# Theodor ATW - Admin

Me: travelling, blogging and storytelling

- Site: https://www.theodoratw.com/

## Da Nang International Marathon 2025 – My first marathon

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/sports/2025/03/da-nang-international-marathon-2025-my-first-marathon/
- Published: 2025-03-24T06:47:44+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

I never thought I would be running a marathon around that time, it had been a dream
for me for many years but, between lack of time and a serious ankle injury, I had
hung up my running shoes since 2019.

I left my office job several months ago. During these months I have traveled far
and wide within Europe and South-East Asia. I have never stayed for more than four
days in the same place. The last country I visited was Laos. This last trip was 
tiring and, unfortunately also because of its known dangerousness due to the aftermath
of the Secret War, I experienced it as an average tourist, not as a real traveller.
It was time for a break and, perhaps, to enjoy the seaside for a while.

The closest states I was considering for this break were Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
So after researching a bit of information the choice was quite simple. While choosing
I was in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Geographically, the sea of Vietnam was 
the closest, so I bought for 30€ a ticket for a 24-hour trip on a night bus from
Vientiane to Da Nang. According to [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/), around Da Nang
there are some of the best beaches in Vietnam. When I arrive in Da Nang, after weeks
of dust, jungle and wild animals, I find a town that immediately makes me feel at
ease. I look for the cheapest hostel and start exploring.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-danang-1024x602.
jpg)

On my first evening in Da Nang, I started by exploring the city’s seafront. In the
distance, I noticed bright lights, music, and a lively crowd gathered around some
illuminated stands. Intrigued, I walked closer and discovered that it was the [Da Nang International Marathon](https://www.rundanang.com/).

Immediately, a thought crossed my mind: _“I’m not trained, but this year I spent
two months cycling across Europe with 50 kg of luggage and six months traveling 
the world with a 15 kg backpack on my shoulders. Along the way, I even tackled a
few mountain hikes, including the trek to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. Maybe I 
can manage a half marathon!”_.

Determined, I headed to the information booth, ready to sign up for the half marathon.
The girl at the counter greeted me with a smile and said, _“The 21 km race is sold-
out, we only have spots left for the 5 km or the full 42 km marathon.”_ I thanked
her with a wistful smile, telling her I’d think about it.

Forty-two kilometers sounded insane to me…

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-shoes-inside-
1024x1024.jpg)

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-shoes-1024x1024.
jpg)

I needed to test myself a bit before throwing myself into something out of the blue.
The next morning, I woke up and did a [5-kilometre run](https://www.strava.com/activities/13950259579)
trying to keep a 5:30 pace. What did I want to try? To stay light, when I travel,
I only bring with me one pair of shoes (the pair that I wear every day) and a pair
of flip-flops. This test was just to see if the shoes would give me problems while
running. They have been accompanying me on most of my adventures in the last three
years now. The soles are worn out, and the inner padding of each shoe has a huge
hole at the back but, despite all that, they passed the test.

I close my morning run well, without fatigue and without any particular pain. Back
at the hostel I exchanged a few messages with an experienced marathon runner and
several friends. Their support gave me the right motivation to sign up for the competition.
In the worst case scenario, I could have withdrawn while running…

On the evening of 22 March 2025 at 19:00 I went to the same stand saying: _“I would
like to register for the marathon”_. My inner self was hoping that the bibs were
already sold-out at that time… but the girl at the information point told me with
a bigger smile: _“You are very lucky! This is the last one!”_. Doh!!! That race 
bib was there waiting for me… I expressed my thoughts to her, filled out the various
forms, and completed the registration. I was registered!

While the girl passes me the bib and starts putting together the race kit, a guy
from the organisation comes up to look at my bib: _“oh, you’re running the 42 kilometers
run! We have never sold a marathon entry the night before the race, usually people
sign up months before”_. I didn’t know what to answer so I simply said, _“I didn’t
think I would sign up either! Now I must gear up for the race. I need shorts and
energy gels”_.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-inscription-1556x1556-
1-1024x1024.jpg)

_“What time does it start?”_ incredulous at my total cluelessness they look at me
and answer: _“At 3:00 a.m.!”_. I thank them, I bought the cheapest shorts I can 
find at a nearby stand together with three energy gels and I headed straight for
my hostel. By 9 p.m. I was in bed with an alarm clock at half past midnight. Would
three and a half hours of sleep have been enough for me?

---

## The alarm

Like a Swiss watch at 00:30 a.m. I wake up, try to figure out if I am alive or if
the images of my marathon entry were just a scary dream… nothing… the alarm clock
was going off and the bib was there looking at me already attached to my running
vest.

Without getting out of bed, I open a can of cold coffee, eat a brioche and drink
a half-litre bottle of water. A quick step into the bathroom and at 1 a.m. I started
my [3-kilometre walk](https://www.strava.com/activities/13959592661) from my hostel
to the start of the race.

Along the way, I met two other marathon runners who were much better prepared than
me. Walking with them was very helpful. Both of them explained to me that the real
marathon would start at kilometre 30 and that I would have to keep a very relaxed
pace (6:00 or 6:30) from the start in order to finish it.

Unfortunately, I underestimated this advice.

Reading on the Internet, I then discovered that there is the term “**[the marathon wall](https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/sports/2025/03/da-nang-international-marathon-2025-my-first-marathon/#the-marathon-wall)**,
which defines this point where the real test for a marathon runner’s physique begins.

