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Mittwoch, 15. Juli 2015
Donnerstag, 23. April 2015
FAQ Series #5: Travelling alone, why? 4 reasons why it isn't that bad
Maybe it isn't something for everybody, but I still wanted to write a post about travelling alone. I don't do it all the time, but for sure once a year. It happened many times, when I talked to People and told them that I was going to travel by myself, to get questions like "why are you going alone?", "isn't it boring?" or "aren't you scared to go by yourself?". No. For all three questions.
It feels like having a disease sometimes, when I have a conversation about lone travelling, well, get this: it's all my choice and I'm pretty Aware that nobody is going to be in my Company. So, since this is another Topic which I have to explain myself very often, I put my personal four reasons together, of why travelling alone isn't really a bad Thing.
1. Everything happens on your own Timing
It doesen't really matter if it's about sleeping until noon because you just want to or maybe, like me, just want to sit down in a Café or on your Hotel balcony, sip coffee and write. You won't ever be in any rush to do something, you won't have to wait for somebody or compromise on any decision. You can do whatever you want. Basically: let the egomaniac in yourself rise :)
2. It's all about your trip Organisation
Are you planning to visit an Exhibition, just to stroll around certain City districts or have lunch in that very good looking beachfront Restaurant? Good, go for it!
What I always do before my departure on my companyless trips is to inform myself as much as I can. I try to figure out if there are any cool Museum I want to visit, how the City is built and what quarters are worth to go at. I know I will have time to stop whenever I want to take Pictures, for example. In Addition to that, I love fancy looking coffee houses, even better if they have a view. I could sit for two hours there, sipping my latte and to People watching on a sunny day. Basically all the stuff which takes some time and could eventually bore any potential co-traveller, depending on the interest.
If you're worried about having dinner alone and you get the Feeling to have People staring at you, this is a big myth... You'll find locals that will have dinner by themselves without any issue, so you're not a weirdo by doing that. If you feel uncomfortable, you might should do some take Outs first, or simply avoid the date Restaurants ;)
Another great concept is the single Restaurant in Amsterdam called Eenmaal: you'll find only table for one and it's defined as "an attractive place for temporarly disconnection". It was so successful that a second Restaurant has opened in London already. And you never know... It doesen't exactly mean you won't start any conversation there ;)
3. Alone is not equal alone
Departing by yourself won't necessary mean that you will shut up all the time and don't talk for a week. If you're not into the 5*+ Resort Kind of Thing (which is nice, absolutely...), you will meet a lot of interesting People by living in a shared Apartment or in a hostel for example. This will make your stay lovely: you can follow your plans during the day but will have a beer Buddy or two when you'll chill at home. This is a precious advice, because you can get great tips about what else to see in the City you're at that you didn't really know before. Local tips are always amazing!
Or maybe you're visiting a friend who's working during the day. Same here: you'll have plenty of time and you can catch up later on for dinner and Chat about your day.
4. Make a step out your comfort Zone
As you might have readen in my "About" section, I am convinced that travelling is one of the biggest mind openers you can have. Even better if you're travelling alone. You'll might be forced to get out of your comfort Zone and talk to strangers, if you're shy this is going to be a challenge which will help you out for your future everyday life (nobody's gonna bite).
If you're travelling in a total different continent you can take Advantage of the cultural difference and learn new things. I had a lot of interesting conversations during my travels and I always figured things out that I wouldn't have found in any lonely planet guide.
I hope this inspired you a Little to pack your bag and go for a journey by yourself. It doesen't have to be Long. Try for the length of a Weekend for the first time: you'll figure out fast if it fits for you or not.
Happy Travels <3
It feels like having a disease sometimes, when I have a conversation about lone travelling, well, get this: it's all my choice and I'm pretty Aware that nobody is going to be in my Company. So, since this is another Topic which I have to explain myself very often, I put my personal four reasons together, of why travelling alone isn't really a bad Thing.
1. Everything happens on your own Timing
It doesen't really matter if it's about sleeping until noon because you just want to or maybe, like me, just want to sit down in a Café or on your Hotel balcony, sip coffee and write. You won't ever be in any rush to do something, you won't have to wait for somebody or compromise on any decision. You can do whatever you want. Basically: let the egomaniac in yourself rise :)
2. It's all about your trip Organisation
Are you planning to visit an Exhibition, just to stroll around certain City districts or have lunch in that very good looking beachfront Restaurant? Good, go for it!
What I always do before my departure on my companyless trips is to inform myself as much as I can. I try to figure out if there are any cool Museum I want to visit, how the City is built and what quarters are worth to go at. I know I will have time to stop whenever I want to take Pictures, for example. In Addition to that, I love fancy looking coffee houses, even better if they have a view. I could sit for two hours there, sipping my latte and to People watching on a sunny day. Basically all the stuff which takes some time and could eventually bore any potential co-traveller, depending on the interest.
If you're worried about having dinner alone and you get the Feeling to have People staring at you, this is a big myth... You'll find locals that will have dinner by themselves without any issue, so you're not a weirdo by doing that. If you feel uncomfortable, you might should do some take Outs first, or simply avoid the date Restaurants ;)
Another great concept is the single Restaurant in Amsterdam called Eenmaal: you'll find only table for one and it's defined as "an attractive place for temporarly disconnection". It was so successful that a second Restaurant has opened in London already. And you never know... It doesen't exactly mean you won't start any conversation there ;)
3. Alone is not equal alone
Departing by yourself won't necessary mean that you will shut up all the time and don't talk for a week. If you're not into the 5*+ Resort Kind of Thing (which is nice, absolutely...), you will meet a lot of interesting People by living in a shared Apartment or in a hostel for example. This will make your stay lovely: you can follow your plans during the day but will have a beer Buddy or two when you'll chill at home. This is a precious advice, because you can get great tips about what else to see in the City you're at that you didn't really know before. Local tips are always amazing!
