When I started blogging in 2009, my blog mainly consisted of hotel reviews previously posted on TripAdvisor. Due to a professional reorientation, I was forced to stop my blogging activity for three years. At the beginning of 2016, I decided to resume it, but this time I wanted to do it properly. Not only should the hotel reviews be continued, but also restaurant reviews and travel reports should be added.

My first review published in 2009

Blogging experiences

I soon realized that blogging is much more demanding than I had thought. I will not go into details, but writing posts is only one part of the work. There is so much more. This includes the technical aspects of blogging, the promoting of your blog, browsing through established blogs, trying to get in touch with other bloggers and struggling to improve with each new post. It is a never-ending journey – and much underestimated by others who are not in the business! But I do not want to complain, I absolutely love blogging. I am still in my early stages and many things need to become better. In case you have tips for me, do not hesitate to share them.

Myself at Mandapa Hotel, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, in Ubud/Bali

2016 in review

When reviewing my posts, the goal to make reports of all my trips was reached. I also succeeded in doing reports of most restaurants visited in my home area. However, when it comes to detailed hotels reviews of the past years, there is still a long way to go. I worked off two years of hotel stays, but two other years are still waiting to be dealt with. In the light of this situation I had to drop my plan to make reviews in details of all the restaurants visited during my trips in 2016, it simply would have been too much work. But I have strong intentions of making it true in 2017!

Unfortunately no review of the fantastic restaurant The Kitchen of Bacchanalia in Singapore

As far as my blog as a whole is concerned, there is still a lot to be done, be it on the technical side, but also content-wise. I cannot change the fact that it is a blogspot blog, with all its limitations, But I try to make the best out of it. What I can change, is everything in the context of writing. I must make sure that I produce quality content that is appealing. Other important tasks involve enhancements regarding promoting my blog on social media and networking with other bloggers. Here again, I would be more than happy about tips from more experienced bloggers!

Following travel destinations were on my agenda in 2016. It started with ski vacations in Zuers in the Austrian Alps, a short trip to Lisbon in South Europe and ten days in eastern USA (NYC, NOLA and Florida). Then there was a week on the Costa Brava in Northern Spain including Barcelona as well as two other short trips in the German-speaking part of Europe (Davos and Vienna). Later on, a 16-day stay in South Asia (Singapore, Bali & Lombok) was on the agenda, followed by a little less than a week in the Middle East in Muscat/Oman. And finally to finish this year, there were some days in Davos for skiing.

NYC, always a fave of mine (here Meatpacking District)!

One of the highlights of my travels in 2016 was the trip to the Costa Brava in Spain in South Europe. I was prejudiced because of its reputation as a destination for mass tourism, but I was proved wrong. It is an absolutely wonderful area with probably the most stunning scenery of cliffs and sea views I have ever seen!

Not all my travels for 2017 are already fixed of course, but three of them are booked. First of all, it is about the tenth stay (A record for me!) in Zuers/Austria for skiing vacations at the gorgeous Zuerserhof. There will be a second visit (after 2015) to the beautiful city of Hong Kong, this time with my husband and our adult son. And already fixed is my first trip to South America too. This is about a round trip in Ecuador followed by a Galapagos expedition cruise (My first cruise!) aboard Silver Galapagos. There is even a travel plan for 2018: a four-week journey to Australia, New Zealand and maybe to the South Sea. Recommendations for these destinations are very welcome!

Sun terrace of Zuerserhof, Zuers/Austria