---

## A bit of history

After arriving at the start, I couldn’t stop myself from chatting with the people
around me. Coincidentally, I started chatting with the organiser of the event who
proudly tells me that this is the 12th edition. This marathon was the first in Vietnam
to receive certification from the International Association of Marathons (AIMS) 
and the World Athletics Federation (IAAF) in 2014. Thanks to these certifications,
participants’ achievements are valid for entry into prestigious marathons such as
Boston, London, New York, Berlin, Chicago and Tokyo.​

[[

---

## Warm-up

All the athletes around me were starting to do stretches, Jumping Jacks and High
Knees. So, I pulled out all the knowledge I had accumulated from [my old Freeletics training plan](https://www.freeletics.com/t/103777686)
and sketched out a warm-up myself. In the meantime, the organisation also invites
everyone near the stage to do a structured warm-up all together.

Once the warm-up was over, the first thoughts of going back to the hostel to take
a shower and crawl into my bed crossed my mind. But nothing, I was in it now, so
let the dance begin!

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-morning-720x1024-
1.jpg)

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-start-720x1024-
1.jpg)

---

## Let’s go!

At 2:40 a.m., everyone gathers on the starting grid for the customary photos, and
at exactly 3:00 a.m., the marathon began! The weather was ideal, I was warm, my 
legs were running well, and I kept a 5:30 pace for the first 5 kilometers. The marathon
was very well organised with water and electrolytes points and food every 2 kilometers.

Every couple of refreshment points I took the opportunity to walk about thirty metres
to recover and drink before restarting with my pace. This was another great strategic
tip from my new friend Eric from Singapore, one of the two athletes who accompanied
me during the warm-up.

Mindful of my cycling trip, I was very careful to prevent energy depletion. Even
though I never felt the hunger pangs during the entire route, I took a piece of 
banana at each refreshment stop and ate a bite at a time while continuing to run.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathin-food-2048x1365-
1-1024x683.jpeg)

---

## The half marathon

The 21 kilometers were my goal, then I might as well have withdrawn from the competition.
The kilometers flow, I keep walking when I meet the refreshment stations and took
a few pee breaks. Despite this, I arrived at kilometre 25 in 2:24:48. I was maintaining,
without exerting myself, a pace of 5:47. In my opinion it was very good considering
my preparation.

Every now and then the 4 hours Pace Makers, were passing me during my refreshments
breaks and I was passing them right after. Pace Makers are the runners hired by 
the organisation who were beating the clock to who wanted to finish the marathon
within a specific time. They were surrounded by a dense group of athletes who kept
their pace, often to pass them I had to jump in and out of the road, or I had to
move onto elevated pedestrian paths on the side. These stresses on my legs were 
not a great strategy and were probably one of the causes of the overloading of my
joints at the end of the race.

I was not tired, my legs were spinning well, and my breathing was regular, not wheezing.
While running I also had a ten-minute chat with Nicoletta, a Ukrainian girl who 
then left me behind because she was more constant than me. In this chat she also
warned me: _“from kilometre 30 don’t think any more about the fact that you are 
running, focus on something you enjoy. Think of a holiday! I think about chocolate
for example. Remember, from there on, every kilometre is worth double. At that point
in order to cover one kilometer you will have to put exactly the same energy as 
you put to cover two kilometers now”_.

Inside I kept thinking: _“I feel everyone around me with breathlessness, I feel 
feet dragging on the ground, I am still fresh! What could possibly be so overwhelming
after kilometre 30?”_

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-half-1024x681.
jpg)

---

## But then…

I don’t know if I jinxed it with my swaggering thought just above, but at kilometre
26 my pace was heavily delayed by an obligatory break at the first ambulance.

For a few kilometers I had been trying to ignore a constant burning in my nipples,
but here it had become unbearable. I ran some more, keeping my shirt off the skin
with my hands. This prevented the friction of the fabric on my skin from aggravating
the situation. But by now even without rubbing, even just the air or drops of sweat
were burning my skin as if I had been hit by a lapillus that had just been ejected
from Mount Etna. I explained the problem to the doctor and lifted my shirt. Between
the hair and the sweat, it was impossible to put a plaster on, so he passes me some
cotton to try to dry the area around the nipple. When he lifts the cotton that he
had used to dab I saw his astonished face… I look at the cotton… it was soaked in
blood. I look him in the eyes and I said _“It’s ok!”_. I helped the doctor and nurse
place the band-aids and I started running again.

Nothing to do… after one kilometer the patches had already come off. The only drastic
solution, to be able to hold out for another 16 kilometers, was to take off the 
tank top. Fortunately, here in Vietnam, running shirtless does not lead to disqualification
from the race. I simply had to take care that the bib was always clearly visible.

My race continued. Was the suffering over?

---

## The marathon wall

Everyone had stressed to me from the start to stay very conservative until kilometers
30 and 32. From there on it would be all about the mind. There the real marathon
begins. I obviously didn’t listen to them because I like to experiment and test 
myself. I didn’t understand the problem, I didn’t feel it, I didn’t see it. Was 
this famous wall invisible?

### What is the marathon wall?

The marathon wall is a phenomenon experienced by many runners around the 30th-35th
kilometre of the race. It is identified with a sudden collapse of energy, fatigue
becomes unbearable, body and mind begin to collapse. There are also scientific explanations
for this event. The body begins to consume fat to generate energy, but this process
is much slower and less efficient. Typically, here the glycogen in the muscles and
liver is depleted, the body then becomes slower to generate the energy needed to
activate the muscles.

