Traveling on Janik von Rotz

Surveillance Berlin

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 16:53:50 +0100

Last week I visited my favorite city Berlin once more. As the season changes so does Berlin. Clear and crisp air, dim lights and early sunsets brought the city into a different perspective. This time I wanted to know more about the GDR (German Democratic Republic) it’s people and the surveillance machinery. For this I visited a Stasi prison and the HQ of the security bureau. It has been a tense and also fulfilling experience visiting this places. I don’t want to talk about the GDR, but recommend everybody to read more about it. It is a remarkable historic event that has not been finished yet. Here are some pictures of the trip:

Berlin can be dull in winter. Views like this make it different.

On the right is a Schwalbe motorcycle from the GDR (German Democratic Republic) and on the left an Uber scooter.

On the right is the planned economy of communism. Only a few people received this kind of motorcycle and only very few produced. On the left is the free market economy of capitalism. Cities have been overrun by these scooters. Regulations could not keep up to limit its usage and integrate them into the public service infrastructure.

Flowers overgrown a wall of the prison complex of state security.

The people who have been imprisoned at Berlin-Hohenschönhausen are now guiding tourists through the facility and share their experience.

A lamp design I admired.

Only the sky is the limit.

The iconic quote by Erich Mielke minister for state security.

I wish you a merry christmas!

Sea, Sheeps and Windmills

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 17:37:53 +0200

I visited a good friend in Nothern Germany. As he lives off the grid I took the chance to make a short cycle trip and explore the northern Frisian land.

Starting from Hamburg I cycled along the Elbe towards the sea. The cycle roads in this part of Germany are quite bumpy. I rather would have cycled on the street, but car drivers get quite upset when doing so. After 120km I reached the area where the mud flats begin. The mud flats are coastal wetland that is shaped by and exposed to the tidal forces.

Entry to the mud flats in Germany

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A little crab hiding in the gras

The next 120km I have spent cycling along the levees. As you move upwards you will pass the Halligen islands. As a Swiss this was peculiar sight. Little train rails moved directly into the sea without an end in sight. Instead of the Swiss alps connected with cable cars the Halligen houses are connected with tiny trains.

Train rails heading out to the Halligen

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Levees protect from floods and provide eating grounds for sheeps

My destination was the island Amrum. From Dagebüll I took a ferry to the island. I spent a few days there exploring the dunes and enjoying the village festivities.

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The dunes of Amrum

After my stay in Amrum I decided to not take the same way back to Hamburg, but instead going to Flensburg via Denmark. The landscape in Denmark was more or less the same, so the trip was not very exciting. Nonetheless I enjoyed the old town of Ribe and spending time at the Shelter campsides.

End of the mud flats in Denmark

A peculiar hotel in Hamburg

I finished off my trip in Hamburg having a nice coffee at the Elbgold shop and enjoying the view on the Aussenlaster lake.

You can download the full resolution images from my flickr album.

Cycling tour part 3 - Montenegro and Croatia

Wed, 29 May 2019 09:57:00 +0200

This is the last of three posts of my recent cycling tour. We started in Greece, cycled through Albania and reached Croatia after a short tip in Montenegro.

We entered Montenegro underneath lake Skadar from Shkodre. In terms of road conditions, it was just perfect. Not far after crossing the border we took a sideroad and entered the panorama road that goes around the mountain range below the lake. Montenegro offers a beautiful landscape and seems to attract a lot of cyclist. Also compared to Albania we did not have to deal with wild dogs.

We were blessed with rain on our second day in Montenegro. Too much rain. After an exhausting climb in the cold wet to Citinje we were happy to find a cozy apartment and enjoyed a warm shower. From Citinje it was not much further until we reached the highest point before Kotor. A basilisk road took us all the way down to the port. After a scenic day in the city we headed towards Croatia. On the way we met Heidi and Tom from Belgium who were cycling a similar tour. Together we camped in Croatia and spent our final days in Dubrovnik.

This cycle trip taught me a lot about the Balkan and the people. I totally underestimated their kindliness and and interest towards foreigners. Doing such a tour is logistic and not a physical challenge. Once you spent a few days on the road, you feel like you could keep going forever. I definitly looking forward to my next cycling tour.

