Europe '81: The Austrian Alps

Last week I shared the first half of an essay I'd written many years ago about my first trip to Europe and the day I spent in Innsbruck. The second half takes us into the Austrian Alps and the Nordkette Mountain range where I rode a funicular from the city centre to the first viewing level at Hungerburg and then ventured further up the slopes by cable car to to Seegrube.

The Austrian Alps (1981)

"On a mountain ledge high above Innsbruck, the air was just as sweet but pure and untouched by the presence of man. There I was, eye level with the peaks of the mighty Alps as they stretched forever towards Italy, Switzerland and France. Far below me was the city nestled snug in the valley astride the meandering Inn River.

Innsbruck's Nordkette Mountain Range
and the Inn River (1981)

Hungerburg (1981)

Cable Cars to Seegrube (1981)

My lungs soaked in the cool fresh air and the sun, now almost within my reach, radiated warmth and vitality through the pores of my skin. And when I closed my eyes to let my other senses take over I could still see the expansive view, now painted in miniature by a tiny artist on the inside of my eyelids.

Alpine View at Seegrube (1981)
6,250 feet or 1,905 metres

In European railway stations a distinctive bing sounds frequently over the loudspeakers as arrivals and departures are announced. Now back at home if I hear this sound in a movie I’m instantly transported back to the station platform. The noises are amplified as they echo through the cool, cavernous halls: the multilingual clamour of passengers who keep glancing down the tracks, eager to begin their journey; the squeal of steel rubbing against steel as the train pulling in slides to a halt alongside the jostling crowd; and the clacking of heels as latecomers scurry through the corridors. Then reality breaks in and I'm back in my living room once more.

European Railway Station

Few people have the time and money to travel the way they'd really like so we have to make the most of those rare opportunities to explore the world. Looking back on my memories of Austria I've been able to glean one small piece of advice for the traveller. To truly know a place you have to stop for a moment and experience it with all your senses. By doing so you can foster the kind of memories that will leave a lasting impression, allowing you to relive the experience over and over again with as much enthusiasm as you felt the first time.

Sometimes it's the simplest things in life that can have the biggest impact. Maybe we should try to pay them a little more attention. That's an attitude that can be beneficial to us all, not just when we're travelling the four corners of the earth but also in our everyday lives. There's often a lot of wisdom in old sayings, so let’s take the time to smell the roses."

Next week I'll continue my journey northward across the border into Germany and the Bavarian capital, Munich.