For me, it was slightly different. Thanks to the punctilious organisation of the
event, I arrived at kilometre 31 without difficulty. I was hydrated, never cramped,
never felt tired and thanks to the 3am start, the temperature was still more than
acceptable. I never had any energy or mental collapse.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-wall-1556x2048-
1-778x1024.jpg)

I know, it was no laughing matter, the last bridge had arrived. I tried several 
times to push again to run again but this image well represents the moment. I was
knocked out…

### What did happen to me?

The race analysis from Strava shows that I passed the wall at kilometre 31, I was
beginning to wonder if it really existed or if I was some kind of superhero. I kept
not seeing it… but at kilometre 32 it came. It was like I passed the wall without
seeing it but suddenly it was there! I didn’t see it, but I felt it crashing on 
my neck. I felt the hit of each of its bricks as it collapsed on my back. Probably
my bravado, flaunted all along the way, served as a binder to toughen the wall and
weigh down the blow on my physique.

[[

Why did I drastically slow my pace? I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t lacking in motivation,
I went through all the happy thoughts I could think of, from bike to friends, from
food to pussy, but nothing… I had a physical breakdown. Pain in my hips, a tendon
in my left leg started to get inflamed. The pain started from the middle of the 
shin bone and reached the back of the foot. They were constant pains that did not
subside in any way. I stopped to stretch, tried slowing down and resuming, but each
attempt only aggravated the situation.

The physical pain was severe, but I still tried to resume running several times.
When I accelerated my pace, it felt like my feet were gone. Each blow on the asphalt
was like a direct hammer blow on my tibia and fibula. It was as if my feet were 
no longer there and were no longer cushioning the blows I was receiving on my bones
with every step. Whatever rhythm I kept, just the swinging movement of my legs around
my hips caused me pain. It was as if the muscles in my groin, the joints and tendons
in my leg could give way at any moment.

Should I have given up? Maybe so. A very strong inflammatory process was underway.
Despite anti-inflammatories and massages, the tendon pain and swollen leg accompanied
me for five days after the race. I decided not to give up anyway and dragged myself
to the finish line walking in this condition. Sometimes I walked with my eyes closed
so as not to see the asphalt running underneath me and to try to isolate my thoughts
from the pain.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-suffering-2048x1365-
1-1024x683.jpg)

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-pain-2048x1365-
1-1024x683.jpg)

---

## The finish line

It took me 2 hours and 30 minutes to do those last 10 kilometers, looking at my 
GPS the kilometers did not increase, sometimes I looked at the display several times
and the distance I covered between peeks did not even increase by 100 metres. I 
was beginning to think that I would collapse on the road.

One step at a time, however, I arrive at what my GPS shows as kilometre 41. I try
to sketch a run… nothing…. I can’t. I’m really going to tear it up, but I’m almost
there! Seeing that number on the display was recharging me. Until a girl from the
organisation shouts at me, _“Come on!!! Two more kilometers and you’re there!”_ 
I stop, look at her smiling and say, _“my GPS says 1 kilometre… tell me you shot
a random number please_“. I received no reply but that last bit was truly eternal.

At the finish line many of the organisers applauded me and urged me to run the last
few dozen metres. I tried, I ran, I ignored the pains, I shook hands with the people
from the organisation who were waiting for me jubilantly at the finish line and 
then….

I never imagined that, crossing the finish line, a blockage would rise in my throat,
I never imagined that my eyes would swell up. But it happened, I cried…. I was ashamed
and immediately tried to hide my emotion. I walked a lot, I was slow, I was devastated
in my head I hadn’t done anything exceptional in my opinion. I am still amazed at
how finishing my first marathon, even though it went badly, was still such a strong
emotion that it overwhelmed me in the end.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-arrival-1024x683.
jpg)

[[

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-finisher.jpg)

> Thanks to the city of Da Nang
> and the entire organisation of theDa Nang International
> Marathonfor gifting me this unforgettable memory!

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/marathon-results-1024x547.
jpg)

L'articolo [Da Nang International Marathon 2025 – My first marathon](https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/sports/2025/03/da-nang-international-marathon-2025-my-first-marathon/)
proviene da [Theodor ATW - Admin](https://www.theodoratw.com/en).

## Can business and humanity coexist? Let’s talk about Adam Klęczar

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/people/2024/08/can-business-and-humanity-coexist-lets-talk-about-adam-kleczara/
- Published: 2024-08-08T09:34:00+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

Do you know that there is a story about a Polish entrepreneur that sacrificed his
earnings to sustain his employees? Despite the fact that I was a manager too, after
listening to that story I am more and more convinced that this world needs more 
entrepreneurs and fewer managers.

## How did I hear about this news?

To be honest, it was the news that reached me. During my bike packing trip from 
Berlin to Nordkapp, I rode across Poland by bike and I spent one night in a town
close to Bydgoszcz.

In this town I met a new friend called Piotr (Peter). Initially he was curious about
my bike setup, but then we discovered a lot of things in common between me and him:
we shared the same point of view on many topics, we had similar experiences in the
past, we are both hard-workers and we also had the same hair-cut at the time when
we met.

Our discussion was so extensive that he offered me a place where to sleep so that
we could chat a bit more. While mounting my tent in his garden, Piotr went to a 
supermarket nearby and he bought a couple of beers and some snacks. When he came
back, he told me that he was particularly proud of having bought a package of Paluszki
Beskidzkie. While opening the bread-sticks package he started telling me about a
piece of news that was less than one month old (June 2024). That story exemplifies
the pure soul of Polish people, the willingness to work hard and the unity of the
Polish nation.

Sadly this news was almost invisible outside of the country. I tried to search for
it on different search engines but I wasn’t able to find anything until I searched
for the keywords in Polish language: “Paluszki Beskidzkie ogień” (see external references
at the end of my article).

