Author: Danica.H.

Contemplations of a German working in the travel industry, lover of travel and (air) yoga addict. Born and raised in Germany, currently living in South Africa and sharing my journey with whoever wants to read it but mainly for my future self when I am old and forgotten most of my adventures and thoughts of the younger me.

Delightful culinary holiday experience

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This past December /January holidays I decided to stay in South Africa and show my family where I live. My aunt and uncle flew in to spend 3 weeks here and of course wanted to see and experience as much as possible. South Africa has a lot to offer. Besides a beautiful  scenery and landscape there is definitely a vast choice of excellent restaurants with creative menus and amazing wines. Knowing that my family are gourmets, I was quite surprised by their excitement about the South African restaurant landscape which they ended up calling one of the best although it didn’t really start off well.

Food in CPT

I booked Christmas lunch at the Cradle Restaurant in the Cradle of Humankind just outside Johannesburg. Having been there twice before I was never disappointed. So, I gathered friends and family and booked a table about two months in advance. The view and the location is still spectacular.. but that’s about it! The food was below average, the service was bad and a friend of mine found a caterpillar in her rocket salad.. Last but not least, the waiter gave about 100Rand change to little.. of course, out of mistake!!!

It could only get better.. and it did. Especially in Cape Town. Proof enough that Cape Town is the better place to eat out? Maybe.

First stop in Cape Town was Five Flies. Situated in a national monument the atmosphere is already worth going. The food was delicious, the wine could even impress my Spanish wine loving uncle. We ended up with a five course meal and had an evening full of laughter and fun.

The next top-notch restaurant was Aubergine, run by a German chef and located in the historical part of Gardens it was in the German media shortly before my family’s trip and therefore on their wish list. We were lucky that other guests cancelled their reservations, so we  got a last-minute call to confirm our booking. Brilliant wine pairing with delicious food was the outcome. The evening included a first for me. First time I had Abalone. Not quite sure what to think of it yet (on that note.. I actually once read a book in which they murdered for it, so maybe that was still stuck in my mind).

One of the most anticipated eat-outs was Reuben’s in Cape Town. Reuben Riffel is one of South Africa’s most liked chefs. His restaurant “Reuben'”s in Franschhoek well-known and famous for its creative cuisine. When I heard that he had just opened his first urban restaurant in the luxurious One&Only in Cape Town, I decided to book a table for uncle’s 50th birthday celebration. Situated right next to Nobu’s (world-class master chef Nobuyuki ‘Nobu’ Matsuhisa’s first African restaurant), I wasn’t sure if I made the right choice. All doubts vanished as we go there! They loved it. The interior, the menu and… the sommelier. Very knowledgable and a sales talent! He managed to sell us a more expensive chardonnay for starters then the red wine  for main. I was told before that Chardonnay tastes like butter, but I was never able to get my taste buds trained enough. I think with this one, no taste buds need to be trained… it just tastes like… well, butter. If you feel like testing or tasting: Glen Carlou, Quartz Stone. Back to the restaurant experience. It was almost keeping up to the expectations, except that they didn’t give us enough time to finish our sorbet between second and third course.. maybe something to look past, given all the other positive experiences.

Final verdict: South Africa and especially Cape Town surprises tourists by its density of great restaurants.

Beautiful Alsace

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Once again, it dawned to me that I come from a truly beautiful area.  Middle of October I spent a weekend at home. Emotionally this is where my family comes from and where I grew up. Geographically this is somewhere in the southwest of Germany, left hand side of the River Rhein and about 10 km from the French border.  The northeast corner of Franc is called the Alsace and the nearest small town across the border is called Wissenbourg.

I remember going there quite often when I was younger. Often we’d just take our bicycles and go across the border. Each time, crossing the green line and hoping not to get caught. It was fun. Immediately it was clear that you are in another country. The style of the houses gave it away. Back then, that corner of France being much poorer than the other side of the border, Wissembourg wasn’t yet such a tourist attraction as it is today.  Having been back there recently for the first time in a few years, I can only complement the city to having transformed into such a jewel.

Beautiful old houses being restored, small canals all over the city, cute little cafés along the streets. Although so close to the German border and almost everyone speaking a German dialect you can feel the French touch and lifestyle all over the city centre.

One of the most famous buildings is probably “La maison du sel” which looks like the roof will collapse while you look at it.  Since there is quite a nice gallery on the ground level I doubt it though that the collapse will take place anytime soon.

