Austria - a Postcard from Bad Hofgastein in January 2014

It's a hard life in the Mountains

The Haitzingalm 2 man chair - a leisurely ride

Sunny back in the 30's

Most of the guests arrive one Saturday and are gone on the next. For us it is Groundhog Day or, more appropriately, Marmoltier Tag? Each week we see again the lost souls at the bus station trying to find their ski buses, the couples poring over their piste maps and others walking awkwardly in their hired boots and new brightly coloured ski jackets.

For us its a wonderful regular commute as we climb aboard the funicular railway with the familiar faces of the early morning skiers. The retired Chef who always stands in the same place in the Cable Car, the Professor from Vienna, the local Golden Girls and the ski instructors to name but a few. We do not have to check out the Mountain Huts to see which serves the best Strudel, we have tested them already. We know where we can get a nice morning coffee with a chocolate. We know which lifts open early and we head for the Weitmoser Sixer for a warm up run and then at around 9am for the Hohe Scharte two man chair. Fresh Coduroy or freshly fallen is the snow choice. No awkward bumps to negotiate or ridges made by the Snowboarders.

TW arrives later, she doesn't take the cable car, she prefers a slow and leisurely ride on the Haitzingalm two man chair. She knows when and where to go to practice her turns, always within reach of a comfortable chair.

Blue skies on the Haitzingalm

Morning Coffee - the view from the Haitzingalm

Fresh snow in January

On the Training Piste

Heading down to Bad Hofgastein

Sometimes the guests have difficulty with the routine. Some think they are here for a rest and struggle to make the 08:26 bus in the morning. They get their Size 12 Boots stuck in the door of the Senderbahn and stop the entire lift. Apparently its a design fault? They order a Strudel in Grossarl at a self service only to have it snatched by a sweet-toothed Lady Pensioner. A Schweinhaxe at the Bertahof is too big for them and the cooking of boiled eggs in the morning by yours truly is too inconsistent. Yes, for some skiing is tough. They think their ski hosts are trying to kill them but hey, its only Groundhog Day!

GDC joins a Groundhog at the Waldgasthof

Austria - Return to the sunshine

Normal service resumed in 2014

Lunchtime Parking Place for skiers in Bad Hofgastein

After a wet and windy Christmas break we have made a welcome return to the Austrian sunshine in January 2014. The hard work of the piste bashers has maintained the superb snow conditions that started with the big dump in November. The Christmas and New Year crowds have departed and we now have near empty slopes. No queuing for lifts or lunch at the moment. The home run maybe just a 'white snake' in the otherwise brown and green fields but it is very much open for ski business. With new snow forecast, later in the week, we are currently making the most of the great visibility to ski and capture the stunning scenery. The Daily Telegraph reckons we are suffering due to mild air and low snowfall, not sure that suffering is the correct term. I think enjoying the mild air and superb piste conditions would be far more accurate.

The summer Stubneralm relaxes in the winter sun

On the run

Helmets hang over lunch at the Weitmoser Schlossalm

TW and AG heading up to the Hohe Scharte

Spot the skiers

Still corduroy at lunchtime

Heading off after a good lunch in the sun at the Haitzingalm

Wet and Windy Winter - 2013/14

Getting through the Winter Break

Boxing Day was one of the few nice bright days over Christmas and New Year. Mostly the rain fell and the wind blew. A good day to walk along the front to the Sandbanks Hotel for a coffee.

Bournemouth on Boxing Day

Marlow had a nice tree and simple decorations on the High Street. Rosinante is now repaired so am ready for Touring in 2014, as long as the knee works anyway.

Lusitania Statue in Marlow

Marlow Bridge

Christmas in Marlow