Traveling in Austria

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Some observations made while traveling in Austria in 2024, during my first Europe trip since moving to Japan in 2018.

Making a first overseas trip to Europe after living in Japan for almost six years (including the Corona pandemic period) was an exhilarating, but also jarring experience - particularly the Austrian leg of that journey. All that follows are my personal opinions, and some of this may fall into the “old man yelling at clouds” category - but I just want to clear my mind of these things, so thanks a lot for bearing with me.

Nostalgia is a terrible travel advisor

Are you planning to go back to a place from your younger years to rekindle fond memories, relive an exhilarating moment, or re-experience a certain atmosphere? Better think twice. The place and its surroundings are bound to be vastly different - the further back your memories, the more so - and you, too, have become a different person since. At best, you may just leave slightly confused or disappointed; at worst though, your (re-)visit might permanently sour your sentiment about the place.

Austrian food is not for me anymore

Having gotten used to Japanese “Teishoku” (set meals) over the last 6 years - and trying to pay more attention to a healthy and balanced diet as I get older (I’m 57 at the time of writing this) - I just can’t handle standard Austrian restaurant fare anymore. Huge plates filled with meat and potatoes, salads drowned in a tsunami of oil or creamy dressing (and often including more potatoes), whipped cream in cakes and coffee - no big problem 20 or 30 years ago, but now: really no, thanks.

What’s with all the staring?

(In all fairness, this applies for most of Western and Central Europe). Having lived in Japan for 6 years may have sensitized me to this topic, but I actually (and rather inexplicably) experienced more being-stared-at in Austria than I do as a foreigner in Japan. And don’t get me started about the looks or passing of verbal judgment that my Japanese wife, or the two of us as a couple, received. I usually blank out such things, but it’s pretty hard to remain completely unfazed by words spoken in my own native language.

Austrian drivers are reckless

No major news - more like something that had faded from my memory, not having visited in 10 years. Basic traffic safety concepts such as keeping distance in line with your current speed, refraining from passing in dangerous areas, or waiting for traffic on the main road to pass before backing out of your driveway seem to be lost on a shocking number of drivers. Getting a day’s worth of such behavior sure helps gauge the boundaries of your patience and endurance.

Viennese “Coffeehouse Culture” is overrated

Austria - especially Vienna - prides itself on traditional coffeehouses that used to be frequented by great artists, writers and intellectuals. Sadly, what remains today are dated interiors, outrageously-priced brews and cakes, and arrogant waiters scolding patrons who refuse to dignify their sub-par service with a tip. It’s quite sad, really, but in my opinion the cheap take-out coffee at Japanese Seven-Eleven convenience stores is superior to what some of these establishments offer.

Vienna Airport is a joke

Of the roughly 30 airports I’ve been through, VIE was the worst overall experience. Security staff are entitled pricks doling out random commands at hapless travelers, and the long and slim shape of the terminal building necessitates long walks back and forth from arrival gate to baggage claim to exit to rental car center. Shopping and restaurant facilities are seriously underwhelming for an airport in a European capital city, and the toilets are straight out of a horror movie.

A silver lining

Not all was dark and bad though, and I’d love to wrap up this article on a somewhat positive note. So here is an unsorted list of some things that I (still) loved during the days I spent in Austria on the 2024 trip:

the variety and deliciousness of breads and rolls - particularly the use of sourdough, whole grains, and just generally having a variety of wheat, rye and spelt as opposed to only industrial white wheat as is mostly used in Japan;
the farmer’s markets, and availability of typical local ingredients and products such as Kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil), Verhackert (a spread made out of chopped bacon, minced garlic and salt) or Kren (red cole);
the way in which nature is (in most cases) not viewed as something that needs to be regulated and domesticated by humans, but as a precious gift to be protected so that it can be enjoyed by all;
the way in which old buildings are preserved and respectfully treated as the treasures they are (as opposed to the utterly functional way in which Japan tends to look at architecture), and
historic city centers that are walkable and have trams running through them (such as Graz, my city of birth, shown in the image below that was taken on this trip).

Conclusions for future trips

On this 2024 trip, my wife and I went to Helsinki (first-time visit to Finland), and to various locations in Austria. While obviously Austria felt much more familiar - and returning to my birth town of Graz, which I will always love to bits, was exhilarating - overall I somehow felt much more relaxed and comfortable during the Helsinki leg of the journey. I suspect that was because

In Finland, I didn’t subconsciously pay attention to what people around me were saying (I don’t speak or understand any Finnish except for a traveler’s repertory of a few standard phrases and greetings);
Compared to Austrians, Finnish people by and large seem to be more of a reserved bunch who values their own privacy, and respects that of others (I know generalizations like this are problematic - this is just my impression that I gained during my travels);
And, of course, Helsinki was a first-time visit, so everything was new and felt a bit more exciting or challenging.

With the above in mind, and taking into account my age (57 at the time of writing this) as well as the effort and cost of overseas trips from Japan, I think I will focus on exploring new destinations in the future. I might still travel to Germany for a few days on future trips, but want to focus on new parts of the country there as well.

Looking forward to seeing how it will all work out. 😊

Norbert Woehnl

Norbert Woehnl is a Photographer in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in Travel, Location, Editorial and Street Photography.