## What are the Beskidzkie Paluszki?

Beskidzkie Paluszki are snacks made of short, thin bread sticks with small grains
of coarse salt on top. Beskidzkie is the name of the brand that produces these snacks,
while Paluszki, literally means “sticks”. We have something similar in Italy commercialized
under different names and brands.

## Who is Adam Klęczar?

Adam Klęczar, born in 1963, a Polish entrepreneur with artistic soul. He learned
to play the piano to earn a living starting from the age of 14; from there he had
many different experiences until he opened his own first business in the 1980s. 
In 1993 he founded his current business, [beskidzkie.com](https://www.beskidzkie.com/),
the factory that produces the bread-sticks displayed in the side picture. With the
care of a good father, Adam grew his business slowly and steadily by purchasing 
new machineries, employing new people and extending the edges of his trade expanding
the distribution network from Poland to the whole Europe and then Russia, Africa,
USA and Canada.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20240807-Beskidzkie-portrait-
576x1024.jpeg)

## What happened?

The Polish factory of Beskidzkie sticks caught fire due to a short circuit during
a thunderstorm that happened in the night between 12 and 13 June 2024. No one was
injured but both industrial halls that composed the production plant and warehouse
were completely destroyed. Despite the intervention of more than 100 firefighters
that spent more than 40 hours to extinguish the fire, everything was destroyed.

As a consequence of this event Mr. Klęczar was forced to suspend the production 
of the famous sticks. The suspension of the production meant an immediate stop also
for the revenue of the company and Mr. Klęczar had to bear a lot of costs in order
not to fire any of his employees.

## Why did that episode become a national case in Poland?

The Polish entrepreneur was not discouraged by that, he communicated that despite
the stop of the production, none of the employees would have been fired.

He started immediately the work to restore the factory. Thanks to the support of
the local community the first hall of the production plant was fully restored by
mid-August 2024 and they restarted a part of the production.

## Why did the Beskidzkie Paluszki disappear from all supermarkets?

The information about the decision taken by the entrepreneur was quickly spread 
throughout the country and the whole of Poland started purchasing the Beskidzkie
Paluszki in order to support this good man in this difficult moment.

Listening to this story was really inspiring for me and this should be an example
for my country and the whole Europe too. I hope that spreading this news by translating
it into English and Italian will inspire also you to build a better world.

## Sources

 1. My Polish friend Piotr
 2. [gazetakrakowska.pl](https://gazetakrakowska.pl/paluszki-beskidzkie-znikaja-ze-sklepowych-polek-po-pozarze-w-firmie-aksam-to-reakcja-na-decyzje-wlasciciela-adama-kleczara/ar/c3-18692481)(
    in Polish language)
 3. [BusinessInsider.com.pl](https://businessinsider.com.pl/biznes/splonela-fabryka-paluszkow-biegly-zbadal-przyczyne-pozaru/7x8rq9j)(
    in Polish language)
 4. [beskidzkie.com](https://www.beskidzkie.com/o-nas/)

L'articolo [Can business and humanity coexist? Let’s talk about Adam Klęczar](https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/people/2024/08/can-business-and-humanity-coexist-lets-talk-about-adam-kleczara/)
proviene da [Theodor ATW - Admin](https://www.theodoratw.com/en).

## COVID-19 swab, life stories

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/stories/2020/07/covid-19-swab-life-stories/
- Published: 2020-07-18T10:42:26+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

It’s been a while since I wrote my last article, so I decided to take advantage 
of my latest experience to open an informational parenthesis on a topic that scares
many people: the COVID-19 swab.

Today I experienced this so much discussed swab in first person. I went to a hospital,
here in Italy, to verify the absence of contagion from coronavirus and to undergo
the so much discussed swab. I can’t deny that months of chattering and words heard
around it convinced me to search for any valid excuse to avoid this experience. 
This morning, while driving in the direction of the hospital, I was immersed in 
a sense of uneasiness that kept all other thoughts away from my head.

## At the hospital

Once in front of the hospital I explained to the nurse the reason for my visit. 
I carried out the usual checks, and she asked me to throw my mask away to wear a
new one before allowing me to access the structure. When we were done she directed
me towards the specimen collection center waiting room.

In the waiting room I queue at the information desk for acceptance while an elderly
man was starting to raise his voice with the nurse who was serving him saying “I’m
fed up! This is the third swab I do, the first two I made were positive but I’m 
fine, you have to proceed with my surgery! “.

“Great!” I start thinking to myself. To reduce the probability of contracting the
virus there I increased the social distances moving to a corner very close to a 
window.

When my turn came, I took all the forms for the various declarations and went back
again to my corner to fill them out. Between one check and another on the paper 
forms, my concentration was interrupted by strange human noises coming out of a 
room. Those moans and gagging made me slower in the compilation of the forms to 
take time. I reviewed my answers (a couple of times :D) and gave back the forms 
to the nurse who passed me the swab tube and showed me a door to wait for my turn.

After a few seconds another nurse went out of the door next to the one indicated
to me saying: “Who’s next?”. I absolutely didn’t have any urgency, so I ignored 
the request until another patient said to me: “Hey man, it’s your turn!”. Trying
to take time, I turn my head to the nurse saying: “Your colleague told me to wait
here, I’ll wait, you can call someone else.”

>  View this post on Instagram
>  [Coronavirus #swab #tampone #coronavirus . . #covid19 #ospedale #italia #hospital #italy #nurse #infermiera #racconti #documenti #indagini #check #diagnosi #torino #piemonte #italy](https://www.instagram.com/p/CCysUEeJ1EY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
> A post shared by [ Theodor ATW](https://www.instagram.com/theodor_atw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)(@
> theodor_atw) on Jul 18, 2020 at 10:37am PDT

The nurse looked at me and laughingly said: “For me you can wait your turn there
all day, but that’s a warehouse!”. The time had come, I had no more escapes, so 
I followed the nurse looking at the ground.