Or maybe you're visiting a friend who's working during the day. Same here: you'll have plenty of time and you can catch up later on for dinner and Chat about your day.
4. Make a step out your comfort Zone
As you might have readen in my "About" section, I am convinced that travelling is one of the biggest mind openers you can have. Even better if you're travelling alone. You'll might be forced to get out of your comfort Zone and talk to strangers, if you're shy this is going to be a challenge which will help you out for your future everyday life (nobody's gonna bite).
If you're travelling in a total different continent you can take Advantage of the cultural difference and learn new things. I had a lot of interesting conversations during my travels and I always figured things out that I wouldn't have found in any lonely planet guide.
 |
| Photo shot in Venice Beach, California |
I hope this inspired you a Little to pack your bag and go for a journey by yourself. It doesen't have to be Long. Try for the length of a Weekend for the first time: you'll figure out fast if it fits for you or not.
Happy Travels <3
Mittwoch, 22. April 2015
FAQ Series #4: How do you fight post travelling depression?
Alright, if anyone of my friends is reading this post right now, they're might be lying on the floor laughing their butts off, because I'm usually the last person you should ask this question. I'm always sad to leave beautiful places, who isn't? But as the long time traveller as I am, I learn more myself after every trip and I suppose I can start giving some advice about how to fight your post travelling depression. Let's give it a try ;)
1. Don't stress yourself out
Y es, we all work. And you probably gonna start your job again after a day or two you're back home. It's normal. Don't start to stress your mind out by checking all your E-Mails as soon as the plane touches the ground, or thinking about what's on your bucket list on your office table. That's not how it works. Don't throw yourself into everything immediately... Maybe start your first day by having a coffee with your co-workers and see what the priorities are. Try to keep the holiday vibes as long as you can. It's a great relaxed Feeling that should last. :)
2. Share your adventures
Meet your friends and your Family. You could maybe organize a Little home Party and make a Diashow of the photos you shot during your trip. Tell them your stories, your best of while being on the road, make them laugh with the incredibly funny things you've experienced. You'll have a laugh with them for sure , and this brightens the mood up.
3. Build new things into your Routine
There we go, this is the most scary Topic. Even for me, that's what gives me shiver down my spine when I think about it: going back to the usual Routine. You are able to actually change it a bit and make it more exciting! I love to build things into my everyday life I've learned while I was travelling. This can include very simple things, like cooking dishes you discovered during your vacation and didn't know the existence about. Or, you tried a bunch of different types of sports and you might liked one of them. So why don't look for it back home? Ok, if you tried Surfing and you live in a place with no beach, you should find an alternative ;)
4. Float into memories
I obviously like to write, it helps me a lot to get over the Holiday blues, I can get over it. Get through your past days as a traveller by organizing your photos, by reading your diaries or just finding a place in your livingroom for your souvenirs. It's nice to make your own resumee, I'm sure you will get a lot of positivity from it.
5. Make new plans
Yeah, absolutely. You maybe have something in mind already, right? An idea, a place you always wanted to visit, or you have some friends abroad. Planning your next trip will keep your mind focused on the good parts coming and since you'll have a great upcoming roadtrip, a weekend, or even just a single day in a different city to look forward to.
1. Don't stress yourself out
Y es, we all work. And you probably gonna start your job again after a day or two you're back home. It's normal. Don't start to stress your mind out by checking all your E-Mails as soon as the plane touches the ground, or thinking about what's on your bucket list on your office table. That's not how it works. Don't throw yourself into everything immediately... Maybe start your first day by having a coffee with your co-workers and see what the priorities are. Try to keep the holiday vibes as long as you can. It's a great relaxed Feeling that should last. :)
2. Share your adventures
Meet your friends and your Family. You could maybe organize a Little home Party and make a Diashow of the photos you shot during your trip. Tell them your stories, your best of while being on the road, make them laugh with the incredibly funny things you've experienced. You'll have a laugh with them for sure , and this brightens the mood up.
3. Build new things into your Routine
There we go, this is the most scary Topic. Even for me, that's what gives me shiver down my spine when I think about it: going back to the usual Routine. You are able to actually change it a bit and make it more exciting! I love to build things into my everyday life I've learned while I was travelling. This can include very simple things, like cooking dishes you discovered during your vacation and didn't know the existence about. Or, you tried a bunch of different types of sports and you might liked one of them. So why don't look for it back home? Ok, if you tried Surfing and you live in a place with no beach, you should find an alternative ;)
4. Float into memories
I obviously like to write, it helps me a lot to get over the Holiday blues, I can get over it. Get through your past days as a traveller by organizing your photos, by reading your diaries or just finding a place in your livingroom for your souvenirs. It's nice to make your own resumee, I'm sure you will get a lot of positivity from it.
5. Make new plans
Yeah, absolutely. You maybe have something in mind already, right? An idea, a place you always wanted to visit, or you have some friends abroad. Planning your next trip will keep your mind focused on the good parts coming and since you'll have a great upcoming roadtrip, a weekend, or even just a single day in a different city to look forward to.
 |
| Photo shot in Brisbane, Australia |
I hope this helped you a Little bit out :) Some days it's harder than others, but hey, you're not alone with this for sure!</
Sonntag, 19. April 2015
Zermatt Unplugged 2015: sing, sing, sing.
