Austria is a beautiful country; a mix of snow capped mountains, lush green valleys, dense forests, lakes, rivers and ornate historical cities, making it the ideal destination for the Slow Traveller. Here Marion from Travel Like a Local tells us about how taking a trip with her to her home state of Styria can open your eyes to really appreciating all that this wonderful country has to offer.
Why do we travel?
Since the beginning of humankind, species are traveling to find food, drinking resources and maybe a place to have some fun (maybe?) This is still the case today with people who are traveling all over the world and exploring other areas.
Why is “slow traveling” so different? My vision of the tours I offer is simple: Travel like a local.
I have often wondered about the tour groups that come through a European city - hundreds of years old, with strong traditions and beautiful architecture and those groups just rush through it all – with either an abundance of knowledge thrown at them – or none at all. Click, click, click on the camera and hoping that the location locator is on, so they can identify where they were on this trip after they arrived at home.
I have seen 15 cities in 10 days – what a trip!
Yeah, what kind of a trip was that? Did you speak to the people living in this part of the world? Did you take time to sit down and watch the children play, listening to their native language and experiencing the joy those children display? Did you sit down with locals at their home, to see how they live, what a house in a foreign country looks like from the inside? Could you find those “local secret” eateries that are not in your tour guide and you most likely can’t get in with a group of 30 or more?
Did you even get what YOU wanted out of this trip? The things that interest you – the hobbies that you wanted to go after? And wasn’t it that most of the time you needed a vacation after the vacation? See, those are the things I observed when I came up with my mission and vision.
Having very small groups (6-10 people at the most) traveling with me to my home state of Styria (Steiermark) in Austria and show the beauty and the hospitality of this slice of heaven.
With small groups I can individualize the itinerary upfront to their liking, with the wants and needs of the group members in mind.
There will be plenty of time to show people around and explore the history and uniqueness of this state – however, the best part is – you will feel like you are on vacation – with time to breathe and smell the roses, with time to explore and relax, with time to take all this in and bring it back to your home. I give my guests the most authentic travel experience that I can give.
My upbringing and life in my home state and my equally long living in the States has given me the gift of being “multi-cultural” – it’s not only that I speak both languages, but also the experience I bring for living in both cultures and knowing about the little “differences” that might help understanding the customs in the other country. The love for my home country has brought me back over and over and with the help of my family, I got to experience this state as a “tourist” and came to love the quirkiness of this state and cherish the traditions, still holding strong, even more.
If you are thinking of having a “Girls Trip” (think Wellness) or a “Guys Trip” (think golfing/ extreme sport) or a Family Trip (think slowing down) - maybe even a Management Team (think teamwork with a twist) – those are the groups I’m specializing in. If you are open for a “Strangers” group – this is also for you – making new friends along the way.
My next trip will be in June – for the summer solstice, when the days are long, and the nights are perfect. To find out more, please visit my website www.travellikealocal.net and sign up for the trip or the newsletters. I would love to “show” you more about this beautiful state in Austria.
Servus,
Marion - Travel like a local
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