The Red Sea, Egypt We live in a fast moving and hectic world and thanks to our smart phones we are continuously available. Don’t get me wrong, I cannot live without my phone. I appreciate the freedom to work wherever I am and am therefore very grateful for any technological progress. However, I also think it is smart to escape this world from time to time and my favourite way of doing so is to submerge – literally! To me the underwater world is the most peaceful place on earth. No talking, no disruptions, no availability! My favourite dive spot is the Egyptian Red Sea: beautiful coral reefs, amazing dive sites, and a breathtaking biodiversity. I also like the contrast you can find above water: desert, dust and impressive mountains. Circle Divers in Sharm el Sheikh is a good address for a great dive experience – below and above water. https://www.facebook.com/circledivers/

State Tretyakov Gallery, Moskow I am a nature lover and happiest when I can be outside. But the moment I entered The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow for the first time I felt that I found another happy place – inside a building. The gallery’s collection contains more than 130,000 exhibits, so you can imagine how easily you can loose sense for space and time strolling around the various rooms and floors. There is one artist I immediately fell in love with: Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi, a Russian born landscape painter of Greek descent. I could spend hours in front of his “Night on the Dnepr”.

Udzungwa Mountains, Africa Africa is a fascinatingly rich continent and for some reasons it feels like home when I am there – maybe because Africa is the cradle of humankind? There is one place in Tanzania that is really special: Udzungwa Mountains. They are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, a chain of mountains in Kenya and Tanzania. Visiting this National Park means hiking – extreme hiking as humidity is also extremely high. The trail up to beautiful Sanje Waterfalls tought me the real meaning of “drenched in sweat”. But it was worth every little drop of it because Udzungwa Mountains are famous for its vast biodiversity with numerous endemic species including the Udzungwa red colobus. Besides, at the end of the trail you cannot only enjoy a spectacular view from the top of the mountain but also a beautiful and refreshing swim in the plunge pool of the waterfall. The perfect place to stay overnight while visiting Udzungwa Mountains is Hondo Hondo Udzungwa Forest Camp. It is not only eco-friendly but also has strong roots to the local community and is a paid-up member of the village. http://www.udzungwaforestcamp.com