Baptism

The first meeting COURSES AND TRAILS could not have be born in a better way! The chosen location, Marzio, 800 meters high, was perfect and the women participants, found themselves at home. The morning session was devoted to the chosen subject, "the birth and development of a project," where I explained how to manage and pursue their dreams by talking about my experiences in the deserts.

After an excellent lunch with exotic flavors, under the shade of an old chestnut tree, we walked in the beautiful woods surrounding the location of the meeting following the directions of Dora, an expert in shiatsu techniques that taught us to control our breathing during our walking. An assortment of teas, including the Bedouin sweet mint tea were waiting for us upon our return. We then watched some footage of my challanges, that I commented on, highlighting the difficulties found along the way and the techniques used to overcome them. The meeting concluded with a delicious aperitif, in joy and many smiles, waiting for the next round: maybe in the desert!

How spectacular!

It was really a spectacular (as John, one of our guests, would say) the Desert Therapy party that we organized last Saturday!

People came from all over Italy, friends who have traveled with us in the Deserts, creating an incredible feeling even among those who had never met eachother before. There were representatives of almost all the trips and also some new entries that will be joining us in the autumn for the next trip. The buffet was good and plentiful, washed down with quality beverages but also the company was exceptional. Impeccable organization of the legendary Max and as always deserts and bread cooked by Lauren, among many delicacies that our friends have prepared for the occasion. The meeting was an opportunity for everyone to plan new trips also on new itineraries because the urge to return to the desert is really great. Joy, humor and laughter have contributed to the success of the festival: given the success we are already thinking about the next. Thanks to Desert Therapy ....... what a party!

Saturday July 7

The first meeting of COURSES AND ROUTES is confirmed for Saturday, July 7. We chose as the seat of our event MARZIO a delightful resort town in Valganna, fifteen minutes from Varese. Nestled in the woods seven hundred meters, Marzio is the ideal place to spend a day of total relaxation during which we will also be able to discover on foot some special corners of the place. The group is limited to a few participants and the atmosphere that characterizes our appointments, help you regain the ability to confront yourself and to discover the teachings of the desert, even those who have never traveled with Desert Therapy. Personally I am living with emotion and enthusiasm of this new location and am excited to offer to those who want to attend the meeting the opportunity to discover new horizons.

Desert Therapy get together

We are working to organize the Desert Therapy get together to be held this Saturday, open to all who took part in our travels. The participants are numerous and guests will also come from afar, not only to see their travel companions, but also to have the opportunity to know and meet who has been with us in various deserts and compare their opinions and experiences. There will also be coming with me, travelers who will face the legendary Taklimakan Desert in China in October, the desert I crossed in 1998. This promises tp be a feast of joy and marked with a desire to spend carefree days together.

Max will take care of the grill and Lauren as always the deserts, but again the Desert will be the real protagonist: thanks to it many friendships were born and the experience. Desert Therapy is not only a trip but sharing: the emotions and values ​​and relationships that will last over time. Thank you, Desert Therapy!

COURSES AND ROUTES

I finally decided to offer, even to those who can not come into the desert, the opportunity to learn what I have learned during these years, during my first challanges, and then during my journey with Desert Therapy. From this desire COURSES AND ROUTES was born. These meetings are held in our usual style, in particular places, during which I will explain to those who want to participate in learning what the desert taught me and how to find your balance and face life with greater awareness, without being overwhelmed by events. The theme will be supported by projected images and the guests will have the opportunity to spend a whole day together, assisted by the staff of Desert Therapy. Some experts in fields related to wellness will take turns to teach the techniques needed to keep body and mind balanced and everyone will have the opportunity to meet the desert just a few steps from home and enjoy the lessons that this place is able to convey to those who decide to approach it. All information can be found on the Section Desert Therapy and the first meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 7 at 10.30. The title? PROJECT: HOW TO BECOME AND HOW TO DEVELOP. Where are we? We are considering two possibilities in Varese near Milan, we will soon know the place. The number of participants is limited and we suggest that you give your membership as soon as possible giving you the chance to participate. I'll wait ....... in the Desert!

