I went with some friends to Bahurutshe, a cultural village not too far from Gabs. The place is run by a retired woman, who is committed to keeping the traditional rituals and culture alive. We were greeted by a group of villagers from Mmankgodi and learned about the wedding ceremony, life in the olden days and how to ground millet Setswana-style. It was an interesting experience and a good way to get some more insight into traditional Setswana culture.
A gorgeous, golden sunset in Tasmania during our trip to Australia in 2009. We spent the day hiking around Wine Glas Bay and stopped to watch the sunset on our way back to Hobart. Tasmania is such as pristine and wild but exceptionally beautiful place, and it was fantastic to see some of the highlights while we were there.
I would have probably freaked out completely, but the people staying at that particular campsite were surprisingly relaxed about being held hostage by the lions for a full day...
On our game drive on the next morning, we also came across a lioness. She was walking on the tracks and definitely not in a hunting mood, as the steenboks didn't run away. She was also very hesitant to leave the soft underground, but eventually we managed to pass her.
It definitely feels strange to sleep in a tiny little tent on the ground, knowing that this is lion country. On the other hand, it is so beautiful out there - I really wouldn't want to miss it!
Last weekend, I went for a trip to Mabuasehube, a national park in the wild west of Botswana. From the tarred road, it takes more than 100km on a sand piste to the entrance gate and from there, another 25km to the campsite at Mabuasehube pan, so it's really in the middle of nowhere.
saw the sun rise,
hid from the scorching sun and the hot desert wind during the day,
went searching for some lions,
and had a little party with the squirrels and birds at our campsite.
On the way back, we followed another endless, bumpy track through the bush and finally found some fuel before heading back to Gabs. Thanks to the guys for driving all the way and for a fantastic trip!
While I'm camping in the Kalahari, here's another beautiful sunset from a trip to Madikwe earlier this year. The combination of rich colors was fantastic: lush green bush, red-glowing sun and bright golden sketches on the blue sky. Africa's colors never cease to amaze....
Autumn evening sky in my hometown. Because of the clear days, I got to see some really nice sunsets. I was walking home and watched the colors and the sky behind a field against the dark trees. It still takes quite some time for the sun to completely set, but already the days are becoming shorter and shorter.
We went to visit family in Schwerin, and took a walk around the castle grounds. It was one of these perfect, crisp autumn days full of sunshine and I really enjoyed the beautiful park and gardens.
I'm glad I finally got to see Schwerin at this time of the year! So far I had only ever been there in winter and could only imagine what it is like during warmer days...
During our trip to Italy, I spent some time to think and reflect on Europe, my roots and the big or not so big differences between life here and life in Botswana, and I must say, it felt like a pretty big culture shock to be back in Europe after some time abroad. Tuscany, with all its history, monuments and century-old culture, was probably the most contrasting place we could go to from the empty lands of the Kalahari, and I felt how strongly my own identity is impacted by European culture, history and whatever values come with it.
1, View over Firenze
I went there with dear friends from Austria and we walked around the Theresienwiese, where the Oktoberfest is taking place, before we entered one of the beer tents. 
In the afternoon, we went for a ride on the "Wiesn-Rad" and had a beautiful view of the Oktoberfest, the masses of visitors, and Munich, and it felt really good to be home.
These past weeks in Germany have been great and extremely busy - especially compared to the pace of life back in Gabs - and we were traveling from South to North and back to meet family, friends and colleagues. It was really nice to be back home, but it took a while to get used to the speed. It always feels like time is running way too fast, and there is never enough time to see everyone and do everything, but now I am also looking forward to flying back to Africa tonight.
A little bit late, but here is another beautiful evening sky during our trip to Italy in September. We stayed on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere and enjoyed the view over the landscape and the sea in the distance for a couple of days. It was really great to calm down and relax for a couple of days...
Sonnenuntergang an der Hackerbrücke.