HI! WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHERE'RE YOU FROM?

I remember sitting in the common rooms of various hostels while getting asked these very questions. «Hi, my name's Claudio. I'm from Switzerland (no, not Sweden); 31 years old; junior high school teacher.» Although this kind of conversation often ended after a minute or so — fortunately —, I usually got to know people with fascinating stories, who share my passions.

Travel. It was nine years ago when I went backpacking for the first time (in three months across North America). Soon I realized that a combination of serious preparation with a touch of spontaneity, slowly going and adventure «off the beaten track» is the way to travel; the way to feel people, culture and nature in depth.

Photography. I've always loved the art of freezing a moment in time, but I still remember holding a single-lens reflex camera (SLR) for the first time in my hand. Seeing the red, orange and white rocks of Bryce Canyon [1] through the bright viewfinder, the creative possibilities and the very fast shutter fascinated me. So three years later I bought my own digital SLR equipment.

Thanks for visiting.