Recharge your batteries

Occasionally we all need to take a break to recuperate and regain the energy needed to move forward. In times like these we are experiencing, where the tension is often high, as soon as possible it is good to switch off and retreat to a place that is even a small shelter, away from everyday worries. Not always do we have the time to do this but sometimes it does not take much: just change the pace and habits that mark our days, leave behind the thoughts that accompany and transfer our attention to something completely different and not conventional. Dress more freely, wear a comfortable pair of shoes and get going, in search of sensations often forgotten. Obligations influence our behavior, and therefore we must learn not to give importance to the judgment of others, to leave aside the anxiety of appearance and look around with new eyes. The ideal is to decide to leave for a period to go to a different place, to do what we are not allowed in the newspaper but often this is not within our reach. And then we learn to find that special retreat close to us that allows us to dream and to shake off the burden of negative interactions. We release our dreams, whatever they are. We can not change the rules imposed by life but to stay healthy and live in harmony we must learn to adapt and find the bright side even in difficult situations that fate holds for us. This is one of the lessons that I learned of the Desert: accept the rules, recognize this, and move accordingly, to go on without pain. Even at the end of life, it is nothing but a big, endless desert.

dromedaries

Commonly called camels, we at Desert Therapy always refer to them as such, they are actually dromedaries who live in the groups accompanying the Saharan caravans, including our own. The real ones are two-humped, Asian camels, who will be with us in October when we will travel along the Taklimakan Desert in China. Dromedaries have one hump that constitutes their food supply: machines seemed created just to live in the sand. Their water autonomy is impressive, and they can go up to ten days without water with temperatures around 50 degrees Celsius. I have personally witnessed this during my crossing with the salt caravan in Niger. The hoofs contain a gelatin substance allowing them to adapt to the ground, their soft or stony eyes are protected by long eyelashes to protect them from the sand, and their noses and ears are positioned so that even the most violent of storms of sand won’t damage them. The large teeth can grind the terrible acacia thorns that can pierce even tires, but the camels are the only animals that can eat and digest them. Their air of superiority and great peace is in contrast with their true character, often irritable and cranky. There are hundreds of varieties of dromedaries, caravans of them high and massive, and those running or walking who are more slender. Our Desert Therapy instead belong to a specialized smaller type and are very docile and quiet. They are all females and often pregnant. Once we had the surprise of having with us along with two mothers and also their weaned puppies. It 'was an amusing sight to see them run and play along the way, like two dolls with hair. Needless to say that everyone has came to love them and some have said good-bye to them with a few tears when leaving. The dromedaries are a great resource for people living in the desert and the relationship created between man and animal is very close, often affectionate. Those with us in Egypt remember Solah, our Bedouin guide and handler of the dromedaries. Perhaps for this reason those who join us are so tame even with animals, treating them with respect and gentleness.

Smells of the Desert

Tomorrow at 7pm we will have an event at the headquarters of Focus in Milan, where Daniel, who organizes trips with Desert Therapy, has set up an interesting journey through three symbolic places of our planet, the Gobi desert, the ice of Antarctica and Deserts of sand. Each of these environments is characterized by a perfume created especially by an expert in smells and hence the desert can be identified and remembered by the smell. I have not had a chance to smell it, I prefer to be surprised but I guess that the aroma will be very particular and will carry my mind to the memories of the great expanses of sand dunes, fields in the sand, and intense moments lived in that wonderful place. Within the exhibit there will also be the backpack of my last challenge and other items that have accompanied me during the crossings. Often smelling a fragrance brings our thoughts to a place that struck us and left an important and often pleasant memory: being able to return to the Desert thanks to this, is truly exceptional.

Sand

How wonderful is sand! Soft, pliable, always different: it is a pleasure to see and touch. The desert is made of sand that changes all the time, changing colors and texture, but the charm remains the same. It comes natural to caress it, sinking your feet and hands into it, to feel it give in and adapt to our body when we lie down on it, to sense its heat never excessive, like a hug. Far from the desert I miss it so much, and I always dream to have a room with sand floors, in which to stand barefoot or sit down to regain my thoughts and cleanse my soul, to keep calm me and carry me home after each trip and that makes even the darkest, stormy days, sweet and full of smiles. I keep a container with my sand in each room, and look at them and caress them often while I work. I remember the exact point where I have collected them and their presence helps me to return there, the place I love and feel close to even in everyday life, to accompany me in the path of every day.