I highly recommend the route we took:

Cycling tour part 3 - Montenegro and Croatia Map

The last 7 photos of the cycling tour:

View on lake Skadar from the panorama road

Halfway through the climb from Virpazar to Cetinje

Looking down on Kotor

Mountain range next to the Kotor bay

Boats asleep in Molunat

Old town of Dubrovnik

The last residents of the old town

Cycling tour part 2 - Albania

Sun, 26 May 2019 10:59:22 +0200

This is the second out of three posts about a cycling trip. Checkout the first part here.

We entered Albania in Kakavie and took pass road towards Sarande. Our first day was quite rough. After cycling for the whole day we decided to take a shortcut along a land road. However, it took us way longer to reach our destination. First of all our bicycles got stuck in the mud, then we had to deal with shepherd, wild and guard dogs. The camping we hoped for did not exist and finally it started to rain heavily. Luckily we found a nice hotel to dry and warm up.

Afterwards we took a cozy pace along the Albanian Riviera with some steep roads. From Vlora to Durres we had to take the highway due to main roads being in bad conditions. This was not much of a problem as drivers always looked after us. From Durres to Shkoder we took a train as we were a bit tired of the boring trip on the highway. After Shkoder we entered Montenegro.

Compared to Greece the landscape is more rural. Communism in the past took a hard toll on Albania. Economically, the country is no good shape. Public infrastructure lacks funding and people try to find work abroad. However, I personally enjoyed the Albanian people the most. Ridiculously friendly, helpful and always glad that you visit their country.

This is the path we took through Albania:

Cycling tour part 2 - Albania Map

And some more impressions:

Climbing the first pass in Albania

Through the fields of mud

Along the coast of the Albanian Riviera

Calming waves at the pebble beach

Almost there

First cycling lane in Albania Vlora

Taking a shortcut to Shkoder

Cycling Tour Part 1 - Greece

Thu, 23 May 2019 13:20:34 +0200

This is the first of three posts about a bicycle tour I recently finished.

During three weeks me and a friend cycled from Athens to Dubrovnik through Albania and Montenegro. It was a joyful and sometimes exhausting experience. We started at the Airport in Athens and made our way along the south-west coast up to Ioaninna. With lots of head wind we had to endure a rough start and thus decided to take things afterwards a bit more relaxed. We enjoyed the various coffee shops, friendly Greece people and the always changing scenery. From Ioaninna we rented a car to visit the Meteora monasteries. A truly astonishing place, you should look it up. Afterwards we crossed to border to Albania and found ourselves in an entirely different place.

As much as we enjoyed the Greece people, we felt sorry for how they were taking care of the environment. There was a lot of garbage left and right of the road. Even worse there is a trend of constantly drinking cold coffee from plastic cups and disposing the garbage in public space. We hope this practice will change soon.

Nonetheless, we felt save in Greece, the roads are well done and drivers kept distance when passing. We can definitely recommend to go cycling in Greece.

Here is a map of our tour:

Cycling tour part 1 - Greece Map

And some impressions from the road:

On top of Athens

Ready for the ferry

Sunset by the bride close to Patras

First time on the gravel road

Our bicycles looking pretty

The most lovely dog we came across

Lost in the forest

Bicycle Tour Packing List

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 21:25:33 +0200

Starting tomorrow I will head down to Athen (Greece) and the cycle to Dubrovnik (Croatia) during 3 weeks. Packing everything was quite bothersome, luckily there are tons of packing list. It seems you are almost obligated to publish yours if you go on a trip. So here goes mine:

Update 2019-05-20

Added the following items after my first cycling tour: USB plug, travel adapter, down jacket, bicycle computer, mocha coffee maker, zipping bags and tarp. Also made some adjustments to the amounts of clothes and fixed typos.

Update 2020-07

Went on one-week trip and added some more stuff.

