prime viewing, you need tickets and it's sold out in advance.
New Years Day brought on the 30th-anniversary parade that starts at Trafalgar Square and winds through the city streets. Getting around London's CBD also proves more difficult as the roads are fenced off and you can only cross at certain times & places. One of the major acts that parades are the American Cheerleaders, this year there were approximately 150 from all over the USA. I still am unsure of the relevance of the cheerleaders in this parade, but everyone loved them and, in turn, they loved being there.

Our group wanted to experience all things English in a couple of days we had in London. So the best way to get around is to walk or use the underground train system, which is quick and efficient. We chose to walk past Buckingham Palace and caught the changing of the Guards. Heard Big Ben Chime, took photos with the London bus & phone booth. Ate homemade steak pie in an English pub and went ice skating to Winter Wonderland. We watched the New Year' Eve fireworks and the New Year's Day parade and of course, we also walked a majority of the monopoly board; this filled our couple of days and nights quite adequately.

All things English

As we are returning to London at the end of the Austrian portion of our trip, we plan on discovering more of London.

Austrian Ski Trip

This trip is mainly in Austria and centred on Skiing the Spectacular mountains as well as visiting some of the beautiful cities from one end of Austria to the other.

The trip begins in London as the flight with Qantas in a A380 Business Class was well priced and we needed to be in the UK to pick up another package deal for skiing.

As we were going to ski at many different resorts and didn't want to continually find and hire equipment, the decision to bring all our gear including skis was made. The first step was to work out the luggage. The ski bag we decided on has wheels so that we were able to drag it along without having to carry them. Due to restrictions on internal flights we had limits on what we could pack.
Ski gear and winter clothes do take up a lot of room in your luggage. Boots & helmets, ski equipment and your everyday winter clothes quickly add weight and take up room.

My tip if you're packing for winter regardless of whether it's a sightseeing trip or a ski trip is that you pack everything and I mean everything, that is interchangeable, so that it can be layered and worn whether skiing or just sightseeing. Also, as outer ski gear takes up space, it's easier if you put then in space saver bags to get all the puffiness out of them to allow room for other essentials.  Pack items like socks, or thermals in bags inside your shoes or ski-boots to save room, do this for your helmets too.

Advise the airline that you will have your skis with you, this can be done online under sports equipment with the airline you have booked. You will need to take any oversized baggage to different bag drop then your luggage but it will be at the carousel when you arrive.  Depending on the airline the skis can be part of your 23 Kg weight and with others, it's another piece of luggage and charged extra. It's best to determine this before booking so you know what to expect. With British Airways, even though we were well underweight and the skis combined with our suitcases were within weight range, we were charged 70Euro for the skis as an extra bag.

The map below shows the road trip that we took. This trip took 4 1/2 weeks or a calendar month.

Road Trip

Next post is on arriving in London.

Sydney, Australia

Had the opportunity to take a short trip away with friends between Christmas & New Year to Sydney. Decided to stay somewhere new and chose the Intercontinental 117 Macquarie St Sydney. Its position is near Circular Quays, and that was a different area for us to stay. It's a beautiful hotel. Arrived very early and our room was ready, thankfully. Dropped off my carry-on luggage & headed straight out to re-explore Sydney.

Coffee lounge and the generous buffet breakfast

Regardless of how many times I visit Sydney, I am still awed by the beautiful harbour and always seem to head in that direction first. The harbour bridge & the Sydney Opera House framed by the water is a place I enjoy just to sit and watch all the comings & goings of the day.

At this time of year, you can see all the cruise ships disembarking or receiving new passengers before they head out in the late afternoon to their fabulous destinations.

The many faces of Sydney Habour

Did the touristy things, jumped on a ferry to Manly and enjoyed a typical beach lunch of 'fish & chips' walked along the waters edge and just felt myself relaxing as we people watched while listening to the waves crash onto the shore. After a hectic Christmas period, it's wonderful to be able to take some time out. We visited the market at Argyle St and stopped at Lowenbrau Kellar for a bite to eat. The food is stated to be typically German but having been in Germany; I can say it's a fair imitation of what you'd get there.

Sydney at night

Loved Sydney at night and our new camera managed to capture it at its best! We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Darling Habour and enjoyed a walk along the new boardwalk with its Christmas lights.
When it rains head for the stores, try the QV building and Westfield along with many of the other great brand named stores at the mall. Don't miss out on the little lanes and arcades as they have some of the loveliest boutiques.
Always plenty to do in Sydney, with its easily accessible beaches, great restaurants, fabulous shopping malls and activities. My suggestion for activities is to take a tour of the Opera house it's well worth it and if you're up to it & happy to pay the cost walk to the top of the Habour Bridge for an incredible view.