## The swab

I am stubborn by nature and, before sitting down, I asked the nurse what the exam
consists of and what I can do to shorten the examination time. The nurse explained
to me that feelings and reactions are subjective. The noises and retching of the
patient who preceded me were a psychological reaction rather than a physical stimulus.
The nurse noticed my tension related to all my questions so she advised me not to
worry because by remaining mentally relaxed our body is also less contracted and
less averse to the exam.

The swab is a plastic stick about 10 / 15 cm long and less than 2 mm in diameter
with a cotton swab on the tip. It is introduced into the nose to collect mucus samples
from the nasopharyngeal area (throat). The area where the mucus useful for the test
is taken would also be reachable from the mouth but passing through it would cause
gagging and vomiting.

The nurse’s responses were patient and comprehensive. I sit down, lower my mask 
and rely on her experience. She started introducing the swab into my right nostril,
and she told me to breathe in and started the insertion immediately. I felt a little
tickle and annoyance for the first 3 cm then I no longer felt anything while I saw
the stick disappear in my nose.

When she removed the swab I asked her if I could take a video for [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com)
but in the time that I brought my phone, unlocked it and activated the camera she
was already done with the left nostril too.

## Impressions

My experience was completely painless, I think it could become a routine since my
breath was much better after the examination.

Don’t be afraid of this exam and do it if you have any doubts about your health.
Contagions are decreasing in Italy but the virus has not been eradicated yet.

Waiting to be able to travel freely again, I wish you all good luck and remember
to stay safe!

L'articolo [COVID-19 swab, life stories](https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/stories/2020/07/covid-19-swab-life-stories/)
proviene da [Theodor ATW - Admin](https://www.theodoratw.com/en).

## The Bicycle

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/sports/2019/09/the-bicycle/
- Published: 2019-09-07T10:01:25+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

Most of us spent a first phase of our lives experimenting with this incredible mechanical instrument. The bicycle has taught us to achieve our goals and to overcome our fears. Do you remember when you removed the training wheels? How many scraped knees, how many falls! We are all still here, stronger and braver than ever. The bicycle is, on a small scale, the paradigm of our life. At the beginning we were supported by our parents. Growing up we had to abandon some of our supports to try to gain some autonomy. We made mistakes, we fell down, and we got up again! Each time learning the lesson and refining our technique. Commitment and mental order The bicycle has taught me that you should never stop if you want to maintain a proper balance in your life. How many times I wanted to say: “It’s finished! I’ve arrived!” How many times have I heard friends saying: “Another hairpin and then it will be smooth!”, “We are almost on the top!” and then I kept pedaling for hours going up on endless climbs. All this helped me to grow up, helped me to set goals and reach them. In the most difficult moments of my life the bicycle helped me to reflect. Before the exams, after a discussion and when I felt discouraged, jumping on the saddle has always helped me to put my ideas in order. Sometimes rotating pedals was like turning on a blender inside my head. A blender that moves all my doubts, awakens all my thoughts and, when it stops, everything is clear and ordered more than ever. View this post on Instagram Back in time #bianchi #bianchibicycles #oldtimer #garden #bike #spring #flowers #active #tourism #field #green #nature #life #amazing #picoftheday #launch #launchtime #pause #instagood #cute #photooftheday #relax #igers A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Apr 29, 2016 at 5:45am PDT The origins After the first experiences with the various baby bikes, I discovered the pleasure of reaching new destinations, only with my effort and my commitment, thanks to one of the people who inspired me the most in my childhood. This person conveyed to me his enthusiasm and his positivism as well as his passion for this great sport. First rides in parks near my parents’ home and the first excursions on the mountains were a great suffering, but everything was rewarded by the satisfaction of the adventure, once back home. Only with time, patience, training and the first few races, suffering has decreased and satisfaction has grown. Why keep going? At that time I thought that, as soon as I would be able to drive a motorbike, I would have abandoned the bicycle. In reality, over time I realized that my destiny was written and I would remain poor for the rest of my life and I would have to keep pedaling forever. LOL! That’s not true … In 1996 my first rigid GT Bicycle accompanied me for about three years, until in 1999 my first front-suspended bicycle arrived, a Scott Comp Racing that I recently saw in the basement of a house near Bolzano. Since then, I have never stopped, partly out of passion, partly out of habit and partly for the wonderful crew that I have always met thanks to this sport. View this post on Instagram Discovering that new land and finding some similitudes with my homeland: I will call it Moncuni² #morenica #serradiivrea #scottbikes #shimano #magura #xtr #ridingday #autumnleaves #winter #duke #rockshox #fifeteenyearsoldbike #bike #mtb #forest #wood #leaves #chain #moncuni #piugrande #gravel #gravelbike A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Dec 3, 2016 at 3:56am PST Friends Thanks to the bicycle I met some wonderful people. I have beautiful groups of friends that are still present and resist me despite my long absences and my lonely periods. A few years ago, chatting with one of my fellow cyclists, along one of those interminable climbs, where we chat and look at the front wheel to not think about how many kilometers are still missing. At a certain point he looked at me and said, “You know what I like about this sport Teo? I like the fact that negative people don’t go so high only by their own sweat.” That sentence made me think a lot and I can only agree with it. Bicycle, which kind? Obviously, if you have read this far you will have understood emotionally what the bicycle is for me. If we talk about the discipline instead, today the bicycle has hundreds of nuances. Which of these nuances interest me? Mountain Bike – Cross Country Mountain Bike – Enduro Mountain Bike – Downhill Gravel Road bike Snowscoot I have recently discovered the pleasure of the e-bike, which I associate much more with an ecological enduro dirt-bike than a bicycle, but even this discipline gives great satisfaction, with the help of technologies. View this post on Instagram Ocio che Scott . . . #scottgeniuslt #scottbikes #mtb #lovescottbikes #scott #weekend #saturday #bike #mountainscape #mountainbike #scottbikes A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Jun 2, 2018 at 6:24am PDT View this post on Instagram Trenino A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 20, 2017 at 6:03am PDT View this post on Instagram Holiday day 4: Ready to go! #maxiavalanche #maxiavalanche17 #cervinia17 #cervinia #plateaurosa #tivogliobenedenver #denver #dragon #acannone #srslyfuncontest #coccodrillo #porcodrillo #porcodillo #crocodile A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Jul 29, 2017 at 11:49pm PDT View this post on Instagram My UPTO . . . . . #ridingday #pto #upto #ridingaround #scottbikes #scottsumin @bikeonscott @scottsports @scott_sumin @scottbikes @scottbikes_offical #roadbike #roadbiking #ontheroad #biellese #broglina #visititaly #awesome #fall #autunno #autumn #colors #nofilter A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Oct 13, 2017 at 9:20am PDT View this post on Instagram Day ride in Prato Nevoso, Artesina and Frabosa . . . #snowscoot #snowscootworld #freesnowscoot #dayride #adayride #mountains #snowscootisnotacrime A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Jan 28, 2018 at 6:10am PST And then… I am getting older… LOL! View this post on Instagram #Genius E-Ride 2019 #testing one of the #trail of #Scott on #Tour 2018 in #Turin A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Sep 22, 2018 at 2:05pm PDT View this post on Instagram Good! Her #training was enough to support #me Now I can express my #opinion about #ebikes… #staytuned! . . #oropa #santuariodioropa #biella #biellese #rideonscott #eride #bonciboncipopopooo A post shared by Theodor ATW (@theodor_atw) on Mar 24, 2019 at 7:00am PDT L'articolo The Bicycle proviene da Theodor ATW - Admin.