Cooking

Cooker
Mocha coffee maker
Cartridge with gas/petrol
Pan Large
Pan Small
Steel wool
Sponge
Disposable flap
Abrasion cloth
Flushing agent
Spices
Cutlery
Plate
Cup/Mug
Water bag
Cutting board
Carving knife
Bag for cooking utensils
Zipping bags for food
Cooking cutlery
Oil dispenser

Repair

Repair tool
Replacement hose
Spare spoke
Spare tyre
Screw set
Chain oil
Tyre levers
Chain riveter
Chain links
Pump
Presta to Schrader adapter

Clothing

Weather

Rain jacket
Rain trousers
(Shoe cover or plastic bag)
Down jacket

Cycling

Bicycle shoes
Bicycle gloves
Wind jacket
Bicycle leg and arm warmers
Cap
Bicycle trousers 2x
Bicycle overpants / Trainer pants short
T-Shirts Active 3x
T-Shirt Long Sleeve

Leisure

Sweater
T-Shirts 2
Underwear 3
Socks 3
Swim trunks
FlipFlops
Trekking shoes
Long trousers
Short trousers
Trainer trousers long

Camping

Tent
Tent underlay / Footprint
Tarp
Sleeping bag
Insulating mat
Silk sleeping bag
Storage bag

Tipp: Use the hull of the sleeping bag to make a nice pillow.

Various Equipment

Headlamp
Lighter
Sunglasses
Pocket knife
#1 aid kit
Sewing kit
Washing powder
Laundry bag
Packing cube / Clothes bag

Electronics

Solar panel
Power bank
iPhone charging cable
Charging cable mini USB
Smartphone
Wristwatch
Camera
Bicycle computer
USB plug
Travel dapter

On the road

Offline map
Passport, ID
Health insurance card
Credit and debit card
Writing material
Train/Flight tickets
Books
Day backpack
Playing cards

Care

Shampoo
Microfibre terry towel
Drugs
Toiletry bag
Toilet paper
Sun cream
Dental floss
Toothbrush
Lip balm
Sport tape
Nail clipper
Washing towel
Moskito spray
Razor

Bicycle

Mudguard
Front and rear light
Bottle cage
Bicycle helmet
Bidon
Bell
Bicycle lock
Compression straps

Transport

Transport bag for bicycle bags
Bicycle cardboard
Disc brake protection

Magnificient India

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 21:00:56 +0200

I backpacked the north of India for three weeks. These are the impressions and memories I got from this amazing trip.

Garbage everywhere

This was the most shocking part when I arrived in India. There is trash everywhere and obviously no system nor institution that cares about collecting and recycling trash.

Lost in Old Delhi

Old Delhi is the most busiest place on earth for sure. It was exhausting but also pleasureable experience to dive into the twisty alleys and let your perception be overwhelmed by all the unnumerable impressions.

Spice market

This picture depicts the everyday life and business that takes place at the spice market in Old Dehli.

Switzerland in India

Not sure why Indian tourists come to Switzerland as they only have to travel north.

Hiking in McLeodGanj

While on a hike I was suprised by rain and thick fog. Exploring the calm peaks close to McLeodGanj is something I would recommend everybody when visiting India.

Lower Himalayan mountains

Even though these mountains are part of the lower Himalayans they already rise up to over 5000m in elevation.

Bus ride

Busses connect almost every part of India. It is the most frequented way of transport. However, due to worn out and bumpy roads a ride takes a lot of time.

Marks of colonialism

The scars of the British colonialism have not yet healed. This picture shows the marks of a massacre which took place in Amritsar in 1919. 379 people were killed as they defied the ban of public meetings.

Sleeping on the train

Taking a 24 hours ride with a sleeping train is must do when visiting India. Sharing a wagon compartment with 7 other people is memorable experience. The locals are curious and always glad if they can share a meal with you.

Blue train

The train network connects the bigger cities of India. Vast landscapes and tiny villages waiting along the rails, makes one feel lost and long for exploration.

Rooftops of Varanasi

The wild and uncontrolled growth of buildings turn into picturesque and colorful paintings when watched from above.

Boats of Varanasi

If it floats it counts as a boat. The piers of Varanasi are overcrowded with boats. Taking a ride lets one the watch the happenings of Varanasi from a distance.

Never asleep

Indian people travel from all over to take a bath in the Ganges river, wash away their sins and bury their dead family members.

