With the less than satisfying Parisian winter instilling a desire for snow which had been quenched neither by a trip to the Arctic nor a week of skiing, we headed into the Bernese Alps to traverse one of the more famous passes in Switzerland, the Gemmi Pass. Sandwiched between the Rinderhorn and the Daubenhorn, the pass itself has an elevation of 2250 metres and runs between the small town of Kandersteg and the thermal spa town of Leukerbad.
Read MoreOne of the main questions one faces when planning a ski trip in Europe is where to go; one is simply spoilt for choice. Last year we had a week inAvoriaz, part of les portes de soleil conglomeration, which was fantastic, so wherever we went this time had to have a similar amount of terrain. Logistically it was challenging, as there were four of us: one from Paris, one from Geneva, one from Tübingen (Germany) and another from Budapest. To keep costs down, we did not want to be in Switzerland, which left us with Austria or France. We ended with up with France, as we discovered Les trois Vallées region. Nestled in the northern Alps and comprised of eight resorts, the skiable terrain is the largest in the world and with lifts servicing heights of 3230 metres, it was too good to pass up.
Read MoreBeing raised in Australia seems to instil a fascination with snow and all things cold, stemming from a complete lack of exposure to sub-zero temperatures. Winters are by no means warm, but snow simply does not fall at low altitude, nor does the temperature remain below zero should it happen to drop there, so something that is “naturally” frozen is very novel. Possessing the near-polar opposite climate is Norway, and in particular, northern Norway. The Norwegian landscape, characterised by spectacular fjords and soaring mountains, has always been one of the places that I dreamed of visiting. With the winter break offering an opportunity to travel and my desire to experience “a real winter”, Norway seemed like a great option. More than this, the frozen landscapes of Arctic Norway offer many experiences which simply cannot be found anywhere else. This trip was always going to be cool.
Read MoreWith winter slowly making its impression, the day to day life slowly evolves to follow suit. I find people here are much more personable in the winter – not to mention the arrival of rich meals and all things chocolate are very welcome additions. In an attempt to escape the permanent grey weather (which seems to call Paris home from November until March) we headed to the picturesque town of Lucerne in central Switzerland. Founded somewhere around 750 and gaining prominence in the mid-1400s, the town is one of the older cities in Switzerland and this, combined with being perched on the Vierwaldstättersee (the fourth largest lake in Switzerland) with the Alps rising sharply just to the south, make it one of the most visited towns in Switzerland.
Read MoreA country with a turbulent history, both ancient and modern, has become a top destination for summer tourism. Nestled on the Adriatic sea, with thousands of beaches and an uncountable number of islands, it has made a niche for itself in the same way many tropical islands make themselves holiday destinations. My knowledge of Croatia prior to going was not great; I knew it was Romanic, I knew that Austria had caused a lot of damage in the 1st world war and more recently, I remember watching the Bosnian war unfold on the TV; wreaking the kind of havoc that only a civil war can. But as an adult, I know countless people that have gone there to enjoy the sun, sights and culture. From the 26th of July until the 4th of August, Mia and I went to experience Hrvatska for ourselves.
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