Small patisseries everywhere you look. The best tarte flambées in the region. Medieval architecture in down town.  Did I get you interested? I hope so, because it is really worth a visit.

Rishikesh – Gateway to the Himalayas

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Rishikesh is a small town in northern India. Aka as “the yoga capital of the world”. It is where the Ganges River comes down from the Himalaya. When you google Rishikesh most results will display the words “yoga” or “ashram”.  Lonely planet explains it this way: “Rishikesh is very New Age: you can learn to play the sitar or tabla on your hotel roof; try laughing yoga; practise humming or gong meditation; experience crystal healing and all styles of massage; have a go at chanting mantras; and listen to spiritually uplifting CDs as you sip Ayurvedic tea with your vegetarian meal.
But it’s not all spiritual. Rishikesh is now a popular white-water rafting centre, backpacker hang-out, and gateway to treks in the Himalaya.” Continue reading “Rishikesh – Gateway to the Himalayas” →

Reason’s why I love Jo’burg #5 – coffee shops

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Johannesburg is certainly not comparable to a New York or a London or a Paris when it comes to coffee shop culture. Not even a Cape Town.  The news is though: it is developing. The trend is to go away from indoor malls and to go outside. With this trend comes along the opening of coffee shops all around the city. Individually decorated, eclectic flair, inviting to just hang out.

I came across this article on food24 and would like to share it with you: 5 great coffee spots in Joburg

Except of Wolves in Illovo, I’ve been to all of them and can happily recommend each, with my favourite one being Hausbrandt in Melrose.

8 years and counting

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Beautiful Cape Town

Today marks the day that I landed in South Africa for the very first time, 8 years ago to be exact. Cape Town was my point of entry.. Just named the world’s best destination by Trip Advisor, it is actually no wonder that I fell in love with this city and wanted to spend the rest of my life there at some point. Although, I must admit that my arrival day was terrible and all I wanted was to go back to Europe. Summer 2004 in Germany had been fantastic so far, loads of parties, afternoons at the lake with friends, ice cream and cocktails.. and then I arrived in Cape Town and was welcomed by a typical Cape Town winter’s day: rain, fog, clouds hanging so low that even Table Mountain was invisible. On top of that, I had made the typical mistake of most foreigners visiting South Africa: you’d think it is Africa and therefore always summer.. Oh what a prejudice.. South African Winter days can be cold and very uncomfortable and so was the 1st July 2004.

I remember calling home and crying. All I wanted was to go back to Germany and back to my friends and family. At least the friend-issue was sorted just a few days later. My good friend Christian from Germany who also did his exchange semester in Cape Town arrived a few days later and things went up hill (the weather, too). Continue reading “8 years and counting” →

Stunning Switzerland

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Last year October I was writing a post about partnering with a TV lifestyle show and taking them to Croatia… To refresh your memory, here it is: https://confessionsofatraveler.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/on-my-wishlist-dubrovnik/

Some time ago another opportunity came up to promote the airline I am working for.. and this time, I didn’t let the opportunity slip through of going with! So, two weeks ago, I went on this amazing trip to Switzerland with Top Billing (the local TV lifestyle show I was talking about).

The theme of the trip was “Summer in Switzerland”. It was all about activities visitors can do in Switzerland in summertime. Switzerland better known as a skiing destination, wants to promote its sunny side to the rest of the world. I guess in some parts of the world people think that it is snowing all year round in Switzerland. Well, we saw picture perfect Heidi-landscapes, lush forests, picturesque mountain ranges (yes, with snow-capped mountains) and post card like villages. The programme was packed.. in just 3 days we visited Lucerne, took a boat trop, adventured in a robepark,  filmed how to make pralinés, learned about history, had a panoramic train ride, went up the mountains, blew the Alphorn, were taught how to make cheese fondue, stayed in one of the best hotels in Switzerland, did Paragliding, and rounded it all up with a local beer at Hooters (oh yes.. the boys…).

It was the first time that I had a view behind the scenes. It was rather interesting to see how a travel feature on TV is made.  The crew was fun, too. We laughed so much and had a great time together –  not always a given when you are forced together for 14 hours a day and longer. The presenter, who is a local celebrity was way too much fun, too. Down to earth and humble – so basically the opposite of what I expected him to be (I really feared, I’d have to deal with a male diva). It went so well, that we would like to plan more trips overseas. To promote the airline, obviously..