After last weekend, where I spent my time at one of the most acclaimed electronic music festivals - the Caprices - of Switzerland - the Caprices - , I'm finding myself again travelling back home from another mountain destination, Zermatt. Reason for that was the closing weekend of the Zermatt Unplugged, a little quieter festival this time, with a big focus on acoustic acts, where well established musicians are the main attraction, and new talented artists have a platform to play in a very international environment.
The festival is held in Zermatt, probably one of the most famous mountain townships of Switzerland, and it runs for a whole week. Despite the locations in Zermatt's center, there are several concerts that are played where the snow never melts, like the G hütte, where Jazz superstars from London gave their best every day at lunchtime or the stage at , a space dedicated to the new talents.
I had the pleasure to discover some great talents during the past two days, which I really hope to hear live again soon. After arriving in Zermatt late in the afternoon, we had bite in the centre and headed to one of the late night gigs of the evening. The young german/french band Yalta Club convinced a packed the Pink, that their happy folk can dust away every kind of sadness. Or, Swiss songwriter Tobias Carshey's set outside right next to the Matterhorn Museum was pure magic.
Where's the beach?
Personally, one of the greatest discoveries for me was a band founded in France called Sunset Sons. They started playing in the local surf bars there until they were discovered, started touring and made us very, very, happy with their latest EP "The Fall Line", released this March. The British/Australian quartet offers songs that vaguely remind to Kings of Leons sometimes (this could also might be because of the voice of lead singer Rory), but with lighter melodies, that actually made me wanna catch the ocean breeze again (yeah, I'm still suffering from holiday blues...sorry :p) and the refrains are made to stuck into everybodys head. They're hard to forget. Please. Come back. Soon!
Sing
Main act of the festival's last day was Travis. The well known scottish band, who is currently recording their 8th studio album, played into the total sold out main tent. Their acoustic set was very enjoyable, there were some unexpected moments here and there, like picking the wrong guitar for a song, but lead singer Fran Healy could make the audience laugh by playing with the fact that the band isn't much used to do live gigs while being in the recording process. They surprisingly started with their massive hit "Sing", which I was more expecting as an encore, and smoothly continued their set until they ended playing another unforgettable hit, "Why Does it always Rain on Me?". Even it's been a while since the release of "Sing", they are still very influencial and an evergreen. Plus: if Travis wouldn't have made music, a great artist like Amy Macdonald wouldn't have been inspired to learn to play guitar and composing worldwide selling albums.
"Did you really pay to see me?"
Shocked about his own sold out at the Vernissage was british songwriter Billy Lockett. After supporting Birdy's and Nina Nesbitt's tour, I can imagine that it could be a weird feeling to see people coming for your music, and not for somebody else's. Billy Lockett became famous through his Cellar Sessions on Youtube, before touring around with the ladies. He tells amazing stories and has strong lyrics, like the ones in "Pathways", dedicated to record labels. Another thing I totally appreciated about his 1-hour set was his cover of "Budapest". I love when an artist is also experimental with the songs of others, because they can get a total new sound. Billy was very open to the public, which really enjoyed the show, and was also avalaible for a chat and some photos. His EP is already out for purchase, but we obviously hope to be able to download a full album soon.
Practical Infos
How to get here: Zermatt is reachable by train from Zurich Mainstation in approximately 3:30 hours. Please keep in mind that Zermatt is a carfree town, so I wouldn't reccomend to get there with a vehicle. You can buy your Train tickets here.
Where to sleep: Zermatt has plenty of Hotels for every taste and budget. You'll find the best offers over hotels.com
Zermatt Unplugged: Takes place every year in April. The festival's line up, and so the tickets, are released very soon, mostly in December of the year before. The main acts are sold out very quickly, especially when the concerts are played in smaller venues. More information about Zermatt Unplugged and the ticket purchase is avalaible here.
Where to eat: There are plenty of places to have a good bite in Zermatt. For the young and the lovers of simple things, Sparky's Bar is your choice. The restaurant is located into the Matterhorn Hostel and offers a small choice of food for a reasonable price. A Reservation is reccomended, due the small size of the Restaurant.
The Cuckoo Club is a high end live music and cigar lounge at night, and offers a great choice of breakfast until 2PM duringt the day. To relieve my holiday blues I chose the classic egg benedict, just because they smell like breakfast in Hawaii for me :)
If you like views and want to enjoy some Swiss cuisine, you totally should sit on Hotel Alpenrose's terrace. Their Menue doesen't leave any wish open: Spätzli, Röst, Cheese Fondue, Raclette, Table Grill and various salads are avalaible. The biggest plus: the sun shining bright on your plate and a great panorama, Matterhorn included.
The festival is held in Zermatt, probably one of the most famous mountain townships of Switzerland, and it runs for a whole week. Despite the locations in Zermatt's center, there are several concerts that are played where the snow never melts, like the G hütte, where Jazz superstars from London gave their best every day at lunchtime or the stage at , a space dedicated to the new talents.
I had the pleasure to discover some great talents during the past two days, which I really hope to hear live again soon. After arriving in Zermatt late in the afternoon, we had bite in the centre and headed to one of the late night gigs of the evening. The young german/french band Yalta Club convinced a packed the Pink, that their happy folk can dust away every kind of sadness. Or, Swiss songwriter Tobias Carshey's set outside right next to the Matterhorn Museum was pure magic.
 |
| Tobias Carshey at the Matterhorn Museum |
Where's the beach?
