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.