“In Japan, you can learn how to make a bunch of flowers. This is an art. Tea ceremony, it’s an art.” Carine Roitfeld
Baby Steps
Cruise ships are shitty for the environment. The shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line is now trying to streamline its register of sins. This was achieved by the 1. As of January 1, 2020, all single-use plastic bottles will be banned on board the entire fleet. This measure will save over six million units in the coming year – the first step in the right direction. Next on the list: Reduction of waste and CO2. Well then, let’s turn intentions into reality.
Survivoir
There’s always something. Broken fingernail, leaking tent, broken fishing line. To be prepared for all eventualities, we would have to convert our suitcase into a toolbox. However, the Survival Cards made of titanium (three cards, approx. 55.-) are easier to carry and make a fishing hook, saw blade or tool wrench handy.
Big dispenser
Huw and Rossella, an Englishman and a Sicilian woman. Love strikes, they travel to their home country together and realize that finding luxurious accommodation is not that easy. So the couple started renting out vacation villas; The Thinking Traveler was born. Today, the two have over 180 selected addresses up their sleeves in Sicily, Apulia, Greece and Corsica: stately manor houses, romantic hideaways and spacious villas with pools. If you don’t want to lift a finger on vacation, simply book a cook and housekeeping via the platform – for a small fee, of course. www.thethinkingtraveller.com/de
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere
Africa. This is steppe and jungle, wilderness and city, an adventure with every step. The continent has 54 countries, animals to be seen, people to be visited and food to be tasted. The choice is huge. “Great Escapes: Africa” makes it a little easier for us to decide on a place and suitable accommodation, as Taschen’s travel guide brings together the gems that haven’t yet made it into every Insta feed. Where should we go first?
Angelika Taschen, “Great Escapes: Africa. The Hotel Book”, Taschen, ca. 55.-
Once in a Lifetime
…we must have seen them , the Northern Lights. However, aurora borealis is not something you can just grab, it takes luck and perseverance to experience this natural spectacle – and the right accommodation. Instead of waiting for hours in the freezing cold, we book accommodation at the Northern Lights Wilderness Camp in the middle of nowhere in Finland. The cabins are equipped with a gas stove, bed, table, bathroom and a glass front that allows us to wait for the northern lights in the warmth of the interior. Every winter, three of these mobile hotel rooms are available, to which we are driven by snowmobile in the evening around 6 pm. After that, it’s all about waiting and hoping. To a night full of miracles. Northern Lights Wilderness Camp, overnight stay in a snow cabin for two people incl. Snacks and hot drinks from approx. 2‘240.-(www.offthemap.travel/experiences/wilderness-camp/)
