Sunday 21 August 2016

Chiming Hills of Österreich - Travel Review and Advice



Hinterglemm Valley



Epilogue                                                                        Austria

Leap of Faith Travel Review

What an incredible time I had away to the picturesque beauty of Austria. I knew before I arrived at this great place that it was going to be full of adventure with perfect scenery of hills, mountains, rapid rivers, streams, waterfalls and clear blue sky. I had so much fun on this holiday and it has to be one of the best travels I have had so far. Everything that I achieved through this trip were incredible such as walking across a glacier, paragliding, downhill cycling as well as hiking the Austrian hills and waterfalls. For an adventurer like me, Austria is your type of place to be. 


The places I visited throughout the week were:

1.     Saalalm Hut
2.     Berchtesgaden town
3.     Eagles Nest (Hitler’s retreat)
4.     Berchtesgaden Salt Mines
5.     Salzburg
6.     Grossglockner National Park and Glacier
7.     Krimmler Waterfalls
8.     Hinterglemm Bike Festival




I also took part in activities which were:

1.     Paragliding
2.     Cycling



All of this was thanks to the company called ‘Inghams’ which is a very well known name for ski, lake and mountain holidays and I knew they were a company I could trust to provide me with great experiences. When I first arrived in Austria I was not expecting most of the things Inghams had to offer as far as excursions are concerned. They were definitely fantastic days out and I would highly recommend taking advantage of the excursions should you struggle with a plan on your trip like I did. With Inghams by your side you never feel alone I thought and what an incredible group of staff they hired too. Dan the rep I mentioned a lot in my diaries was the friendliest person I had ever met and to this day nobody has beaten him at this. I felt like he took great care in his guests and catered to there needs as well as go beyond the call of duty. As for the staff at the hotel they were second to none always there for you when you needed them. There was never a time I felt unhappy with their service even though there were times food orders would get mixed up but they were only human.




The hotel I stayed at was a chalet hotel in the village of Hinterglemm called Hotel Pinzgaurhof. This place was truly special on the outside looking like a classic Austrian building and on the inside was very simple which was perfect. The rooms were basic but fabulous which is all I needed. Breakfast and evening dinner was provided for us all which was to high standards each and everyday by again the brilliant staff of the hotel. I loved the fact that at the end of our holiday there was a BBQ for us at the end making us feel truly special as though it was a leaving party. 


Hotel Pinzgaurhof

Again I say take advantage of the excursions because they were fantastic. Excursions are paid during your trip and once you have paid your hotel representative you receive a ticket for each excursion you go on; do not lose them as they are the key to your day out. Each excursion I went on I experienced different emotions such as Grossglockner and Eagles nest I felt peace and freedom whereas Krimmler waterfalls, Berchtesgaden Salt Mines and Salzburg; I felt adventure and discovery. Either way all the excursions always provided something positive and satisfying making the money I spent worth it.




I timed my trip away perfectly as I arrived in time for the brilliant Hinterglemm Bike Festival which was a huge spectacle spread throughout the village. As a bike enthusiast this was brilliant to be amongst all the stalls full of bikes and accessories along with the big stage of acrobatic cycling. Ramps were built through the village even over the river creating an adrenaline packed scene. The hotel was at a perfect spot to watch the majority of the stunt cyclists performing tricks as though it was a home movie sitting on my balcony with my food. What ended the festival well was the brilliant rock concert provided which was something truly special. 




What can I say about my first paragliding experience; absolutely epic. This was also thanks to Inghams but would be the most expensive activity to do costing 120 Euro. It was worth every euro though for the incredible feeling of peace and freedom I felt gliding through the air so elegantly with the most perfect setting anybody could ever ask for. My tips for doing this is enjoy every moment of it and don’t eat a large breakfast beforehand. 




The only trouble I had found with my trip to Austria was the expense of it:

·       Charter flight – Manchester to Salzburg to Manchester including 1x luggage
·       7 night half board single room
·       Transfer to and from Salzburg Airport

All this cost me £724; the most I have ever spent on a trip away. But I asked myself
‘Was all that money worth the things I had seen and done; the incredible people I had met along the way and the adventure and triumph I had experienced throughout with Inghams by my side?’ Yes I believe so 










I would like to thank the incredible team working for Inghams both hotel workers and representatives (especially Dan the rep and Kate the Manageress as I may have embarrassed her in my diaries). I would also like to thank Inghams for providing me with a satisfying holiday and for them to realise I accomplished a lot of wonderful things along the way thanks to them. I would like to wish all the fantastic people I met along the way safe travels on the future trips and now I leave you all with this: 



"Live life to the fullest
It’s the best way
Live every moment intensely
Because life is too short
And the moment comes when we are going to die
And we’d have wished to do so many things we didn’t
That is why we have to enjoy every moment
One must enjoy life
Try not to acquire so many things
But instead have experiences
Accomplish everything you want to do
No matter the effort it deserves
Life is too short and one must relish it"


Author: Shaun Davison

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