Sunset

During the day India is unbearable hot. During sunset India becomes unbearable beautiful.

Hidden village in Rishikesh

If you seek calmness and a spirituel experience go to Rishikesh. Go for a hike and explore the mountains and jungles. I started walking up a little peak and ended up in this village. Received some food for no money and spent some time gazing at the clouds. When I remind myself of that place I become relaxed and calm.

You can download every image in full resolution from my flickr album.

Hiking in the Bergell

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 10:17:41 +0200

A friend of mine, who went working abroad last year, spent a few weeks in Switzerland. As he missed the mountains a lot, we decided to go hiking and camping in the south of Switzerland.

Equipped with two tents, 3 cookers and some clothes we took a 6 hour train ride from Central Switzerland to Bivio.

Day 1 - Bivio

Bivio - Pass da Sett (2 hours)

The first day of our trip started as expected - with a lot of rain. After walking two hours and getting soaking wet, we found shelter in a cozy little cabine. Once the rain stopped we set up the tents and enjoyed some Älplermagronen.

View from Pass da Sett

Shelter

Day 2 - Maloja

Pass da Sett - Lägh da Cavloc (4 hours)

On the next day we headed for Maloja. From Pass da Sett we hiked even higher. Our hike took us high up to the Pass Lunghin and then down far below to Maloja. For the night we settled next to the lake “Lägh da Cavloc”.

Pass Lunghin

Day 3 - Forno

Lägh da Cavloc - Capanna del Forno (3.5 hours)

Not far from Maloja we ended up at the foot of the Forno glacier. Massiv and breathtaking. As beautiful as it was, it also reminded us of the consequences of global warming.

Forno Glacier

Forno Valley

Day 4 - Roticcio

Capanna del Forno - Roticcio (5 hours)

After a relaxing sleep in the SAC hut “Cappana del Forno” we headed back to Maloja. From there we took a shortcut by bus to Löbbia. Löbbia is the last place where you can enter the panoramic way “Sentiero Panoramico Val Bregaglia”.

Camping beneath the mountains

Day 5 - Soglio

Roticcio - Soglio

On our last day we headed down to the scenic village Soglio. Stone roofs, windign alleys, a place where time stands still and people enjoy the laidback life. We enjoyed it very much.

Sentiero Panoramico Val Bregaglia

Roofs of Soglio

I hope my brief report inspires you to take some time off and to seek remote places. 😊

You can download the images in this post in full resolution from my flickr album.

Outdoor life Slovenia

Wed, 07 Oct 2015 16:44:13 +0000

My brother and friends went to Slovenia last summer. With nothing more they could wear on their shoulders they’ve spent almost two weeks in the wilderness. There my brother did some filming and captured the beautiful landscape in a short movie.

If you want see more footage done by him, checkout his website: http://sebastianvonrotz.ch/

USA - New York

Fri, 29 Aug 2014 14:38:49 +0000

After 3 months my trip has come in New York to an end. I’m feeling sad to finish travelling but also happy to some familiar faces soon.
I want to thank all the people I’ve met on this journey and made this trip a unique experience.

Here’s a quote and some pictures to say Goodbye New York.

The one who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. Those who walk alone are likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before.

– Albert Einstein

Take the free Staten Island ferry and you'll get this beautiful view of New York.

A nice district to go out is right next to the Brooklyn bridge.

The Brooklyn bridge from another angle.

While waiting for the legendary Shake Shack burger I took this picture in the Madison square park.

New York by night seen from the Rockefeller plaza building.

This picture is the best evidence how picturesque New York city is. Seems like it has been photoshoped.

USA - Nevada and California

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 06:17:14 +0000

My USA trip has almost come to an end. I had a great time here in California and Nevada. I never expected to meet so many people while travelling alone in the USA.

Not the cities are worth being seen, it are the beautiful national parks, the nature and the landscape of California. If you’ll ever go to America don’t miss these things.

Bodie is a ghost town which gives you a nice insight in the good ol times.

A beach in the mountains? Yes, that's lake Tahoe.

Of all the cities in California San Francisco is by far the nicest.

Walmart run out of tents, so I spend my first night in a hamock.

