My favourite day trip while we were in Salzburg, Austria was to the Untersberg. We were excited to see an Austrian mountain up close!
One of the best parts was that we caught a cable car up the mountain. I’m not a big fan of heights but I don’t mind travelling in cable cars … as long as they move slowly. I love the perspective they give you – rising up the mountain right next to the trees felt really special.
When we reached the top of the mountain we were excited to explore. It was much chillier and more windy than it was at ground level – I was glad we had brought our jackets – and the shrubs, flowers, grasses and rocks scattered around were very pretty. Some spots even looked a bit magical, kind of like they were the setting of a fairytale. The views down the mountain weren’t the best because it was cloudy, but that added to the mystical nature of the experience. We felt like we were above the clouds!
The Baby’s favourite part of being up the mountain was putting the small white rocks that were scattered around in his mouth. He loved munching on the rocks so much that he would scream whenever we took them away from him. To prevent him from choking, we decided it was time to catch the cable car back down the mountain and find some food.
We walked through the local village to the café where we were going to have lunch. The walk was beautiful! The village had old churches, houses with colourful flowers spilling out of window boxes, and green, tree-lined paths, one next to a busy stream. And the mountains were always looming in the background, reminding us where we had just been. It was definitely the most nature-filled day we had in Austria, and it made us feel relaxed and happy. Spending time in nature often has that effect on me.
What’s the natural environment like in your story? It’s a question you should always ask yourself, because describing the natural environment well will give your story a strong sense of place. Is your setting hot and dry, with red dust blowing everywhere and the leaves on the trees a crusty brown? This could describe drought-stricken Wooba, the town at the centre of my book Wooba and the Wondrous Wooba Gymnastics Club. Or is your setting lush and green, or even mountainous like Salzburg?
It’s your story, so it’s up to you!
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