 

Bad Boys

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Imagine this moment: you are in your car, driving back home from an unexpected good evening.  A work function that you actually didn’t feel like going and you end up going because you feel obliged to go. Surprisingly, you meet interesting people, have good chats and learn about the latest hot spots in town from the insiders (Good to hear about the latest hot spots because since I became a couch potato I feel a bit out of touch).
So,  you drive home and you hear this song on the radio that just makes you sing along… It’s this one song that you can associate yourself with just fine. It’s this one song, you think speaks your mind and still, it makes you smile: Well, for me it’s this song:

“Yeah, the bad boys are always catching my eye. I said the bad boys are always spinning my mind. Even though I know they’re no good for me. It’s the risk I take for the chemistry.With the bad boys always catching my eye. Ooh, bad boys”

So, so, so true! And exactly why I better keep my distance to any man…because I just know that it will be … guess what: of course, the bad boy (laughing at myself at this stage and taking everything with a pinch of salt:-).

Reasons why I love Jo’burg #4 – Indian Summer

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Winter is supposed to be here…I remember clearly May’s first weekend last year. I just came back from a stunning Colombia and Prague trip and I was welcomed back by rain and the cold. No sign of winter this year around. It is actually hot hot hot.

I love summer, don’t get me wrong. But I was ready for winter already. Having already bought gorgeous winter outfits, I want to wear them!!! And soups.. I can’t wait for it to be cold enough to enjoy all the tasty Woolie’s soups.  Instead I am wearing shorts and getting sun-burned.

Am I seriously complaining? I don’t mean to because I am actually loving it. The warmth, the colours.. especially the colours. Just amazing. It reminds me so much of Europe in autumn. Colourful leaves all over Jozi – so beautiful.

South Africa – the media starlett

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I spent a lazy Friday evening on my new couch and just watched TV – I was looking forward to a nice movie on it but there was nothing on. I have also put my plan to watch The Help this long weekend on hold, after my dear friend ZKV recommended not to watch it.. when it comes to literature, she is one of the few whose judgement I fully trust.

So, I ended up on VUZU where “The Bachelor” was screening. I’m not proud of myself to admit that I actually watched it.. but it’s one of these things, although it is completely non-sense you somehow stick with it. ( The subject might even be new content for a future post.. watch the space!!!).  Now, what made me stuck with the programme was that the episode was taking place in SOUTH AFRICA. The Bachelor and his 6 (or was it 8??) girls were all flown over and did the most amazing things: Safaris, Cape Town. Continue reading “South Africa – the media starlett” →

The Help

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After having read “One Day” – the first book in ages that actually made me cry – I didn’t think another book can keep up with it in a long time… Well, wrong assumption. Last night I finished “The Help”. I didn’t cry but it touched me deeply. Maybe this is because the story that is told in the novel is not only relevant for Mississippi in the 1960s, but can easily be applied to South Africa in the 2010s, still.

Black domestic helpers are probably still the norm in white households. Raising the kids, often live-in, part of the family. Oh, and I say “black” deliberately. It might be politically incorrect across the Atlantic, but it is absolutely correct to use the term in South Africa. In fact, the up-coming South African upper class is proudly called the “Black Diamonds”. 

I didn’t grow up with a domestic. Even today, it is quite uncommon to have a domestic helper in Germany. If people do, then it it’s usually for a few hours once a week.  So, I am extremely grateful to have this luxury in South Africa. Not sure if I’ll be able to get someone when moving back to Germany.. There, I’ll probably spend my Saturdays cleaning my flat and ironing my clothes. We are truly living in luxury when we can afford someone to help us do our domestic work..

Urban Mosaic

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There are many reasons why you can easily fall in love with South Africa: amazing people, breathtaking landscapes, the best light and colours in the world (that’s why the modelling world is taking over Cape Town in season), unforgettable wildlife impressions, beautiful coastlines, delicious food and tasteful wines. That’s why tourists come to visit  South Africa and return home with the most stunning photos taken and evening filling stories to tell.

Then, there are other reasons.. reasons that you might only find out after having been here for longer and seen the prettiness behind the prettiness.  What makes South Africa special and loveable for me is the amount of  CREATIVITY and OPPORTUNITIES – or rather the opportunities to be creative. South Africa is country with a huge potential of amazingly creative people. It feels like that the country’s regime was prohibiting any sort of creative and innovative projects for such a long time, that now there is a huge backlog demand. The list is long.. from fashion designers who are entering the world stage of catwalk to community beadwork art being sold in fancy shops in Europe.

