It was an hour long drive through the Austrian mountains as we gained elevation on our journey north to Turrasher See, a small picture-perfect lake nestled between various peaks at 1800 metres above sea level.
We arrived at Hotel Hochschober which sat on the southern shore of the lake. This hotel has been run by three generations of the same family since it was built in 1929. With each generation the property was expanded and upgraded to present the amazing property with a variety of luxuries awaiting those lucky enough to stay there.We unpacked and freshened up before rejoined Nina’s parents in the lobby for a cocktail. A small band was playing while staff
handed out glasses of champagne. Apparently this happens twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) to welcome new guests.We adjourned to the dining room which was reminiscent of the food hall at Harrods! The buffet was expansive and plentiful with more choices than anyone could want. When we arrived at our table I was astounded to find a menu with a set 5 course meal. It turned out the buffet was the appetizer, followed by a soup course, the main course, dessert (accompanied by a small dessert buffet)
and a cheese course. You simply order whichever courses you want and supplement it with the buffet. I was in heaven.The following morning I was beside myself when I came down for breakfast to learn the buffet had doubled in size! Now, it spanned two rooms and had a separate coffee and tea area where a barista made exotic coffee drinks to order. There was a self-serve tea station with 3 dozen loose teas to meet the needs of the most discerning tea drinker.
Each day a newsletter was supplied and waiting for us on our table. It advertised the hosted activities for that particular day and by the third day they were also leaving a copy in English specifically for me (they rarely get English guests).
After breakfast we walked around the hotel to get a feel for the many other activities on offer to us. The hotel had a supply of mountain bikes for guests to take out on the expansive trails that
span the area. There was a hotel library with 3000 books (in all languages) as well as work areas (for people like me). Off the library was a comfortable reading room with lounging chairs around a semi-circular glass enclosure.They offered daily water aerobics and stretching classes as well as various other activities to stay fit including a full gym. For those more interested in recreation, there was a billiard and table tennis area.
The entrance of the hotel was dominated by a bar and lounge with sitting nooks furnished with couches and chairs. A decent selection of major newspapers (including The Independent from the UK) was available in one of the lounges as well as a marble and wood chess set. Nina’s mom and I played daily and although neither of us had played in years, we thoroughly enjoyed it. We were also of a similar level and found ourselves improving with each day. As if we were politely taking turns, I won the first day, she won the second,
then me on the third and her on the fourth. On our last day we had the final game to decide who the winner was, and poetically it was a stalemate.The spa was another world unto itself. It took up the whole two lower levels of the hotel and spilled out onto a lawn which overlooked the lake. Apart from an indoor pool they also offered three outdoor jacuzzis and a variety of saunas and steam rooms. They had a wonderful selection of fruit juices, cut melon and
vegetables, bowls of nuts and dried fruit as well as coffee and tea out all day. After a dip in one of the pools, or a relaxing soak in a hot tub, you could come to have a snack or drink. This spa was hedonism realized.A few years back they built a hamam, or Turkish bath, complete with the large hot stone which you lie on. This part of the spa felt as if it was another world. After showering, you could rest in the Sultan’s room and drink Turkish tea while sitting in a relaxing room full of Arabic décor.
Throughout the spa area they had lounges; some secluded and others in glass enclosures to harness the natural heat. The beds were ergonomically designed to hug your body and the cushions were inviting those that lie down on them to a welcome afternoon nap (which Nina frequently indulged in).Although the water temperature of the lake was around 11 degrees, they built an area which amounted to a dock that enclosed a swimming pool-sized portion. The walls of the dock went down
two metres and the water within this area was heated to 30 degrees! Since warmer water floats, they lost very little of the hot water to the lake. This is open year round and apparently makes for a novel thing to do after a morning of skiing.Next to the lake pool was a dock with some paddle and row boats guests could use if they want to venture out onto the water. During our 5 days, I didn’t see anyone take one of them out.
