Here to stay

Bobbie Hoogendijk, Alphen aan den Rijn – St. Anton am Arlberg &

Henderson, Isle of Wight – St. Anton am Arlberg

“Follow your dreams and make them happen!”. In Tyrolean: „Nit nur tramen, sondern a was dafür tuan.“ Bobbie Hoogendijk (born 1994 in Alphen aan den Rijn between Amsterdam and Rotterdam) and George Henderson (born 1993 in Colchester and raised on the Isle of Wight in England) live by their own motto: together, they found a dream job and their second home in St. Anton am Arlberg. They have since got engaged and carved out a life for themselves here. When they met a few years ago, they were both working as ski instructors at Arlberg ski school and began to plan their future together: "We love the mountains and nature, we’re not made for an office job!" For George, it was clear right from his first year in St. Anton in 2012 that this place would always be a part of his life. Bobbie, who had already come to the Arlberg regularly with her parents to ski as a child, could also imagine living here all year round. However, they had no work prospects for the summer seasons. George worked a few summers in Australia as a ski instructor, but this was not a lasting solution. 

Fantasy and adventure as a foundation

They decided to focus on their personal preferences and skills away from the slopes: George comes from a computer technology background, while Bobbie worked in hotel management for several years. Both have great powers of imagination and enjoy exciting adventures, which led to them setting up their own Escape Room in St. Anton am Arlberg. Their original ideas and well-thought-out concept have met with great approval, "Arlberg Escapes extern" is proving to be very successful. 

Bobbie and George are enthusiastic gamers themselves, but they also enjoy discovering the world outside their Escape Room. Both enjoy the change between the turbulent winter and the quieter summer season, when they explore the area on hikes and bikes. George sometimes misses the diversity of a big city and both find it a shame that their families are so far away. "But they visit regularly and, given the high quality of life, understand why we chose this wonderful place!"

Steve Brooks, Chatham, South East England – Pettneu

Steve Brooks (born 1970 in Chatham) has also made the Arlberg his home. The experienced adventurer has battled his way through the deepest gorges and wild jungles in a kayak and navigated wild rivers in over 15 countries on five continents. His expeditions have been so successful that he was named "Adventurer of the Year" by "Canoe & Kayak UK" magazine a few years ago. He came to Tyrol, however, as a top athlete competing in an entirely different discipline: he took part in the cross-country skiing and biathlon championships in Galtür in 1988, as a soldier in the British Army. Ten years later he returned to work as a kayak guide and instructor in Landeck. In 1998 he met Ute Heppke, who was born in St. Christoph, and in 2009 they married and built their house in Pettneu.

Ute shares Steve's passion for nature and adventure and worked as a ski and snowboard instructor on the Arlberg for 21 years, before setting up her own business as a ski guide. She also trained as a kayak instructor and guide and, like Steve, is now a kayak instructor at "Kayak School Arlberg". She has also navigated difficult routes in the Indian Himalayas, including a first ascent of the Lower Uhl in Himachal Pradesh.

“Ski slopes and rivers, a gift”

Ute and Steve also have their own motto: “We only have one life, we have to enjoy it!“ The Arlberg is just the right place for them to accomplish just that, and they enjoy returning to their home base after worldwide tours: "It's a gift to have such a great ski area and so many rivers close by. The Rosanna River is more technically challenging and has uninterrupted white water, the Lech River from Steeg is more leisurely, Sanna River is a unique waterway for advanced kayakers and you can find big waves and churning white water on the River Inn." Ute is deeply rooted in her Tyrolean homeland and could not entertain the idea of following Steve back to England. "I would miss the mountains and rivers too much!" Fortunately, Steve is very happy to stay in the Arlberg, although when he visits his parents in England, he always comes back with a little flavour from home: a spread called Marmite, English mustard and tea.