It goes further.. the buzz-word nowadays being URBANISATION , it seems to me that South Africa is creating its very own urban mosaic and I am proud to spread the word here about one particular project in which one of my oldest friends from South Africa is involved in. I think that this video describes the project pretty good.

http://www.designindaba.com/video/your-street-cape-town-winners-urban-mosaic

The Urban Mosaic project, one of the winners of the Your Street Cape Town Challenge, will be helping to prevent shack fires with a fire-retardant paint. At the same time designers Y Tsai, Porky Hefer, Ashely Stemmet and Matthew Skade aim to beautify the townships with paintings of cultural icons and symbols.

Homesick to the places I didn’t like

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When you have it you don’t appreciate it enough. It is only once that specific something is gone that you realize how much you actually miss it! I guess it also applies if you replace the “thing” in something with “one”. In my case it often happens to places, cities, and that sort of things.

It started when I lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as a teenager, I hated it!! From the bottom of my heart. I always used to compare my life to my friends’ lives back home in Germany. I was complaining that we didn’t have the freedom they had (to go out, to go to the movies and so on and on and on).  Reality was, that we had a better live there: making friends from all over the world, living in an almost year-around summer climate (coming home from school, homework and meeting friends at the pool), being able to stay out late hours because we were living in these closed off compounds and so on and so on. So, looking at it from my point of view now, all I can say is that it was one of the best times of my life and my parents did us a huge favour by moving there.

The same applies to Mannheim — the city where I went to university to. Gosh, how most of us hated it. It offers one of the best universities in Germany but that’s about it what the city has to offer. Well.. at least that’s what most of us thought back then.  Then, during my most recent trip to Germany, I made a pit stop in Mannheim. It was literally only a pit stop. I was on my way from Frankfurt to my hometown when I made a little detour and stopped in Mannheim for about 20 min. All I wanted to do was to check out that one shop that I liked so much when I used to live there. Even the parking ticket was valid for just the 20 min that I had planned to stay.

I did end up in that shop and then I ended up walking past my university. Have you had this before.. that some unknown power kind of pulls you into a direction you actually didn’t intend to go? So, I walked the same route again after years that I used to walk every day while living there. Wow! It was like a flashback.. so many memories coming back. And guess what: I realized that I spent (again) one of the best times of my life in Mannheim. We had a great student life back then.

Don’t they say: “Third time lucky”?? Well, I guess that Jozi could be seen as the third city. OMG, how I hated this place when I first moved here.. Coming from beautiful Cape Town, it was a nightmare at the beginning. But.. the older you get the wiser you become or I have just subconsciously realised not to make the same mistake a third time.. I really love Jo’burg now. It did take me about 2 years to do so but then it finally clicked. I am just glad it did so while I was still living here. It makes you enjoy the place much more.

I know though, that one day, when I’ve moved away, I will have this homesick feeling… Just like I have it when I think back of my time in Riyadh and in Mannheim..

Reasons why I love Jo’burg #3 – La Dolce Vita in Parkhurst

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Last Friday I had dinner in Parkhurst. It was quite a long time ago since I last went there – and I realized that I’ve missed it! Life in Parkhurst is different from life in Sandton. Fact. A bit more laid back, maybe. Maybe more bohemian?  Definitely livelier!

4th Ave in Parkhurst gives me the sort of street life you find in Europe. It is one of the only streets in Jozi where things are actually happening in the street. You find street cafés, restaurants with tables on the pavement, shops accessible from the street and not hidden away in a shopping centre. The perfect weekend “La-dolce-vita” getaway without getting away.

While having been there for dinner, I saw that a whole lot of new shops have opened – so my goal for this Saturday is to make it back to Parkhurst (if you know Jozi, you know it’s a bit of a schlep to drive to that side of town from where I am.. or maybe I’m just lazy) and stroll through the boutiques and interior decor shops on 4th Avenue!

Is this how you'd have imagined Jo'burg?