Personally, one of the greatest discoveries for me was a band founded in France called Sunset Sons. They started playing in the local surf bars there until they were discovered, started touring and made us very, very, happy with their latest EP "The Fall Line", released this March. The British/Australian quartet offers songs that vaguely remind to Kings of Leons sometimes (this could also might be because of the voice of lead singer Rory), but with lighter melodies, that actually made me wanna catch the ocean breeze again (yeah, I'm still suffering from holiday blues...sorry :p) and the refrains are made to stuck into everybodys head. They're hard to forget. Please. Come back. Soon!
 |
| Sunset Sons at Foyerzelt |
 |
| Me, my friend Paulo and lead singer Rory |
Sing
Main act of the festival's last day was Travis. The well known scottish band, who is currently recording their 8th studio album, played into the total sold out main tent. Their acoustic set was very enjoyable, there were some unexpected moments here and there, like picking the wrong guitar for a song, but lead singer Fran Healy could make the audience laugh by playing with the fact that the band isn't much used to do live gigs while being in the recording process. They surprisingly started with their massive hit "Sing", which I was more expecting as an encore, and smoothly continued their set until they ended playing another unforgettable hit, "Why Does it always Rain on Me?". Even it's been a while since the release of "Sing", they are still very influencial and an evergreen. Plus: if Travis wouldn't have made music, a great artist like Amy Macdonald wouldn't have been inspired to learn to play guitar and composing worldwide selling albums.
 |
| Travis in the Main Tent (photo: Zermatt Unplugged) |
"Did you really pay to see me?"
Shocked about his own sold out at the Vernissage was british songwriter Billy Lockett. After supporting Birdy's and Nina Nesbitt's tour, I can imagine that it could be a weird feeling to see people coming for your music, and not for somebody else's. Billy Lockett became famous through his Cellar Sessions on Youtube, before touring around with the ladies. He tells amazing stories and has strong lyrics, like the ones in "Pathways", dedicated to record labels. Another thing I totally appreciated about his 1-hour set was his cover of "Budapest". I love when an artist is also experimental with the songs of others, because they can get a total new sound. Billy was very open to the public, which really enjoyed the show, and was also avalaible for a chat and some photos. His EP is already out for purchase, but we obviously hope to be able to download a full album soon.
 |
| The sold out Location Vernissage (photo: Zermatt Unplugged) |
 |
| Billy Lockett (photo: Zermatt Unplugged) |
Practical Infos
How to get here: Zermatt is reachable by train from Zurich Mainstation in approximately 3:30 hours. Please keep in mind that Zermatt is a carfree town, so I wouldn't reccomend to get there with a vehicle. You can buy your Train tickets here.
Where to sleep: Zermatt has plenty of Hotels for every taste and budget. You'll find the best offers over hotels.com
Zermatt Unplugged: Takes place every year in April. The festival's line up, and so the tickets, are released very soon, mostly in December of the year before. The main acts are sold out very quickly, especially when the concerts are played in smaller venues. More information about Zermatt Unplugged and the ticket purchase is avalaible here.
Where to eat: There are plenty of places to have a good bite in Zermatt. For the young and the lovers of simple things, Sparky's Bar is your choice. The restaurant is located into the Matterhorn Hostel and offers a small choice of food for a reasonable price. A Reservation is reccomended, due the small size of the Restaurant.
The Cuckoo Club is a high end live music and cigar lounge at night, and offers a great choice of breakfast until 2PM duringt the day. To relieve my holiday blues I chose the classic egg benedict, just because they smell like breakfast in Hawaii for me :)
If you like views and want to enjoy some Swiss cuisine, you totally should sit on Hotel Alpenrose's terrace. Their Menue doesen't leave any wish open: Spätzli, Röst, Cheese Fondue, Raclette, Table Grill and various salads are avalaible. The biggest plus: the sun shining bright on your plate and a great panorama, Matterhorn included.
A Special thank you to Zermatt Unplugged for having me
Montag, 13. April 2015
Caprices Festival 2015: When a Bass Melts the Snow
I had pretty much some quietness when it comes to party feeling and my love for electronic music, another reason for me to forget my post travelling depression and head to the Swiss Alps and attend the Caprices Festival in Crans-Montana.
Caprices belongs to the legendary events when it comes to music here in Switzerland: it has reached its 11th edition already, and it combines finely bands and live DJs. This festival collected a proud list of headliners in the past few years, including names like Paolo Nutini, Deep Purple, Erykah Badu, Amy Macdonald, Carl Cox, Stromae or Martin Solveig.
The big surprise of this year's event was a line up filled with mostly electronic acts, despite the opening night that had urban and soulful acts like Swiss Rapper Stress or Ayo. I headed up on Friday afternoon, to fully enjoy the basses pumping in the different locations, especially the ones in the main hall Le Moon and some midday intros at Bar7. As you can assume already, the festival is held in different location, and not really in walking distance from each other. We had our problems by getting the shuttles, but overall came around pretty well and enjoyed some sweet spots in town.
Caprices is divided into 4 locations, all different from each other: and I can assure you, every of these places will leave you some great memories.
MDRNTY
MDRNTY was a total sold out, like most of the time. Held where there's still snow in spring and the sporty, winter charme is still palpable, it has always the finest acts playing during daytime from 12 to 7. If you'll ever plan to get here and have an unforgettable dance in a transparent tent, then be quick by buying your tickets! The line up this year was to die for (Luciano, Ricardo Villlalobos, Art Department, Apollonia, Christian Burkhardt, Sven Väth), and I don't think you'll ever experience another place while you enjoy the best deep house tunes by looking at a breathtaking panorama. This is the sky high point of the festival, and the view is unbeatable, isn't it?
Bar7
Bar7 offers a free first class DJing line up for those who are waiting to get up the hill for MDRNTY, for those who can't get enough after, and maybe for the ones who didn't get the chance to grab a ticket. This place is conveniently located at MDRNTY's feet. Artists like Chic Miniature, Magda and Gianni Callipari offered the finest tunes to start the day, where you can enjoy a typical cheese fondue or simply try one of the fine wines. Shows start at 12 until midnight.
