English – turnagain blog

turnagain Januar 23, 2017

Stockholm in winter, Part 2

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The day kicks off early with a lost Olympic final in ice hockey and if this sudden death after overtime wasn´t pain enough, the next blow follows immediately. Without warning, I slip on the glassy cobblestones of Riddarholmen and can be happy that my fall was completely unobserved. But maybe I should check on YouTube later?! The -11 degrees stun on the spot and I drag myself to the beautiful vantage point, the Evert Taubes Terrass, where the panoramic view extends from Södermalm to the striking Stadshuset.

turnagain Januar 22, 2017

Stockholm in winter

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You are in Sweden, when the singing national monument ABBA welcomes you at the airport with an original performance of Fernando. It is already night in Stockholm and a clear starry sky watches over the snow-covered streets of Gamla Stan, the old town and nucleus that lies like a mini-island between the north of Norrmalm and the hip Södermalm.

turnagain Januar 21, 2017

Skiing in Aspen, Colorado

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The climate change has now taken even the snow-spoiled city of Aspen in its lukewarm headlock. The high plateau of a stately 2,600 meters is wetted only with a slight layer of sugar and the four magnificent ski resorts Snowmass, Buttermilk, Highlands and Aspen Mountain have melted down to half.

turnagain Januar 20, 2017

Sonnenalp Hotel, Vail Colorado

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Vail or Aspen? Not an easy question, as both resorts belong to the Champions League of the Alpine circus and were the venue for numerous World Ski Championships, like Vail in 2015. The photograph of star guest Felix Neureuther still adorns the ancestral gallery in the Sonnenalp Hotel which belongs to the German Faessler family for 5 generations.

turnagain Dezember 28, 2016

The Omnia, Switzerland

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The E-car drives silently through the narrow streets of the Christmas decorated Zermatt, before it disappears without warning in an underground bat cave. The driver opens the passenger door without a word, takes discreetly care of the luggage and already picks up the lift. „You are expected“. Not more, not less. Barely noticeable, we glide upwards, below us now only the colorful lights of the 1,610-meter-high Matterhorn village.

turnagain Dezember 21, 2016

ZanziResort, Zanzibar

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„Due to the bad weather conditions, we´re unable to take all your luggage with us. It will come with a later machine“. So far, the narrow-lined announcement by a staff member of Precision Air in the quite dilapidated departure area of the airport of Arusha.
With a somewhat queasy feeling I climb into the propeller machine, reckon with the worst, but land quite gently in a paradise with the magic name Zanzibar.

turnagain Dezember 20, 2016

Serengeti, Tanzania

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I am sitting in a camp in Africa, at the foot of the Rongai Hills, my gaze wandering across the wide plain of the Serengeti, the original score of John Barry is running in the background, and I review the last four days.
The first day begins with a panic cry and I know immediately, either my wife has burned on the trickle of shower or we have a visit from the terrarium.

turnagain Dezember 19, 2016

Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, Manchame Route, Part 2

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In retrospect, the third day was the most critical of the Kilimanjaro hike. First indications of altitude sickness, which can be noticed by piercing headaches, the eternal search for clothes and equipment in the tent, the lack of hygiene and the fine lava dust, which is like a layer over everything, makes me doubt the project. My face feels as if Apollo Creed had beaten it a whole night so it was hard for me to insert my contact lenses.

turnagain Dezember 18, 2016

Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, Machame Route, Part 1

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„You have to get out of your comfort zone, if you want to experience the perfect moment“. I have the words of entrepreneur Jochen Schweizer, whom I met shortly before in Munich, still well in mind, as our mountain guide Paul inspected all my equipment in our little hotel room in Arusha.

turnagain Dezember 17, 2016

Cinque Torri, South Tyrol

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I can hardly believe my luck while I look out of the window. It is the 3^rd of September and the majestic Dolomite peaks are covered with tons of snow and already give a taste for the approaching winter season. Thank goodness, the pass road to the Falzarego is easy to drive, otherwise all summer tire fanatics would have gotten bad problems, because the snowfall has even overcooked the fir trees up here.