Travelling from San Francisco to Los Angeles? Take the highway number 1 along the coast!

Venice Beach is a nice place to hang out and meet the weirdest people of Los Angeles.

The hidden valley in the Joshua Tree national park looks more beautiful when the sun sets.

A street artist worth to tip in Las Vegas.

In terms of landscape Death Valley was my favourite national park. So different and beautiful.

Due to there's no light pollution in the national parks you can see the stars very clearly.

This is the last backflip of my holiday. Behind is the gorgeous Zion valley.

This picture was made on my way up to eagls peak in the Yosemite valley. It's a though hike, but the view to the half dome is definitly worth it.

Hong Kong

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 18:20:12 +0000

The last 4 days I’ve spent in the absolutely astonishing city Hong Kong. So far the most crowded place I’ve seen. Skyscrapers that look like toothpicks stand so close to each other that you sometimes can’t remember being in a city, it rather feels like being in a canyon. However getting around is still pretty easy, the MTR is convenient and some buses are even free to use. Without public transport this city wouldn’t work.

Where the city forests meets the green forests. A clash between nature and humanity.

In Hong Kong there are more rules than in any other cities. Don't do that, don't do this. And as you can see the punishments are really scary.

Go up to the Hong Kong Peak, head on a small road to the left and you will find the most beautiful view. Obviously also worth doing by night.

Every cool city has a metro, so does Hong Kong.

Fishs in plastic bags and other animals are available at different markets and shops in the Mong Kok district.

You don't have to go far from Hong Kong to find a relaxing place. In Lamma island are no cars, so its a good place to get off the busy city business.

I don't know why I like this picture so much. The colors? The shadow? The people following their business? I really don't know.

Cookies seem to be a serious business in Hong Kong. And no, these are not the cookies with the special addition.

Each backflip is getting more difficult since I'm not training Parkour that often anymore. This place is a Wing Chun school, their teacher has been trained by no one less than the great grandmaster Ip Man. For those who don't know Wing Chun, it's the type of martial art that Bruce Lee performed.

The bird garden is definitly a place you have to see when visiting Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is the most crowded city in the world.

One piece of meat fell down, someone picked it up and put it back to the staple. It's recommanded to boil or grill these meats very well.

Australia - East coast

Sat, 26 Jul 2014 00:08:36 +0000

Within 3 weeks I’ve travelled the Australia East Coast. I’ve started in freezing cold Sydney and took a flight to Brisbane. From Brisbane I’ve travelled with the Greyhound buses up to Cairns and had a stop in Rainbow Beach (Fraser Island) and my favourite place Airlie Beach (Withsundays).

My personal highlight of this trip was the diving in the Great Barrier Reef. With Prodive, the biggest diving company in Australia, I’ve spent 2 days in the training center and 3 days on their boat with other divers. I accomplished the courses for the Open Water certificate which allows my to dive down to 18 meters and I also received the Adventure Diver certificate which allows my to dive down to 30 meters. This experience wasn’t cheap, but worth every penny. The scenery was absolutely astonishing, the colourful corals let you feel like you ended up on a another planet. Thanks to the experienced instructors (most of them have done over 2000 dives) I was able to see some rare creatures like a Lionfish, Elizabeth’s Chromodoris and a Manta Ray. Definitely a memory I’ll never forget.

This time I’ve added 2 more pictures to the usual 10, enjoy it:

Of course I got a picture from the Sydney Opera House. The hole building is like a big bathroom, the walls and roffs a covered with bathroom tiles.

A monument in Sydney Hyde Park. It's only beautiful there during the night time and evening.

I forgot about the name of thais plant. Our guide in the blue mountains described this pine as the most australish plant. It seeds only due to bushfires.

The three sister peaks are very popular for the a ablue mountain sightseen. What most tourists don't know is the funny fairy tale about these cliffs. Look it up on Google. It's worth it.

Koalas, they stink, don't do anything else than sleeping and eating. They're boring as fuck. But they're so cute <3 Look at him!

Le me doing a backflip on a dune in the most boring town on the east coat. People only go to Rainbow beach for a Fraser island trip.

You'll find this ship wreck on Fraser island. The interesting thing is the funny story about how this ship ended up here.