A few years back they built a Chinese pagoda. Inside they offered massages, relaxation therapy and yoga on the bottom floors and the top floor was a dedicated tea room with wonderful views over the hotel, lake
and mountains.To put it simply, there was no shortage of things to do and not a chance of an ounce of boredom in such a place. Everything from the décor to the staff to the details in the rooms (like hot water bottles and robes) was impeccable. Apart from alcohol and some of the specialty treatments, everything from the food to the activities to the use of equipment was all inclusive.
Throughout the cavernous property there were marble fountains with brass taps and a selection of glasses so guests could help themselves to the plentiful spring water. Likewise, there were
bowls of apples and grapes generously distributed. In the lobby there was a selection of biscuits and sometimes an open bottle of champagne guests could feely help themselves to.In the afternoon Nina and I joined a few ladies for a 2 hour Nordic walk through the forest to two smaller lakes. This was one of the daily activities and the friendly guide explained how to do Nordic walking properly, including warm-up and warm-down exercises. It was good exercise and helped us burn off some of the calories we had already amassed in the short time we had been there. Once back at the hotel, we headed
down to the spa to relax in the 35 degree outdoor hot tub as the sun started to disappear behind the mountains. This was where Nina’s parents had spent the whole day and they look very content.
The next day Nina had to go to Klagenfurt with her mother to apply for her Austrian passport. Nina’s father decided to do some trail walking and I wanted to hike. On the Nordic walk the previous day I saw some breathtaking scenery and found the peak I wanted to conquer. I retraced my steps along half the route we had taken in order to get to the base of the mountain. In doing so, I encountered Nina’s dad coming from the opposite direction which was nothing short of a coincidence sine there were dozens of trails in the area to choose from.
I arrived at another lake which was just above the hotel (and lake) we were staying at. I had already amassed 50 metres in elevation and was now standing at the bottom of a ski run with a chair lift rising up the hill above me. I climbed up the ski run which offered a steep walk up a grassy slope. I took a steeper foot path up to a peak which afforded views over the whole valley. I was able to see four or five layers of distant mountains that melted into the horizon. Below me I was now able to see three lakes including the largest of them all; the one on which our hotel was perched. This was what made the hike worthwhile. This made me feel like I was back in BC again.
I hadn’t noticed the lack of pine trees in the UK until I arrived in Austria. When you walk among them in the forest you are immediately aware of their aroma and it made me feel subconsciously homesick. I felt very much at home in this alpine environment as it replicated BC and was in such stark contrast to UK life.Once back at the hotel, I met up with Nina (who was now back) and we headed down to the spa. I spam in the heated the lake
which was a wonderful novelty. We had been very lucky with the weather as the sun had been shining since we arrived and the daytime temperature was always around 20 degrees. Still, the heated lake was highly welcomed.I ventured into the Hamam for a Turkish experience. Beforehand, you take a shower and don a towel. I think the showers in this hotel are worth a mention as well. Within the spa area there are showers throughout and they all offer multiple nozzles! There were
two ceiling-mounted options; a traditional shower head and one which rained down on you from a nozzle the size of a dinner plate. There were two hand-held options; one which created a firm 
stream of water and the other was a water massager which shot out water while rotating beads on the head to massage your body. I had never been faced with so many options in a shower before! I turned on one of the taps and went with whichever nozzle sprung to life.In the octagonal Hamam room, the large marble stone dominates. On each of the sides of the room were glass doors. Behind half of them were different relaxation saunas with scented aromas. The other half were for the cleansing aspect of Hamam where you are bathed and scrubbed down by a staff member in a sea of soap
foam. Nina’s parents swore by this, but I chose not to indulge.That evenings Nina’s sister Daniela arrived with her husband and two children. They live just outside of Vienna and drove in after the kids finished school for the weekend. I had seen them twice before (for New Year’s 2008 in Majorca and New Year’s 2009 in Austria) and was happy to be able to spend time with them again.