My favorites restaurants on 4th:

Bottega
22 4th Avenue
Parkhurst
Johannesburg
http://www.bottegacafe.co.za/

Georges on 4th
21 4th Avenue
Parkhurst
Johannesburg

48 hours in Seattle

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First Cape Town, then Beirut and now Seattle: I seem to fall in love with cities instead of falling in love with men. Well, at least they are more reliable than  most men (Won’t leave you, won’t cheat on you, won’t let you down).  Oh, and another good thing is that you can basically be in love with more than one without having to choose.

Well, at the moment Seattle is the one I am having a serious crush on. It hit me out of nowhere. Love at first sight. Apparently, Seattle having more rainy days than sunny days, it must have been love at first sight the other way around too. How else must I interpret 3 sunny and unusually mild days in a row – beginning of February??? So, my introduction to this city could have not been any better.

Seattle and I are basically a match made in heaven: I love coffee – Seattle is based on coffee! I mean, I have never seen so many coffee shops in a city than in Seattle. Starbucks first coffee shop was opened at Pike Place Market! Still keeping the original look from 1972 and even the logo is still the old one. At least I can say, that I have been in any coffee addict’s heaven!

Second match point: Pike Place Market. I love markets. Cherries in chocolate, fresh fish (can be packed freshly to survive up to 48 hours of travelling), all sorts of fruits and of course gifts in all varieties. There is nothing more relaxing for me than walking over a market with my take away coffee in my hand. Perfect to do so in Seattle.

Third match point: Walking. At least on sunny days, walking through town is just delightful. I never thought I’d say that, but living in Jo’burg where no one who owns a car ever walks (not even to go to the shop around the corner), I really appreciate the freedom of walking through town. And so we walked… from the Waterfront all the way to Lake Union (and back). At Lake Union I had the pleasure of going onboard a seaplane and take a flight over the city – which was just amazing (so a big THANK YOU goes out to my pilot).

Fourth match point: Delicious food. Since Seattle is a coastal town fresh seafood of all sorts can be found anywhere. Not to miss the vast variety of oysters (all cultivated around Seattle of course).

Match Point #1: Coffee!!! First Starbucks Shop (image courtesy of starbucksmelody.com)
Match Point #2: Pike Place Market
Match Point #3: Lovely Cityscape (taken onboard)
Match Point #4: delicious Seafood (this pictures our second sample of oysters)

I only spent 48 hours in Seattle.. just enough to give me a glimpse into the character of this city and enough to give me appetite for more. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere, the coffee-culture, the architecture of downtown and the sneak-preview I had into Capitol Hill…

My verdict: I’ve spent the best 48 hours in a very long time in a city that needs to be explored more (maybe I should look for a job at Microsoft or Boeing). I have enjoyed great company and got spoilt rotten.  33 hours in the plane to spend 48 in Seattle were more than worth it!

Reasons why I love Jo’burg #2 – getting beefy

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The word of the post today is: “Steak“. I have never tasted a better piece of meat  than in South Africa. Not even in Argentina. (A possible explanation for my judgment may be that my taste buds have just not been so developed back then). Yet again, South Africa is famous for its delicious beef. Jo’burg is any meat-lover’s paradise. You can find the best steakhouses with all sorts of meat varieties. For me, it is usually either a nice ostrich fillet or a “normal” beef fillet. (Apparently ostrich is the healthier choice).

I had already heard a lot about “Wombles” but never made it there. It is this sort of restaurant where you only go for 2 reasons: #1 a date and #2 a business dinner. Since I am boycotting dates, it leaves me with option 2! So, I was lucky that we had some visitor from our European head offices over for a market visit. And that’s how I finally ended up there! It was amazing. The food (I ordered the beef fillet  as a main this time) was to die for. I can’t remember having ever had such a perfect fillet before. The wine was divine too.. our house-internal wine connoisseur (aka as our sales manager) chose a Graham Beck, Shiraz 2008!  It climbed straight up to the top of my favourite list! Basically from zero to hero in just one dinner!  

I guess it is also the ambience that makes Wombles one of the best steak house in Jozi. The setting is stunning. Spots on the veranda are the best. It is a mixture of traditional steakhouse flair and a bit of African safari feel. Not in a kitschy way that would only attract tourists, rather sophisticated enough to impress the locals, too.

My verdict: an evening well spent: unforgettable meals and wine, great company and a stunning venue!