It's not cheap but an awesome adventure. The Fraser island are definitely worth seeing.

A beautiful morning in Cairns. This was the start of my 3 day Great Barrier Reef trip.

The withsundays, some say it's the most beautiful beach in Australia.

A gorgeous coral scenery at Flynn Reef - Tracey's Bommie.

Found him! Wasn't that difficult to find Nemo.

Summer break - my package list

Thu, 29 May 2014 15:37:08 +0000

In my last post I’ve showed my plans for the summer. This time I share my package list, hopefully you’ll appreciate it someday for your journey.

papers

travel

[ ] trip time table
[ ] flight time table
[ ] airline tickets
[ ] airline ticket copies
[ ] map
[ ] travel guide
[ ] list of emergency contacts

identity

[ ] passport
[ ] passport copy
[ ] ID card copy
[ ] driver license
[ ] diver license copy
[ ] travel agency ID card
[ ] travel agency ID card copy
[ ] australian visa form
[ ] australian visa approval
[ ] american visa form
[ ] american visa approval

health and insurance

[ ] vaccine ID card
[ ] vaccine ID card copy
[ ] alternative vaccine ID card
[ ] medical certificate scuba diving
[ ] medical certificate scuba diving copy
[ ] health insurance ID card
[ ] health insurance ID card copy
[ ] travel insurance documents
[ ] travel insurance card

reservations

[ ] vouchers
[ ] receipts

finance

[ ] travel cash card
[ ] credit card
[ ] debit card
[ ] USD cash

electronics and digital entertainment

photography

[ ] camera
[ ] camera charger
[ ] camera charger cable
[ ] camera SD card
[ ] camera GPS receiver
[ ] camera GPS receiver charger cable
[ ] camera lenses

generally

[ ] universal adapter
[ ] books
[ ] music
[ ] ipod

gopro

[ ] gopro
[ ] gopro charger
[ ] gopro cable
[ ] gopro SD card

computer

[ ] earbuds
[ ] laptop
[ ] laptop charger
[ ] external disk for backup

clothes and stuff

on the way

[ ] small sleeping bag
[ ] inlet sleeping bag
[ ] backpack
[ ] rain cover for backpack
[ ] small rucksack

traveling

[ ] water proof jacket
[ ] plastic bags to keep clothes dry
[ ] hiking pants
[ ] hiking boots

daily

[ ] pull-over
[ ] trainer pants
[ ] pairs of socks
[ ] underpants
[ ] trousers
[ ] shorts
[ ] tank tops
[ ] t-shirts

sports

[ ] trunks
[ ] micro texture towel
[ ] running shoes

necessaries

[ ] toothbrush
[ ] toothpaste
[ ] razor
[ ] deodorant
[ ] shampoo
[ ] sunblocker
[ ] dry shower papers

accessories

[ ] sun glasses
[ ] scissor
[ ] pocket knife
[ ] money belt
[ ] sandals
[ ] writing paper
[ ] pencils

medicine

[ ] malarone (malaria profilax)
[ ] diarrhea medicine
[ ] mosquito spray
[ ] pain killer
[ ] bandage set

Summer break

Thu, 29 May 2014 15:36:13 +0000

This summer I’m going to travel around the world. Based on the idea one month one country, I’ll visit Thailand/Malaysia, Australia and America.

Here on my blog I want to share this experience with you. I’ll show you how I’ve planned this trip, what I’m going to take with me and finally share my most favourite pictures of this journey.

Let’s start with the planning. To keep my notes, documents and thoughts together, I’m using Microsofts OneNote, it’s the perfect tool for this kind of task as it’s very easy to handle and is able store any kind of note.

In addition I save important documents such as vouchers or IDs in my OneDrive online storage, in case my document will be lost or stolen I still can retrieve them online.

In OneNote I’ve made a timeline with the most important events, stops and flights:

Based on this table my travel agency booked the flights and events. I was amazed that they could book the flights without an exception according to my table, I didn’t even had to rewrite it once.

I recommend to book the flights half a year before the first flight, otherwise it’s getting more difficult for the travel agency to book the flights you’ve asked for.