To be famous has never been a goal I would want to set out to achieve. But to feel famous for a few hours was nevertheless a lot of fun. That’s how stars live! Mid March we were invited to attend a family photo shooting of the Annabelle magazine. The anniversary issue should portrait...

Today spring exploded out of winter and with it came the urge to clean and tidy. Not many posessions have outlasted our travels, but a few diaries from the pre-children-time are still around. I am happy to share one of my texts from 1999 (at the time we were in Thailand): Sometimes we ride on...

No, I’m not (yet) going through my midlife crisis. Actually, I’m in no crisis at all. Yet, I do feel the sudden and strong urge to re-define myself. I’ve long ago stopped the torture of finding an answer as to WHY I am in this world. I just did. Stop, I mean. I haven’t ask the question...

A short story from our Egypt diary: Stone steps lead up the north side of the Red Pyramid of Darshur, a 105 meter high building south of Cairo and reach a tiny metal door. An elderly man sits in front, surprised to see tourists. “Can we get into the pyramid?” Pleased, he opens up...

Lately I have been thinking a lot about social media and our world. Why do facebook and Co. hold such an enormous fascination on mankind? What makes us want to publish our opinions, everyday experiences and profound thoughts? We speak up in online postings, “talk” when we feel...

Reflections on a bus in Egypt, 2012: The bus back to Cairo is packed with people and excitement. The five hour drive gives us time and reason to reflect on the subject of tourism. A young Chinese woman occupies two seats. She is wearing a silk negligee, which pretty much shows all of her...

When we arrived in Cairo last summer, long after midnight, we were handed, with a polite and tired smile, four visa stickers. „That’s 60 US dollars and you can stick them into your passports yourselves.“ We joined the queue and immediately noticed a huge poster hanging above customs. ...

Some time ago a YouTube movie circulated on Facebook. Accompanied with inspiring music, it showed how complete strangers helped each other in everyday situations. Following the domino principle, each one did something for the next, who in turn got support by the one after and a few minutes...

Not everything fits in a backpack! Packing means setting priorities. And travelling means being creative. There are products that are simply too good to be used for just one purpose. Take for example dental floss. It doubles perfectly as strong string or emergency thread. Socks can be used...

“What did you bring back from Egypt?”, a friend wants to know from us. Proudly, we present our best souvenir. “But you could have bought such a dish at home,” he replies quite rightly. However, it doesn’t really matter how practical something is, but much more...

Those of you, who know me as a traveller, associate great courage with my behaviour. Those of you, who know me as a Swiss mother, perceive me more as a scaredy-cat. Indeed, I am often overanxious and I often worry for nothing. Doesn’t really sound like the ideal conditions for years of...

“Just for your information, before you sign the purchasing contract”, said the agent to someone in my family who was interested in buying an apartment in a block of flats, “some foreigners live in that block, too.” The remark shocked and embarrassed me. Are there really such...