## My #BookingHero

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/stories/2017/11/my-bookinghero/
- Published: 2017-11-25T18:39:00+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

Booking.com asked all of its frequent travelers to tell something about someone 
that we can define a [#BookingHero](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BookingHero). Close
to the end of this 2017 I can state who won my personal [#BookingHero](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BookingHero)
contest for this year.

This call to action shouted by [Booking.com](https://join.booking.com/r/d/e7f3511d?lang=en-gb)
made me think about positive actions made by others. It brought my memories to several
moments that I lived during business and leisure trips.

It seems a strange fact, but I met my [#BookingHero](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BookingHero)
during one of my business trips, destination Mumbai.

If you are interested, you can read more about it here: Visiting Mumbai.

## The trip

I visited that incredible city between fear and curiosity during my business trip
in January.

My opinion once back is that Mumbai is one of the cities that all citizens of the
world should visit due to the big variety of colors, people, food and interesting
places that you will find during your journey there.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit all the city but only some
key-places that we faced while moving from the airport to the hotel and while moving
for business commitment.

Anyway, I’m happy that I didn’t visit all the city because now I have a reason to
come back.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20170118-IBEX-576x1024.
jpg)

## The story

Once landed at the airport, we met a colleague employed by the local branch of our
company. He drove us to the Hotel, and he immediately saw our enthusiasm in asking
about places that we crossed during our path. Due to his altruism, he allowed us
to have a fast tour of the city and take some pictures. Thanks to him now my photo
gallery shows me pictures of places like the historical train station, Bandra-Worli
Sea Link the bridge that allows people to cross the city without being stuck in 
the traffic of the city-center, the Hotel [Taj Mahal Palace](https://www.instagram.com/p/BPYHJwiDk34/)
and the symbol of the British colonialism: the Gateway of India.

All that happened a few days before my birthday. I was happy to be there, but that
was my first birthday away from my close friends and my family, and this fact made
me sometimes a bit sad.

Then my birthday came and someone worked to make it a special day.

Early in the morning, instead of receiving a classic wake-up call on my room’s phone,
a Hotel employee knocked at my door. I was still sleepy and unconscious about the
current date, time and place, but I woke up and opened the door.

I didn’t realize immediately what was happening, an Indian guy was in front of me
with a bouquet of red roses. I watched him and I said “No, thanks…” while closing
the door.

I was smiling alone and thinking that I had to tell my friends about this episode
once back home when I heard the guy knocking again at my door. When I opened the
door again, I saw his eyes full of apologies and his mouth telling me “Happy Birthday,
Sir!”.

Only at that point I realized that the roses were a gift from the hotel for my birthday,
and he was not trying to sell them to me. I thank him for the gift, then close the
door and prepare myself for my long working days.

The day continued as good as possible with some convivial moments during lunch and
dinner together with my colleagues from Italy, India, Germany and United Kingdom.

At the end of this long day, we walked back to our hotel and here…

## The surprise

In the elevator of the Hotel I was thinking about all good things that happened 
to me during the day, places I visited, interesting business people that I met and
over…

Once in my room I found the biggest surprise: [Poonam Pandey](https://twitter.com/iPoonampandey)!

[⌊Poonam Pandey⌉⌊Poonam Pandey⌉[

Ahahahahah! No… I’m joking! I met Poonam at the airport while coming back to Italy.