Espace Valais
More quiet, family friendly, and for cuisine lovers, the Espace Valais sets on local bands during daytime since last year. A good spot located quite in the middle of town, perfect to esplore this wonderful place and all the charme it has to offer.
Le Moon
Le Moon is the bigger, louder version of daytime MDRNTY, and I was looking so forward to this! I had the honour to enjoy amazing visuals, while listening to great artists like Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Solomun, Digitalism and Dubfire, who had the most aesthethic stage of all, in my opinion. The guests were all laid back and enjoying a great party, the venue also offered some spots hosted by H&M Switzerland where everybody could try their DJ skills, get some professional photographs or simply have a spectacular view from the lounge over the stage.
Getting here: Crans-Montana is located around 3 hours away by train from Zurich Main Station. Purchasing your ticket online can have its benefits because of some great deals from time to time. You can book your tickets here.
Where to sleep: because everything happened quite spontaneous, and the over-planner in me was almost crying, we had to book two different hotels, due the total sell out of part of the festival. I would reccomend the Hotel Le Mont-Paisible locationwise: it's on walking distance from Bar7/MDRNTY and not far away from Le Moon.
The Festival: Try to keep an eye on the ticket releases, especially if you wanna enjoy more venues! You'll find all the information on the Caprices Website.
Where to eat: When you might have enough of festival food, you might should try the restaurant Panorama, which was also my second hotel. Located in Mollens, a small village near Crans-Montana, the restaurant offers amazing views, great service and delicious food.
Caprices belongs to the legendary events when it comes to music here in Switzerland: it has reached its 11th edition already, and it combines finely bands and live DJs. This festival collected a proud list of headliners in the past few years, including names like Paolo Nutini, Deep Purple, Erykah Badu, Amy Macdonald, Carl Cox, Stromae or Martin Solveig.
 |
| Photo: caprices.ch |
The big surprise of this year's event was a line up filled with mostly electronic acts, despite the opening night that had urban and soulful acts like Swiss Rapper Stress or Ayo. I headed up on Friday afternoon, to fully enjoy the basses pumping in the different locations, especially the ones in the main hall Le Moon and some midday intros at Bar7. As you can assume already, the festival is held in different location, and not really in walking distance from each other. We had our problems by getting the shuttles, but overall came around pretty well and enjoyed some sweet spots in town.
Caprices is divided into 4 locations, all different from each other: and I can assure you, every of these places will leave you some great memories.
MDRNTY
MDRNTY was a total sold out, like most of the time. Held where there's still snow in spring and the sporty, winter charme is still palpable, it has always the finest acts playing during daytime from 12 to 7. If you'll ever plan to get here and have an unforgettable dance in a transparent tent, then be quick by buying your tickets! The line up this year was to die for (Luciano, Ricardo Villlalobos, Art Department, Apollonia, Christian Burkhardt, Sven Väth), and I don't think you'll ever experience another place while you enjoy the best deep house tunes by looking at a breathtaking panorama. This is the sky high point of the festival, and the view is unbeatable, isn't it?
 |
| MDRNTY - Photo: caprices.ch |
Bar7
Bar7 offers a free first class DJing line up for those who are waiting to get up the hill for MDRNTY, for those who can't get enough after, and maybe for the ones who didn't get the chance to grab a ticket. This place is conveniently located at MDRNTY's feet. Artists like Chic Miniature, Magda and Gianni Callipari offered the finest tunes to start the day, where you can enjoy a typical cheese fondue or simply try one of the fine wines. Shows start at 12 until midnight.
Espace Valais
More quiet, family friendly, and for cuisine lovers, the Espace Valais sets on local bands during daytime since last year. A good spot located quite in the middle of town, perfect to esplore this wonderful place and all the charme it has to offer.
 |
| Fondue! |
Le Moon
Le Moon is the bigger, louder version of daytime MDRNTY, and I was looking so forward to this! I had the honour to enjoy amazing visuals, while listening to great artists like Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Solomun, Digitalism and Dubfire, who had the most aesthethic stage of all, in my opinion. The guests were all laid back and enjoying a great party, the venue also offered some spots hosted by H&M Switzerland where everybody could try their DJ skills, get some professional photographs or simply have a spectacular view from the lounge over the stage.
 |
| Le Moon, Entrance - Photo: caprices.ch |
 |
| Kollektiv Turmstrasse |
 |
| Digitalism |
 |
| Dubfire |
Practical Infos
Getting here: Crans-Montana is located around 3 hours away by train from Zurich Main Station. Purchasing your ticket online can have its benefits because of some great deals from time to time. You can book your tickets here.
Where to sleep: because everything happened quite spontaneous, and the over-planner in me was almost crying, we had to book two different hotels, due the total sell out of part of the festival. I would reccomend the Hotel Le Mont-Paisible locationwise: it's on walking distance from Bar7/MDRNTY and not far away from Le Moon.
The Festival: Try to keep an eye on the ticket releases, especially if you wanna enjoy more venues! You'll find all the information on the Caprices Website.
Where to eat: When you might have enough of festival food, you might should try the restaurant Panorama, which was also my second hotel. Located in Mollens, a small village near Crans-Montana, the restaurant offers amazing views, great service and delicious food.