After the desert

It 's the question most frequently asked to me: what happens after returning from a trip in the desert? Sometimes it is difficult to explain to those who we have never been in a desert, how it feels when you return. Everybody reacts in different ways: personally for a few days I'm still there, between the dunes and I try to keep as long as possible the feeling that physically and mentally this place can induce. Then inevitably everyday life with all its problems tends to seize every moment of the day and then the thought comes back from the sand and sky, a reminder that life can be lived in a different way, trying to contain our worries and problems, without allowing them to dominate and take over. It is true that one can not ignore these, but we can give them their rightful place within a day. The desert can help carve out a space only for us, where we can take shelter in difficult times and give us the energy and the calm necessary to tackle what lies ahead. This happens to me but also to all the friends who have traveled up to date with Desert Therapy: delivered daily by their testimonies that confirm the benefits that this experience has left in their soul. I will publish soon some of them: so also those who have not yet met the Desert, can realize how the encounter with this amazing place can improve lives.

INCREDABLE

Every time I'm amazed when I see the effect the desert has on our new travelers with Desert Therapy. Some strange alchemy that can not be explained, materializes in the very moment in which we begin to walk. Even in Morocco this has been the case. Each participant has interpreted the trip in a very personal way, but the result does not change. Eloise has walked only with her socks, to hear even more clearly the sand, often far from the group, together with dromedaries carrying the material. Marijana instead seemed to want to embrace the desert and kept repeating that he was living a dream. Paolo used to traveling on the motorcycle, with shining eyes for emotion, said that for the first time he met the real desert. And then Claudio, dubbed Ali Baba, made everyone in the group die of laughter, but then at times sought solitude sitting on top of the dunes. Annalisa and Enrichette, always smiling, were already planning the next trip with Desert Therapy. Fiorella and Gilberto, convinced by their daughter to come, never ceased to fill their eyes at the sight of such a beautiful, breathtaking landscape. Leda, who this time had replaced Max on the task of accompanying the trip, was delighted to be able to relive the experience of last year and claimed that she will return there in the desert soon. But for me, whenever I return to the desert it is as if I am home. No matter what the venue, I just need to be there in the desert, to experience a great sense of well being to fill the body and mind.

Ready to leave

Tomorrow Desert Therapy will depart for a new trip: destination Morocco. We will return to the place we visited a year ago but this time the itinerary will be different and even better. For four days we will walk through the dunes to experience the emotions that each Desert Therapy trip provides, together with our eight new travel companions, all enthusiastic about the idea of facing a new experience. I will walk with them and help them experience the magic of this special place and in the evening around the fire we will talk, sipping on our wonderful mint tea which is prepared by our beduine guides. It will be a trip full of surprises and our footprints in the sand, accompanied by those of the caravan of camels, leaving traces that the wind will cancel soon after. But the memories will remain forever, unforgettable, in the spirits of the travellers.

In Sicily

Fabio and I will be in Sicily for three days to promote our new book. It will be a busy tour but one full of satisfaction, that begins tomorrow evening in Caltanissetta in the splendid Barile Villa, hosted by Angle of Adventure. The next day we will be in Messina in the Visconti Ballroom where Daniela Bonanzinga has organized a important event together with the Union for the Blind and we will end our trip with a meeting Saturday in Catania at the Cavallotto Library.
The public is anxiously waiting and are curious to meet not only me in person, but above all Fabio, who will tell with great passion, as always, about our adventure in the White Desert. I have already been to Sicily before to participate in events and presentations, and each time it is a great pleasure to return. The warmth of the people, the enthusiasm and the beautiful scenery surprise me each time. I will describe to Fabio, as I did in the desert, what is around us and he will surely be able to, with his great sensitivity, appreciate all of its appeal.

Antonio Soccol the great journalist, is missed. For many years he directed NO LIMITS WORLD, the mythical magazine dedicated to the extreme, and he sponsored the epic story of Team Sector No Limits.
For us athletes, Antonio was an important reference point, who told about our adventures with professionalism but above all with great passion. I still remember his joke, when I called him after having completed the crossing of the Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia. When he heard that I had completed the challenge in 6 days he exclaimed: “you took less time than God took to create the work!” We met each other by chance, after I crossed the desert with the caravan of salt in 1991. In front of an elevator door, while I was telling him of my experience, a friendship was born and my life changed. Thanks to him I entered into Team No Limits and from there began the collaboration that followed me through my crossings of the deserts of the world.
Thank you Antonio, for your calm, your balance, thanks for your advice and for always helping me and following me with passion during my challenges. NO LIMITS WORLD was an important point of reference for all of us athletes, before and after every departure for a new adventure. I will never forget you.

