The joy of planning

To plan a trip is for me a big part of the whole experience. I usually check some websites, maybe read books, look at the surroundings on GoogleEarth and talk to people I know have visited the place I am heading to. I like to have some sort of idea of where I am going. Usually you do not have unlimited time at your destination so in order to make the right decisions and get the most out of your time, it is not a bad idea to be prepared. But it is also important not to plan too carefully. The one thing you can be sure of is that it will not go as planned. You will have to make decisions along the way that will have a significant affect on your holiday. This is the charm of travelling though and I am always careful not to have my mind set on what I "have" to do.

Planning gives you the opportunity to enjoy your trip during a long time. If you start reading up on things early you can start dreaming and longing for your departure. Right now I am planning my holiday in Austria in August. The main purpose of the trip is to visit my parents who have a house there and do as much hiking I can possibly take. I have missed the mountains for a long time and am looking very much forward to it. Already a couple of months ago I was reading about the hikes and via ferratas in the area. I have been looking at films on Youtube, pictures and read stories about hiking trips to this particular mountain range. I found the via ferrata I would like to do (weather permitting) and because it is a very demanding one I have also started to train for it. I still have 5 weeks to become just a little stronger and more fit. My brother and I are pushing each other and we have ordered the gear needed for it. The picture is taken on the Bert-Rinesch Via Ferrata on the Gr Priel which is my goal. It was stolen from an Austrian site about hiking (www.bergsteigen.at) where Josef Zwedorn had left it for others to admire. Does it not look fantastic? It almost feels like I am there already.

At least for another 5 weeks this trip will be exactly the way I want it to be. Once I get there, you never know what will happen and that is when it becomes real. It is the moment I long for when I am facing reality and will find out what the trip will really be like. During the preparations I get a feeling about the place where I am going and I am always equally curious to see if it is right. It never is but I keep on trying and I am enjoying it.