A special thank you to the Caprices Festival for having me, and to my friend Paulo for his photo/videographic assistance
Dienstag, 31. März 2015
I'm out of here #12: Gili Trawangan - Between Mindblows and your Inner Peace
I still have loads about Australia to tell you guys, but I'm Feeling more inspired to inform you about the places I am visiting now in Indonesia. I'll save some Posts for the cold and rainy days back home, before I'll head to my next destinations in Europe. Fortunately, I still have interesting stuff coming up, so I might won't be that affected from post travelling Depression :)
One of the things you absolutely should consider when visiting Indonesia, is taking a trip to the Gili Islands. These tiny pieces of paradise are located in the Lombok area, and can be reached from Bali in about 3 hours (for Details see the Infos below).
I decideed to choose Gili Trawangan for my base Destination. I've read a lot of stories about Gili T, and really wanted to figure out what is true and what is myth: the parties, the drugs, People going crazy and other madness. But I also read about how peaceful it can be. So I tried to put an ideal one week trip together, trying to set everything in chronological order ;)
"Fly me to the moon"
The Island is known as the "big City" of this trio surrounded by turquoise blue, so if you plan to do some Party, you made the right choice. Gili T attracts a younger crowd, most of them between the 20s and 30s, the ones who want to Party and have fun, which is pretty hilarious to watch at some Points of the evenings. The main street right at the Harbor is mostly populated by bars. In order to not compete with each other, you'll have one bigger Event just at one Location per night. The Parties move from bar to bar each night and are different themed depending on the day of the week.
If just alcohol doesen't satisfy your Party Lion Needs, don't worry: on a certain time at night you'll have plenty of Dealers offering "to fly you to the moon", which means, obviously, that you can buy some "Magic mushrooms".
Live Music
I don't belong to the drug Lovers, but if you consider to go out and you eventually wanna enjoy a laid back Drinks night, I'll definetly reccommend the bar Sama-Sama (which by the way means "you're welcome" in Indonesian), which has great musicians playing live every evening. I was actually very impressed to find so many talented musicians here.
You'll spend 25K for a regular Bintang Beer, 50K for a Long drink or Liquor. Ladies, please Keep always an eye on your beverages! ;)
Into the Blue
In the last three months on my travels, I discovered my love for snorkeling. This Island is perfect for it because of the clear water and the high number of turtles that aren't afraid to come very Close to the beach. The underwater world is stunning and very colorful here, it will Keep you entertained for a whole afternoon. The best snorkeling spot is located around a Restaurant called "Bamboo": from there on you'll have less People and a wonderful view on Gili Meno almost for yourself.
Cycle around and be romantic
Gili T is free from any Kind of Motor vehicles, so you have the choice of how to get around on the Island. You'll be around it in 1:30 hrs by walk or in 45 minutes by bike. The clouds from Lombok will start to come over to the Island around 3 PM, that would be the perfect time for a cycle since it's not too burning hot.
In Addition to that, if you decide to cycle around at that time, make sure to stop at Casa Vintage Cafe around 6 PM for sunset watching. It's a beautiful spot to hang in a hammock, drink a beer and order one of their huge platters for a late afternoon Snack. The sunsets are stunning and you'll go home with tons of amazing Pictures. Casa Vintage also Features a secondhand shop as well, which has a lot of great stuff in Terms to bohemian themed Fashion.
There are several cool spots around Gili T to shoot some great Pictures, like the swings into the ocean in front of the Villa Ombok Resort.
Calm Down
It's not only about the Party here, even if it seems so. If you move one street behind the Harbor, you'll hear almost no noise anymore. This is the nice Thing about this Island: it's the perfect fit for everybody, wheter you wanna Party or just relax. Since Bali is very spiritual, I joined some yoga and Meditation classes at the Yoga Place, which is only 6 months old. The Studio offers also a vegetarian Café and you can enjoy your meal with a view over Gili T's roofs. Most classes are Held in the morning or around sunset. Prices vary between 80K and 120K. The teachers are amazing and the courses are also suitable for beginners, give it a try!
Escape
If you should seriously get bored on Gili T, you still have the possibility to have a 30 minutes boat drive over to Gili Air. This Island is more rough and less noisy, but it's absolutely worth a visit. You'll walk around almost by yourself, will face some huge Spiders :) Boats depart daily around 9 AM, tickets are avalaible directly at the Harbor usually for 60K.
Practical Infos
Where to sleep: once again, we were lucky by booking through Airbnb. David, Marc and Adam's place was the perfect retreat: Close to the port, a couple of the best Restaurants in Walking distance, free bikes to use, awesome breakfast and a great familiar atmosphere. You'll get a cold Bintang at your Arrival and will get some precious informations for your stay. You can book your room here.
Where to Eat: For those who want some good fast Food, Le Petit Gili has a great selection of burgers. It's located right next to the street market, in case you'll still hungry, or if you just wanna try some street Food.
If you want to get out of your Hotel for breakfast, then you should totally try Café Kayu, located on the main street. Have fun deciding here, it's actually pretty though! The menu Features breakfast types for every taste, some yummy smoothies and (this is important!) Illy Coffee.
If you want to have it classy for one night or you're lucky enough to have a date, then I totally reccommend the beautiful Pearl Beach Lounge. This Restaurant is part of a huge Resort, your table will be directly on the beach, and the Service is impeccable. I tried their tuna tartare and the feta samosas, my friend Sandra the classic Nasi Goreng, and they were all simply delicious. <3
How to get there: the fastest way is to depart from Panang Bay. The easisest way to organise a stressful trip to Gili is to ask your Hotel or inform yourself via Google. There are a lot of Providers, but make sure you don't pay over 550K for both ways. You'll have a shuttle picking you up included in the ticket Price. Shuttle and Boat Transfer take around 3 hours.
