The Desert teaches: To go forward

Above all others, it maybe the most difficult test: to have the strength not to give up in the face of difficulties that often catch us unprepared, and to continue on the path of our lives without stopping, overcoming every obstacle with determination, determined to move forward, always. How many times is it tempting to give up, to say “enough, I can’t take anymore!” It is easier to stop, so you avoid suffering, you can lay in limbo for a quiet life, devoid of difficulties. But in this way you also say good-bye to strong emotions. You give up the chance to get involved and to live dreams, to strive and know how it feels to win something in which you believe in to the end, which is worth all the trouble and pain in the world. The desert teaches this: to look forward, not bowing your head, not giving up in the face of pressure from those who would stop or divert us from the road ahead: as the tortuous, difficult and full of obstacles it is always better than a convenient path: that without a doubt would be safer, but also terribly dull and boring!

Unforgettable

It is difficult to find word sto describe the wedding that Lauren and Max organized: it was surprise for all. The first word that comes to mind is “unforgettable.” Even just Saturday, when all together we reached the old Rifugio Torino we realized it would be special.
Relatives and friends of the bride, coming from the USA and Australia, immediately connected to the other guests: it was two days of great fun and happiness in an atmosphere rightly called the eighth wonder of the world. The weather conditions fulfilled any request: even the rainbow, requested by Lauren before sunset, and the mountains highlighted the natural spectacle, captivating everyone.
The next morning everyone present was toughed when the bride and groom, accompanied by two guides of Courmayeur, met on the glacier, and came together to reach the Mayor who came to welcome them at the terrace of Punta Helbronner at 3670 meters, where the marriage was filmed by television news of RAI 1 and there were journalists and photographers. It was the first wedding in high altitude, with the incredible backdrop of Mont Blanc, on a clear sunny day, where the highest mountains of Europe seemed to be painted. Lauren, who wore a lovely white dress made by her mother, looked like the Snow Princess beside Max, dressed in grey, very emotional. They were surrounded by the affection of their best friends and afterwards a special happy hours typical of Valle d’Aosta. In groups led by the guides everyone experienced the thrill of walking on the glacier to see crevices close up, surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Alps. They party ended in Courmayeur where guests removed their mountain clothing and dressed elegantly, greeted Lauren and Max all saying the same thing: thank you for giving us such a fantastic experience, unforgettable. Any wedding after this will seem trivial!

Almost here...

The countdown has started: Sunday Max and Lauren are getting married!
There is a lot of excitement for the two and for the families: it will be a wedding outside the box, celebrated on the Glacier of Mont Blanc, at over 3,600 meter, by the Mayor of Courmayeur. The ceremony is reserved for a select number of guests, as the bride and groom wanted, and it will happen after a night spent together in the old Torino Rifugio, kindly made available by the City Council and reserved only for us, where guests will experience the thrill of celebrating in a historic context for the two, connected to their climbs of the Monte Bianco. Framed by the tallest mountains in Europe: a breathtaking panorama, between crevasses and eternal snow, where nature is experienced at its highest level, reminding us how important it is to know, love and respect it. The same words that bless the union of Max and Lauren.

The Desert teaches: Love Nature

The summer is the perfect time to live in contact with nature and to planning your holidays with this objective could be a memorable experience. You can choose places rarely visited by the sea, the mountains or on a trip, forgetting the traditional destinations and what is popular, away from the bustle, where you can find yourself surrounded by beautiful natural environments that convey great energy. Long deserted beaches with crystal clear water, hiking trails on which you don’t meet anyone for hours, travel routes away from resorts full of confusion and loud music: to free our thoughts and enjoy the beauty of what is around us, in quiet. Of course we must give up some comforts: beach chairs and umbrellas are replaced by a towel lying on the sand just steps from the water and the parties have as guest stars the sound of the sea, as the backdrop to your thoughts. Sleeping in a shelter in the mountains does not lack anything from the most exclusive hotel, and all the grandeur of nature helps us understand how small we are, to find our true size, to let us know our limits, to feel real and authentic, aware that the important things are always the most simple, wherever we are.

The Desert Teaches: To save memories

The life of each person is full of memories, sometimes happy and sometimes sad. There are important memories, those that change your life, for the better or worse and those that make us feel a few moments of calm or upset depending on the mood of that which we choose to recall. The more distant in time, the less they involve us emotionally even though the memory remains intact. Some, however, we would like to forget forever, but we can’t: memories are the bricks with which we build our existence, that have made our lives unique and unrepeatable and can not be erased. They are preserved forever in a room in our hearts and they remain there, to remember the path that led us to become the people we are. Unlike animals, which live only in the present, men are given memory, and we should not forget to use the past and our past experiences to help us manage the future. The desert taught me to take manage every moment of excitement, joy and sorrow. To remember who I am and to indicate the path that awaits me, step after step, to improve myself as an individual and to always have new memories to cherish.

Get togehters

Getting together with friends you haven’t seen for a long time is always a wonderful experience, but this time it was truly special. Valle d’Aosta was the setting of this second meeting of the famous holiday staff team: a large group of girls and guys who in the 80s and 90s created the history of the tourist resort in the Maldives as entertainers, athletes and divers, who all came to the gathering to share memories and unforgettable moments of a period that marked all of our lives in a profound way. Oscar was the doctor in the resort for many years, and I with Max a child then, went with him, and I worked as a diving and snorkelling instructor. Each time we returned to the Maldives, it was like coming home. Then to find myself with these companions in the mountains for the weekend was a thrill. All of our lives have taken different paths over the years, but the enthusiasm and spirit have remind the same. They are all character of great depth, very simple and kind, sharing a passion for their work to entertain and have fun. After so much time since we have seen each other, like magic, we recreated the atmosphere of friendship and complicity with them as if time had stopped. We talked, played, sang: in a helicopter we flew over the Monte Bianco summit and in the evening we ended with a big party in a pine forest at a private cottage in Val Veny, where glaciers and mountains were the backdrop to dinner and music, dancing and fireworks. A heartfelt thanks to the organizers, we have found genuine friends, and with genuine simplicity and spontaneity, always shared great moments of joy and serenity, then and now.

The desert teaches: To be protagonists

The desert is a great teacher about life, and one of the most important lessons it teaches is for every individual to be the protagonist of their own existence. Living in contact with a place so particular, opens the door to perceptions often latent and unidentified that everyone has within themselves, but often for various reasons, can not reach. Discovering that all of us can be actors on the stage of our own life as long as we would like, gives us a great sense of security and power. The concept of power, in our society, is increasingly associated with appearance rather than actually being: people are considered powerful who have money, who frequent certain places and bend the will of others. Fortunately, everything in the desert doesn’t have value: powerful is he who puts himself in the game, who fights to achieve their goals, who humbly relates with others, who respects the feelings of others and takes care of those who suffer, who doesn’t fear the unknown and can make an important turning point in their lives at any time, without fear of loosing privileges and certain that they wont leave anyone behind. Often the price is very heavy, but the ability to fully live your life day after day, in absolute freedom, has such a high value that no wealth can buy. Anyone who learns to live as the protagonist is authentic, calm beyond comparison, who knows how to love unconditionally and is loved by all.