Friday morning was special and ultimately this day was the reason we had all gathered in this wonderful place; it was Nina’s father’s
70th birthday. We all met in the dining hall, as we usually did, but this time the staff had decorated the table for us complete with a chocolate cake.Peter was showered with presents from his children and grandchildren and, like my own father, seemed too youthful to have reached the milestone of 70. Nonetheless, he seemed to enjoy the attention and certainly took pleasure from being surrounded by his family.
After breakfast Nina and I were excited to take part in an activity we had read about long before we arrived. We gathered up her sister’s husband and kids and walked across the road to the base of the mountain. We bought our tickets and boarded a chairlift to the top.It’s hard to explain the ride they have built on this mountain. It’s a bit like a bobsled in that you ride back down on an individual cart with one or two people on each and you are in control of your
speed (as you have a brake). It’s also a bit like a rollercoaster in that the car you sit in is affixed to a track to prevent it from being flung off on some of the tight corners. They are outfitted with seatbelts that look like they were taken from a car as you sit in an upright position.The elevation difference from the top to bottom was 200 metres and the track was close to a kilometre in length. For €20 we were able to ride three times and in hindsight I can tell you it was worth every penny!
Nina and Heinz, her sister’s husband, rode with one child each and I went solo. The first time around, I was a little conservative in my speed as I wanted to get a feel for the track. The second time around I decided to go all out and didn’t touch the brake once. It was exhilarating! On the third and final run, Marvin (Nina’s nephew) wanted to ride with me since I was clearly going faster than his dad. I was asked to take it somewhat easy and that I should take my queues from Marvin, who unbeknownst to me, was an adrenaline junkie already at the age of 7. I tapped the break a 
few times before going around the steep turns and each time I did, Marvin yelled “schneller!” which directly translate to faster or quicker. I took my hand off the brake and went for it. At one section of the track they have a speed camera and we shot past at 68 km/h which was a good 10 km/h faster than the rest of them went. I was amazed they don’t have something like this at Whistler as I am sure it would be extremely popular.Before going down the third and final time, we looked around the
top of the mountain. It afforded some wonderful views of the valley below from an opposite perspective than the day before. In fact, it allowed me to see the peak I had climbed the previous day.The rest of the day was spent in the spa as the weather was starting to turn. That afternoon Nina’s brother Michael drove in (also from around Vienna) and the evening was spent as a family reunion as all of Peter’s kids were now present.
The skies opened up and our final day was a wet one. The clouds had come down presenting a
low ceiling over the valley and hiding the grand peaks of the mountains. The outdoor jaccuzzis let off steam as the temperature had also dropped dramatically. It seemed as if it had gone from summer to winter in the space of one day.We spent the day inside enjoying the hotel’s amenities. I played a game of chess with Heinz (which I lost) while Nina and her sister enjoyed a stretching class. In the afternoon I joined the children in the indoor swimming pool, as I had done the previous day as well. My German improved more in those two pool sessions than it had on the rest of the trip. Children speak in such simple terms and I found it much easier to understand what they were trying to tell me, and in turn, they improved their English.
The whole family met up in the sauna where we had a staff member take a group photo of us (less Marvin who was still in the water). By the now the rain had stopped, at least for a brief interval. As this was our last afternoon, Michael, Heinz and I (we are all three within a few years of each other) decided to head out on the hotel’s mountain bikes for some trail riding.It had rained solidly for almost 24 hours and the trails were a muddy mess interspersed with large puddles and exposed rock. The bikes were made for this terrain with knobby tires and suspension systems.
We rode to the end of the hotel parking lot and immediately joined a trail that was mostly gravel. This lasted for a short time and before long we were on a smaller dirt trail. None of the bikes had fenders, so the wheels were flicking up mud that showered the rider behind. I learned quickly and moved to the front of the pack, but apparently my wheels sent as much mud up at me as onto the rider behind. When we go to the halfway point I joked that I was going to be taking a kilogram of Austria back as a souvenir which I was now wearing as a dark new layer over my arms, legs and clothes.