The random stuff: Gili T should be fun for everyone. You won't really be in danger. The only tips here are the following: watch your Drinks and don't expect to find your stuff on the beach if you go for a drunken, naked swim ;)
Enjoy Paradise <3
One of the things you absolutely should consider when visiting Indonesia, is taking a trip to the Gili Islands. These tiny pieces of paradise are located in the Lombok area, and can be reached from Bali in about 3 hours (for Details see the Infos below).
I decideed to choose Gili Trawangan for my base Destination. I've read a lot of stories about Gili T, and really wanted to figure out what is true and what is myth: the parties, the drugs, People going crazy and other madness. But I also read about how peaceful it can be. So I tried to put an ideal one week trip together, trying to set everything in chronological order ;)
"Fly me to the moon"
The Island is known as the "big City" of this trio surrounded by turquoise blue, so if you plan to do some Party, you made the right choice. Gili T attracts a younger crowd, most of them between the 20s and 30s, the ones who want to Party and have fun, which is pretty hilarious to watch at some Points of the evenings. The main street right at the Harbor is mostly populated by bars. In order to not compete with each other, you'll have one bigger Event just at one Location per night. The Parties move from bar to bar each night and are different themed depending on the day of the week.
If just alcohol doesen't satisfy your Party Lion Needs, don't worry: on a certain time at night you'll have plenty of Dealers offering "to fly you to the moon", which means, obviously, that you can buy some "Magic mushrooms".
 |
| Sama-Sama Bar on the Main Street |
Live Music
I don't belong to the drug Lovers, but if you consider to go out and you eventually wanna enjoy a laid back Drinks night, I'll definetly reccommend the bar Sama-Sama (which by the way means "you're welcome" in Indonesian), which has great musicians playing live every evening. I was actually very impressed to find so many talented musicians here.
You'll spend 25K for a regular Bintang Beer, 50K for a Long drink or Liquor. Ladies, please Keep always an eye on your beverages! ;)
Into the Blue
In the last three months on my travels, I discovered my love for snorkeling. This Island is perfect for it because of the clear water and the high number of turtles that aren't afraid to come very Close to the beach. The underwater world is stunning and very colorful here, it will Keep you entertained for a whole afternoon. The best snorkeling spot is located around a Restaurant called "Bamboo": from there on you'll have less People and a wonderful view on Gili Meno almost for yourself.
Cycle around and be romantic
Gili T is free from any Kind of Motor vehicles, so you have the choice of how to get around on the Island. You'll be around it in 1:30 hrs by walk or in 45 minutes by bike. The clouds from Lombok will start to come over to the Island around 3 PM, that would be the perfect time for a cycle since it's not too burning hot.
In Addition to that, if you decide to cycle around at that time, make sure to stop at Casa Vintage Cafe around 6 PM for sunset watching. It's a beautiful spot to hang in a hammock, drink a beer and order one of their huge platters for a late afternoon Snack. The sunsets are stunning and you'll go home with tons of amazing Pictures. Casa Vintage also Features a secondhand shop as well, which has a lot of great stuff in Terms to bohemian themed Fashion.
There are several cool spots around Gili T to shoot some great Pictures, like the swings into the ocean in front of the Villa Ombok Resort.
 |
| Casa Vintage |
Calm Down
It's not only about the Party here, even if it seems so. If you move one street behind the Harbor, you'll hear almost no noise anymore. This is the nice Thing about this Island: it's the perfect fit for everybody, wheter you wanna Party or just relax. Since Bali is very spiritual, I joined some yoga and Meditation classes at the Yoga Place, which is only 6 months old. The Studio offers also a vegetarian Café and you can enjoy your meal with a view over Gili T's roofs. Most classes are Held in the morning or around sunset. Prices vary between 80K and 120K. The teachers are amazing and the courses are also suitable for beginners, give it a try!
Escape
If you should seriously get bored on Gili T, you still have the possibility to have a 30 minutes boat drive over to Gili Air. This Island is more rough and less noisy, but it's absolutely worth a visit. You'll walk around almost by yourself, will face some huge Spiders :) Boats depart daily around 9 AM, tickets are avalaible directly at the Harbor usually for 60K.
Practical Infos
Where to sleep: once again, we were lucky by booking through Airbnb. David, Marc and Adam's place was the perfect retreat: Close to the port, a couple of the best Restaurants in Walking distance, free bikes to use, awesome breakfast and a great familiar atmosphere. You'll get a cold Bintang at your Arrival and will get some precious informations for your stay. You can book your room here.
 |
| Granola, Yoghurt, Honey and Banana Pancake *.* |
Where to Eat: For those who want some good fast Food, Le Petit Gili has a great selection of burgers. It's located right next to the street market, in case you'll still hungry, or if you just wanna try some street Food.
If you want to get out of your Hotel for breakfast, then you should totally try Café Kayu, located on the main street. Have fun deciding here, it's actually pretty though! The menu Features breakfast types for every taste, some yummy smoothies and (this is important!) Illy Coffee.
 |
| The view from Kayu Café |
If you want to have it classy for one night or you're lucky enough to have a date, then I totally reccommend the beautiful Pearl Beach Lounge. This Restaurant is part of a huge Resort, your table will be directly on the beach, and the Service is impeccable. I tried their tuna tartare and the feta samosas, my friend Sandra the classic Nasi Goreng, and they were all simply delicious. <3
How to get there: the fastest way is to depart from Panang Bay. The easisest way to organise a stressful trip to Gili is to ask your Hotel or inform yourself via Google. There are a lot of Providers, but make sure you don't pay over 550K for both ways. You'll have a shuttle picking you up included in the ticket Price. Shuttle and Boat Transfer take around 3 hours.