The last surprise of the day was made by the General Manager of [Trident Bandra Kurla](https://www.tridenthotels.com/hotels-in-mumbai-bandra-kurla)
that delivered to my room on a small table a Sacher cake with Happy Birthday on 
it, a package of candles, wooden matches, a couple of dishes and cutlery to share
it.

![](https://www.theodoratw.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/bookinghero_mumbai-1024x576.
jpg)

I really appreciated this gift and for this reason I decided to give him the prize
for my personal [#BookingHero](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BookingHero) contest 
for this 2017 that is coming to the end.

I will keep his handwritten letter with his wishes between my good memories.

Thanks,  [#BookingHero](http://booking-hero.com/) [@bookingcom](https://www.booking.com/s/35_6/8e5657d1)

L'articolo [My #BookingHero](https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/stories/2017/11/my-bookinghero/)
proviene da [Theodor ATW - Admin](https://www.theodoratw.com/en).

## Zakynthos: places, stories and suggestions

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/travels/2017/08/zakynthos-places-stories-and-suggestions/
- Published: 2017-08-14T06:55:41+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

Zakynthos island, also known as Zante, was the destination of my holiday in August 2017. Most of you will have already seen the picture of the Navagio beach or at least heard of it. Despite the island’s reputation, it was not easy for me to find a good overview of what to do once I’ll be arrived here. I will try to be quite exhaustive regarding the fundamental notions. I will skip some subjects on purpose, if you have any doubts you can contact me here. Let’s start with a brief introduction to the Island, then I’ll give you some suggestions about accommodation, places and activities. Some highlights about this article: Short history Basic information Overview Food Lodging Transportations Tours Places to see Sports Conclusions Short history The island is located in the Mediterranean Sea, in the archipelago of the Ionian Islands, in the western part of Greece. Populated since the Neolithic, the first literary traces of Zante are within the Homeric poems. Among the various historical events, certainly the most evident today, is the colonization by the Venetians from 1484 to 1797. There are many signs of the passage of this people: its nickname, “To fiore tou Levante” (“The flower of the Levant”) the presence of typical Venetian architecture. It was nice to get lost in the city of Zakynthos, and in other inhabited centers, observing historical buildings present allover the island Many Italians also know this island for the Pre-Romantic sonnet written by Ugo Foscolo in 1803: To Zakynthos. Today Zante is a popular tourist destination for its sea, its beaches, its marine fauna and, among the youngest, the low-cost alcoholic beverages in Laganas. View this post on Instagram When I was a child I didn't like swimming around cliff with blue deep water. Scuba diving spread to me that awesome world that everyone must see once in life. #scubadiving #wiseman #discoverworld #againstyourfear #nofear #sea #stairwaytoheaven #bluesea #naturelover #nature #stairs #ship #zante #zantetour #visitzante #zacinto #zakynthos #zakynthos2017 #zakynthos17 A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 2:21pm PDT I don’t want to copy long and boring texts from books or other internet sites. If you want more in-depth news, here you will find some links that can help you. The Wikipedia page, useful to learn more about history. The map will help you locate the island geographically, while the suggested website offers a good selection of information regarding the island. Basic information Before we getting into on our new journey, there are few basic things to know about Zante: Drink ONLY water from sealed bottles. Most hotels offers large water dispensers, like those you can find workplaces. DO NOT drink water from those distributors, it is marine water purified on the island and not drinkable for tourists Respect the animals! Allover the islands you will find small wooden structures that protect the turtles’ eggs. These animals lay their eggs on all the sandy beaches of the island and it is important to preserve them. This note could seem obvious, but when I met the first turtle from the boat that I rented together with other friends, it was really amazing watching her swimming below us. I recommend visiting the Turtle Center / Museum, to better understand how to respect them and how to avoid small actions that can damage their life. Waste your rubbish inside trash-bins, unfortunately this beautiful island is very polluted due to the rubbish left everywhere. Why don’t you try to leave it as clean as or, why not, better than you will find it! View this post on Instagram Marathonisi is too crowded by mass tourism. Frightened turtles goes away but we found them anyway #bluesea #turtle #nature #naturephotography #naturelover #zante #zacinto #zakynthos #zakynthosplaces #zakynthos2017 #zakynthosisland #secretplace #turtlepower #ninjaturtles A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 7, 2017 at 10:55am PDT Overview Two faces of the island: what? Yes, Zante offers two different faces: Relax, nature, beaches and landscapes Nightlife and low price (and quality) alcoholics Depends on your choose. You can easily see only one of the two faces just explained. Party nights If you prefer nightlife (I am talking to young people from 16 to 26) just go to Laganas! In this real Land of Toys, you will easily find all kinds of nightlife fun. I found a lot of posts of pub and discos offering cocktails for 2.00€ and shots for 0.50€. The quality of alcohol is very low and, looking on the internet, there are many articles that tell of kids being intoxicated by strange cocktails sold here. So have fun, but watch what you drink. On the peninsula to the east of Laganas and south of the city of Zakynthos town, many beaches offer evening and all-day entertainment. If you can’t stay without a drink and music on the beach, you’ll probably find something interesting here. View this post on Instagram Land of perdition #almostfreealcohol#alcolici #prezzi #zante #zacinto #zakynthosplaces #zakynthos2017 #zakynthos #laganas #likeibiza #ibiza #greece #shoot #cocktails A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 7, 2017 at 4:27pm PDT Regenerating calmness If you came here looking for a relaxing vacation, sun, sea and nature, I recommend you to wake up early and visit wild places almost everywhere outside Laganas. The South-West. In the Keri area, it’s possible to rent a boat to reach the island of Marathonissi, various bays and the neighboring beaches. In the port area there are a couple of diving, for those interested in exploring the seabed. If you prefer to stay on the land, I recommend Keri sunset, for a