Wombles Steakhouse
17 3rd Avenue Parktown North
Johannesburg

Indulging heavenly

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I am definitely out-of-touch with Cape Town! I don’t even know anymore where to go out for a nice lunch.. Last week I had a meeting with our PR lady and asked her for a lovely spot to meet up! Her suggestion: The Grand Café & Beach at Granger Bay. Her description was as follows: 2 Houses down the road from the Radisson! Right! 2 houses down the road the Radisson coming from East (or is it West?) is the Hotel school!! 2 Houses down the road coming from the other direction is..nothing!!! Well, at least it looks like nothing. It looks like a road leading to a construction site!!! Even the entrance area makes you think: did I really land up in the right place??? I mean usually PR people have quite a good taste and a feeling for the latest hot spot in town! My other concern was the name.. Well, in Jo’burg there is a strip club also called “the Grand”! But Mrs PR proofed herself worth every cent! The venue is stunning! Romantic decor with oversized chandeliers and Parisian café chairs – open to the ocean and tables either on the deck or on the sugar white beach!

The venue has this amazing ability of making you feel like you are far far away.. like on an island! Every now and then one of those yachts sailing off shore Clifton all day will come by and make you realize that it is not just you, a few other people and the beach..

Unfortunately, time just flew and the next meeting was calling.. Unfortunately, not in such stunning surroundings..

Reasons why I love Jo’burg #1

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Johannesburg (aka Jo’burg or Jozi) is not at all as bad as most people think. It actually is  a pretty cool city to live in. Its reputation totally underestimated.  Wrongly portrait by the media (especially overseas). So, I have decided to start a series on my blog called “Reasons why I love Jo’burg”. Seeing Jozi through the eyes of a  foreigner and at the same time through the eyes of an inhabitant of this city – not born here, not raised here, moved here under “pressure” and yet… somehow fallen in love with this place.  

I didn’t like this place at all when I first moved here. It took me about 2 years to like the place and another year to love it. (Not entirely my fault). I must admit that in the past 5 years the city has evolved big time. Things are changing, suburbs being restored and a hip and trendy (almost Soho-like) subculture has found its way into Jo’burg.

This weekend I checked-out the Neighbourgoods Market in Braamfontein. It opened its doors in September 2011 but I didn’t make it last year. So, finally I went! 

visit: http://www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za/ for details
Things to buy @ Neighbourgoods Market in Johannesburg

It’s a Saturday well spent!  You can indulge yourself in all sorts of delicious food, wines,.. anything your gourmet taste desires.. At the same time, it is a hip spot to meet with friends and strangers while sipping your glass of Prosecco with a view of Jozi downtown. 

My verdict: An attempt for urban regeneration well accomplished!

73 Juta Street
Braamfontein, Johannesburg
South Africa
Every Saturday 09h00 – 15h00

Expectations, expectations, expectations

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I expected 2011 to be a great year! All the right signs were there.. and it did start off amazingly with fulfilling a childhood-dream: visiting the Pyramids of Giza!!  On top of that, another highlight (this time a teenage-dream) of the egypt-trip was spending quality time with the man who had really gotten under my skin.

From then on the remaining part of the year 2011 (356/365) can be written off. Just like a car after a fatal accident when you are left behind to bury the dead (literally).

I guess it is just natural and probably a bit of self-protection to not expect ANYTHING at all of 2012! In fact, I already know that the first half of this year will just continue as 2011 ended. I know this because my horoscope told me that Saturn will stay in my sign and only leave in September.. and apparently Saturn is not a good planet to have in my star sign (mmmhhhh.. although I admit this sounds almost a bit too esoteric for my taste..).
Yet again, just because I have read my horoscope already it will happen exactly like they predict – self-fulfilling prophecy! Nothing I can do. Besides that, I also know that I still have to clean up that mess after the mentioned car crash and only once that is done (which will most probably take until mid-year) 2012 will get better! So, if I want to admit it or not.. the horoscope is absolutely right!

Nevertheless , there is a light at the end of the tunnel.. even in the gloomy looking first half of 2012: a trip to Seattle is planned! Starting in 3 1/2 weeks…oops.. do I start to sound almost enthusiastic?? I have to hold myself back.. So, maybe I should just expect the worst??? A boring trip during the coldest time with damn long flying hours, and so on and so on… Well, if I do that then it can actually only get better and maybe it will go into my very own history of best, most spectacular and most memorable trips ever? Therefore, I have no expectations whatsoever neither for this trip, nor for 2012 and I am just excited to be surprised what 2012 will be like!