The random stuff: Gili T should be fun for everyone. You won't really be in danger. The only tips here are the following: watch your Drinks and don't expect to find your stuff on the beach if you go for a drunken, naked swim ;)
Enjoy Paradise <3
Dienstag, 10. März 2015
I'm out of here #11: Australia - Rainbow Beach - Sand Dunes & Slow Life
Yesterday I started my trip back south, I'll be soon in Brisbane since my flight to Bali will leave from there. However, the lovely City of Brisbane doesen't have a beach nearby, so I decided to stop in between, in Rainbow Beach.
Rainbow Beach is a quiet Little village located strategically just in front of Fraser Island, so most backpackers stop here to make their daytrips, and come back for one night or two before heading again on a bus.
This place here is very small, which doesen't mean it isn't worth staying here: in fact, it has a great relaxed atmosphere, and it makes you appreciate the simple things in life again. Getting a coffee and just having a walk down the beach felt completely different somehow, the beach is nearly empty and time seems to stand still.
Besides the usual walk on the beach, there are a couple things more to discover in Rainbow Beach: yesterday evening, after the heat became a Little bit more enjoyable, I was taken by my landlord to the Carlo Sand Blow, which is located just a few steps away from town.
This huge dune is 120 km high, and overlooks the Ocean on one side and the rainforest on the other. You'll have a great view over the whole coastline here, which makes it an amazing spots for photographs, sunset watching or, as the younger crowd does, just cruising down the dunes with a bodyboard.
You'll reach the Carlo Sand Blow after a short bushwalk at the very beginning of the Great Cooloola Walk, a 5 days hike that will bring you down to Noosa, while you'll experience views over the coast and Fraser Island. As I could read at the entrance, this hike seems to be something for pros, so I wouldn't exactly start Walking around five days in the heat without knowing the essential survival tips and without having the right Equipment ;).
More Useful Tips
What to do: Besides your Fraser Island daytrip (book here) and great walks, Rainbow beach offers other activities for water Lovers, as for example Dolphin View Kajaking. Tin Can Bay is also on a 30 minutes drive away, you'll have the possibility to feed the dolphins there. I'd recccommend a stay up to five days if you wanna include Fraser, otherwise I think that three days are the perfect length for a Relaxing gateaway.
Where to Stay: I booked myself Jill's and Justin's beach shack, and it couldn't be a better idea! The Studio is lovely decorated, has an extra king size bed, and an own Little Patio outside. The landlords are very welcoming and have plenty of tips of what to do in the area. They seem to Support the local businesses here in Rainbow Beach, which in my opinion is absolutely great. You'll feel at home istantly and you'll hard want to going to leave this colorful Little gem. Plus: breakfast is included!You can book your stay here.
Food & Co.: If you'll live in a self contained Apartment you'll might be cooking on your own. However, I'd like to encourage you to try the Restaurant Arcobaleno on the beach: it's a nice italian Restaurant with italian People cooking in the back, and you'll feel the difference when you'll eat the dishes. :)
So have fun here, lay back, enjoy the breeze, and don't rush yourself...
Rainbow Beach is a quiet Little village located strategically just in front of Fraser Island, so most backpackers stop here to make their daytrips, and come back for one night or two before heading again on a bus.
This place here is very small, which doesen't mean it isn't worth staying here: in fact, it has a great relaxed atmosphere, and it makes you appreciate the simple things in life again. Getting a coffee and just having a walk down the beach felt completely different somehow, the beach is nearly empty and time seems to stand still.
 |
| A lot of houses overlook the ocean here - jealous! |
 |
| My neighbour Fritz :) |
Besides the usual walk on the beach, there are a couple things more to discover in Rainbow Beach: yesterday evening, after the heat became a Little bit more enjoyable, I was taken by my landlord to the Carlo Sand Blow, which is located just a few steps away from town.
This huge dune is 120 km high, and overlooks the Ocean on one side and the rainforest on the other. You'll have a great view over the whole coastline here, which makes it an amazing spots for photographs, sunset watching or, as the younger crowd does, just cruising down the dunes with a bodyboard.
You'll reach the Carlo Sand Blow after a short bushwalk at the very beginning of the Great Cooloola Walk, a 5 days hike that will bring you down to Noosa, while you'll experience views over the coast and Fraser Island. As I could read at the entrance, this hike seems to be something for pros, so I wouldn't exactly start Walking around five days in the heat without knowing the essential survival tips and without having the right Equipment ;).
More Useful Tips
What to do: Besides your Fraser Island daytrip (book here) and great walks, Rainbow beach offers other activities for water Lovers, as for example Dolphin View Kajaking. Tin Can Bay is also on a 30 minutes drive away, you'll have the possibility to feed the dolphins there. I'd recccommend a stay up to five days if you wanna include Fraser, otherwise I think that three days are the perfect length for a Relaxing gateaway.
Where to Stay: I booked myself Jill's and Justin's beach shack, and it couldn't be a better idea! The Studio is lovely decorated, has an extra king size bed, and an own Little Patio outside. The landlords are very welcoming and have plenty of tips of what to do in the area. They seem to Support the local businesses here in Rainbow Beach, which in my opinion is absolutely great. You'll feel at home istantly and you'll hard want to going to leave this colorful Little gem. Plus: breakfast is included!You can book your stay here.
Food & Co.: If you'll live in a self contained Apartment you'll might be cooking on your own. However, I'd like to encourage you to try the Restaurant Arcobaleno on the beach: it's a nice italian Restaurant with italian People cooking in the back, and you'll feel the difference when you'll eat the dishes. :)
So have fun here, lay back, enjoy the breeze, and don't rush yourself...
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