A non-skier’s guide to the Austrian Alps

Winter is not exactly my favourite season. I don’t particularly like the cold and in the Netherlands, snow is mostly just a danger to traffic, rather than something to enjoy. However, if you get the opportunity to visit one of Austria’s ski resorts, don’t turn it down just because you don’t ski. Although I’ve seen these mountains plenty of times during summer, they’re arguably at their most impressive after receiving a fresh layer of snow in the middle of winter. Here’s how to make the most of your time in Austria as a non-skier.

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It’s no New Year’s resolution

I don’t do New Year’s resolutions. The entire concept of making a list of vague promises you have no intention to keep has always felt ridiculous to me. The intention behind them is admirable; people seek to break their monotone routines and make real changes to their lives. This feeling is very relatable, but I still don’t think New Year’s resolutions are a good idea, when there’s a much better alternative.

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The best 5 books I read in 2016

One of my favourite ways to spend a cold winter evening is curled up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book. I also spend plenty of time reading when I’m on the road. I always carry a book with me when I travel and nearly always buy an English book at the airport. I spend most of my time on planes and trains with my nose in a book. I really enjoy finding a nice spot to read outside when the weather is nice. During my last trip to London, I enjoyed a relaxing morning in a quiet and chilly Hyde Park, reading the book I’d bought on the ferry a few days earlier. As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve read more than 30 books this year, which has got to be a personal record. I figured since I can’t possibly be the only traveller who enjoys reading, I’d share which books I enjoyed most this year.

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My year in review: 2016

Winter has arrived in the northern hemisphere. With less than eight hours of daylight, today was the shortest day of the year and the start of the astronomical winter. I thought this would be the perfect moment to reflect on the past year. At the same time, as the days will once again start to lengthen, the time has come to look forward to what 2017 will bring.

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The Greatest Driving Road In The World

The last remnants of fog clung to the mountainside as I exited the forest. The sudden change in landscape was a breath-taking sight to behold in the morning light. After a dozen more hairpin turns, I found a safe spot to park the car. I took my time to admire the view. A local, on his way to the valley, passed me in an old Fiat Panda, as I got out of my car. The first thing I noticed was the temperature. Patches of slowly melting snow lay comically on the side of the road, in between countless yellow and purple wildflowers.

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Review: Saal Digital photo book

This time of the year, when friends, relatives and colleagues go on holiday, I tend to get struck by nostalgia and develop a feeling of homesickness for all the places I’ve travelled to. The main reason for this is that I don’t usually go on holiday during the summer, and I haven’t planned my next trip yet. An easy way to make sure these feelings don’t turn into a bad case of the travel blues, is to keep myself busy with things involving my most recent trip, like writing a blog post or making a photo book. So when Saal Digital offered a free photo book in exchange for an honest review, I immediately signed up. The book arrived on Wednesday and I can honestly say I’m impressed and I’m not saying that because I got a free book.

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London: The View from The Shard

I love panoramic views. Whenever I make plans to visit a city, I research the most popular places with a good view. Whether it’s from a hill or a tall building, I love having a bird’s eye view of a city. There’s something mesmerising about searching for the most iconic buildings of the city and taking your time to watch the traffic.

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Unleash a million drones: Muse at the O2

If anyone were to ask me about the best part of my recent trip to London, I wouldn’t hesitate before replying ‘muse’. The 11th of April, the day I went to their concert at the O2 arena was my absolute favourite day. The venue was amazing, the queue was actually quite fun and the concert was even better than it was in Amsterdam.

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European City Break: Porto

When work decided to treat me and my colleagues to a 3-day city break to Porto, I didn’t know what to expect from Portugal’s second largest city. Oddly, the country wasn’t ranking very high on my travel ‘wish list’, so I didn’t really know much about it when I received the invitation. Upon doing some research, Porto looked very promising to me. The historic city centre, the gorgeous views dominated by the Douro river and of course the Port wineries; what’s not to love?

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