AS ALWAYS HAPPENS

Also this time it happened. The 5 participants who just returned from Egypt completely feel in love with the desert, without exception. Even Martin, the youngest member of the group at 15 years old, immediately fascinated and together with Max experienced a truly unique adventure. The enthusiasm and happiness was on everyone’s faces and after just one day of walking their expressions were illuminated with new light. It is wonderful to see how the expressions of people change, how the Desert is able to transform them and in such short amount of time make them joyful and serene. We laughed a lot, every occasion is good to let yourself go in happiness and new friendships are spontaneously born, lasting over time. This time the weather was truly unusual and it was a novelty for all of us to see the rain in the Desert 4 times: which has never happened before. How wonderful though to discover something new every time in this place! It is always able to surprise us… Those who have met it know it is such, that it is unpredictable and marvellous in all conditions. It is for this that we love it so much.

Traveling again

Leaving, returning and leaving again… never a moment of calm! But this is the life that I love and that I choose to live. I believe that every moment should be lived intensely, day after day, without fear, with curiosity, taking every opportunity to try and live new experiences. Desert Therapy leaves again this Friday for the White Desert, our classic itinerary in Egypt. Despite the catastrophic news about the situation in the country spread by the media, we leave relaxed. We know that there are no dangers in the areas in which we will be travelling, we are in continual communication with our local contacts who reassure us everyday and keep us updated on the situation. They are planning a new rally in the main square, but we are going to be very far away from it and thanks to the satellite phone, we are guaranteed to have contact with Italy in any moment it is needed. All of the participants are preparing to leave and are full of enthusiasm and serenity: they can’t wait to encounter the Desert that for months they have dreamed about and the Desert also this time will not let them down. Like every time before leaving, the participants who have previously travelled with us have written to the new participants to wish them a great trip, and the letters that are arriving now touch me for the emotion and heart they transmit. Everyone would like to return and relive those days that changed their lives and this is greatest gift of Desert Therapy. With us this time there will be a young guy: Martin who is 14 years old will come together with his father and we are all curious to see his impression of the adventure for which he has been preparing for one year. On the site as always, it will be possible to follow out trip and read the diary: it is a way to stay together and share the moments of joy and great emotion.

Simplicity

As always, every negative event brings with it also a positive side and the crisis that basically all of us are experiencing, confirms this. We have the opportunity to discover, day after day, new values that in past years we have forgotten: the enjoyment of staying at home, sharing our free time with family, enjoying the small things, finding forgotten pass times we like and having fun with little. Our lives are changing, but not necessarily in a bad way. The essentials and simplicity are taking over, and this makes us more aware and responsible, and helps us face difficulties with serenity. Like all changes, also this one is not easy, but realize that we are capable of finding space and joy also in these conditions that are so different than what we are used to, and anyways a challenge to conquer. Don’t let sadness take over in the face of unforeseen events and lets face them everyday without fear. A smile is enough or a kind gesture to brighten the greyest of days. It doesn’t cost anything but has a great value, for us and for those we encounter along our way: step after step………

Happy New Year!

Here we are finally in the new year!! As it almost always seems to happen in December, we are eager to put behind us the memories of the months just passed, hoping that the new year will bring us positive gifts and new projects to undertake. We are filed with good intentions and optimism illuminates the first hours of the new year. All of us have our own dreams, more or less secret, that we hope to finally make come true, and even the worst news, that we are bombarded with every day, is put into perspective at the moment we toast to the new year at midnight. My thoughts go out to those suffering, to those alone who don’t have anyone to celebrate with, to those far away who can’t celebrate with friends, and to those working to guarantee the safety and health of others. To all, I wish you a special year, in which our dreams can come true, in harmony with those around us and with those that we encounter along our path, giving and receiving the love that we all deserve.

Many Lights

The eve of Christmas: a magical moment where everything seems to stop after all the frantic days just past. Finally we have time to look around, rediscover our smiles and exchange warm wishes for the future that all of us hope is peaceful and full of dreams. It is the most mystic moment of the year, where you put aside for a moment all your tension and worries, to enjoy the special few hours before midnight. With our thoughts we return to childhood, to Christmas Eves of our youth, waiting for Christmas with all our hopes and wishes. We rediscover our desire for simple things, smells and forgotten flavours. And then: it is finally Christmas. I wish all of you a special night, illuminated with thousands of lights, for a Christmas full of peace and serenity shared with those you love.