When we got back we were a mess! I took off my shoes before walking through the hotel to protect their floors and you could clearly see a dark line where the mud had been shielded by my shoes. I arrived in the room and Nina was stunned by the site of this mud monster. Needless to say I was immediately sent into the shower with my clothes on so I would be presentable for our final supper.We all gathered on Sunday morning for one final breakfast before loading up the cars and heading off in different directions.
Nina’s parents were embarking on their 10+ hour drive back home and were taking us as far as Munich where we would board our flight back to the UK. We drove through the Austrian Alps and through some very scenic lowlands on our way toward Germany. I was surprised at the quality of the pictures I was able to get while snapping through the closed car windows at 90 km/h.As we drove away from the little slice of heaven we had called home for 5 days, I reflected on our experience. I cannot recall a
time I have stayed at a hotel where I have been so content. Nina and her sister agreed; they were amazed at the consistency in quality of everything within the hotel. The experience was flawless.Hotel Hochschober has 108 rooms with a total capacity of 280 people (including the family rooms). It is little surprise they maintain an average yearly occupancy rate of 85%.
We arrived at Munich Airport and were immediately taken by the long lines and volume of people all trying to fly out. Then we remembered; it’s Oktoberfest! We boarded the Lufthansa flight and miraculously, this time they coordinated their efforts to ensure my bag arrived at the same location as me. As we touched down at Birmingham International Airport I had less than 24 hours to make it home (which took 3 trains), unpack, do laundry, go to a meeting at De Montfort University the next morning to enrol in my classes, pack my bag and take the bus to East Midlands Airport 
to fly to Amsterdam.I went to Amsterdam to meet one of the owners of the new company The White Door was merging with. For the sake of simplicity, one company had to sacrifice their name and the operation is now taking the name of the other company; RAVE-cruitment.
I met the manager of RAVE who will now become my direct manager and we got along well. We spoke for a good hour and a half and in that time I had a hard time getting a read on him since he was still in the process of learning about how we operate. But, my gut feeling was not overly positive. I think he plans to tear The White Door apart and dismantle our processes. This would be a shame for three reasons. 1) It would likely mean there would be less work for me. 2) Both The White Door and RAVE have a client in common and RAVE hasn’t had any of their candidates hired whereas we placed 10 people there over the last 2 years. Obviously we are doing something which they are not. 3) These guys are technologically retarded and still manage their operation using a dry-erase board. They don’t have a database for candidates and haven’t automated any of their systems. Only time will tell what will come of this merger.
On one evening I met up with my old roommate Marc which was nice. I did a lot of walking and enjoyed the canals and neighbourhoods I used to walk through. I noticed they had installed a charging station on one canal so three electric cars could park there and juice up. This was a new initiative and I was surprised to see two full electric cars (including a Lotus Elise) were parked there. Apparently this doesn’t extend outside of the city so these people are limited in where they can drive to.
I didn’t take my camera with me as figured I had taken enough pictures while I lived there. However I was told about a part of town I hadn’t seen before and went to check it out. Behind Centraal Station are a number of free ferries to shuttle people over to the other side of the river. They go to different locations on the other side and as I had barely ventured over there before, it was no wonder I had little idea of what I would find.
I had heard about an initiative to produce housing out of old shipping containers. Stefan told me he had been in one and was amazed at how they had modernized the interiors so you wouldn’t even know you were inside one. They are made into bachelor apartments with a bathroom, kitchen and living space. They are all painted bright colours and the community I saw had hundreds of them. I found a picture online as it looks better than you might imagine.This short 3 day trip was my last “holiday” of the summer. Having spent 3.5 weeks in the Mediterranean in June, 2 weeks in Vancouver in August, 5 days in Austria and now 3 in Amsterdam, I would say I have done quite well!
I got back on Thursday evening probably around the same time mom arrived in the UK. This Saturday Nina and I are going over to Robert and Cathie’s house in Leamington where mom will also be visiting. We will all stay overnight as they are hosting a big family lunch on Sunday. Then we will drive mom back to Leicester where she will stay for the next 4 days in a hotel.
First thing Monday morning, I start university.
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