drink, during the colorful sunsets. The strip of land on the South-East, offers long sandy beaches like Gerakas, Dafni and other points of interest. The East coast, starting from Tsilivi, passing through Xigia and bring us to the North with its Blue Caves passing by long beaches, coves and thermal waters surrounded by a crystalline sea. To the North West you will find Navagio, the famous shipwreck beach! Going down the West coast, there are many bays to visit, Porto Vromi, is one of these. I have visited many of these coves just passing through because they are a little awkward to reach. Remember to well check distances before leaving your hotel because there is no road that follows the coast and the journey may become quite long. View this post on Instagram Windmill in Korithi #windmill #wind #zante #korithi #zacinto #zakynthos17 #zakynthos2017 #greece #visitzante #bluesky #windyday #dayout #explore #roadtrip #video #loop #mill #ilmulino #mulinoavento A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 2:12pm PDT Plan you trip I would suggest you to divide your exploration over at least five days: First thing when you arrive, visit the South-East area and the city of Zakynthos. Here you can buy tickets for the coming day A boat trip around the island sounds like a good suggestion to me. This is the best way to see places where to go in the following days The East-Coast and the North The West-Coast The South-West and the Keri area Food There are many good quality restaurants in Zakynthos. Fish and other Greek specialties will be at your disposal at reasonable prices for lunch and dinner. I recommend you to search on TripAdvisor for local restaurants, I have always relied on this tool and it didn’t disappointed me. The typical local dishes are similar to those of the rest of Greece: yogurt, cheese, salads, meat, fish, etc … I was lucky because, the village where I stayed, often prepared spit and other types of meat. In another situation I would not resist to restaurants that offer the skewered meat. Fish dishes are obviously another specialty. I tasted some local fish dishes for lunch at Dafni and it worthed the price. Dishes I choose had a great attention to presentation and flavor. The bill was a bit more expensive than average but justified by the quality and location of the restaurant. View this post on Instagram Sweet or salty breakfast? OK, both… A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 10, 2017 at 7:06am PDT Lodging As in all tourist destinations, there is a multitude of different accommodation type available. There are many hotels and most of them offer all-inclusive packages. Make some consideration about what type of vacation you are looking for before booking the hotel. By reading the introduction part of this article you will have targeted which area to choose and which formula to use. Regarding the type of treatment, consider that a meal in a restaurant is generally cheap and if you want to visit the island you will often have lunch outside of your hotel. B&Bs are available almost everywhere, even in less crowded areas. They are not advertised as mush as in Croatia or Cuba, so I recommend using AirBnb or Homeway. The island also offers facilities for camping enthusiasts. Then the more adventurous, while I was walking in search of a rock where I could lay on the sun, I noticed some tourists making free camping. In this case I can’t tell you whether it’s allowed or not. My choice: my consideration was that I was on a relatively small island, so I booked at the all-inclusive Keri Village & Spa resort. It is not a luxury resort, but offers everything you need for a good staying. Normally I would have chosen other types of accommodation. In this case I felt comfortable here, despite if I spent most of the time outside the village and did not make full use of all available services and the all-inclusive formula. View this post on Instagram Waiting for the return flight A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 10, 2017 at 7:27am PDT Transportations Offers to visit the island flourish almost everywhere between shops and kiosks. There are tour packages for tours  or there are many car and motorcycle rental agencies. Are you looking for freedom and a quietness, away from the crowd, renting your own conveyance will be the best solution. Cars The car was my first choice as a conveyance. Looking at the period it is generally not recommended renting a scooter due to the many careless drivers. In August here, as in all the Mediterranean islands, it is difficult to find a car to rent and when you will find it, it will be really expensive. After about an hour of internet searches and phone calls, I was able to book a car at a price I thought was appropriate. I went to the rentals to pay and collect the car, but when I saw the bill it was much more expensive than agreed without any valid explanation. I gave back the bill and I decide not to pick up the car and go back into my research. Scooter After the car experience, walking around Keri Beach, I found a good guy who rent cars and scooters. He had finished the cars too, so he offered me an Aprilia SR 125 in very good conditions. After some negotiation I closed the deal. Unlike many others, he told me that I had no limitations on places to visit. The only flaw of that lease was that it was not possible to activate a Kasko on the vehicle. The guy managed to convince me by giving me a couple of simple tips to preserve the scooter: pay attention to where you park and drive carefully (the road is generally in an acceptable condition but in some places it is easy to slip away). Driving the scooter, I found myself a couple of times having to counter-position to recover the rear wheel that, suddenly, slid on the asphalt of the turns most frequented by work vehicles. Despite some thrills like that, I rode the SR for 7 days without any problems. If you decide to rent one, drive carefully and slow down before entering into turns. Quads Most tourists rent quads. They are more stable than scooters, safer and even more fun. They have only a small contraindication: they are extremely slow … View this post on Instagram PS Tsilivi to Xigia with Aprilia SR 125 #aprilia #sr125 #apriliasr #moped #hyperlapse #timelapse #provaspeciale #ps1 #zacinto #zante #zakynthos #zakynthosplaces #zakynthos2017 #zakynthosisland #road #racetrack #beautiful #tsilivi #xigia A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 8, 2017 at 4:56am PDT Tours Usually I prefer to move independently, to explore the less traveled and less crowded areas. As already mentioned, in this journey I broke some of my rules. In Zakynthos organized tours have their usefulness, they allowed me, by investing a day in the boat, to steal all the information I had not found on the internet. I booked a tour all around the island, from a kiosk that I found while walking in the port of Zakynthos town. This was the only tour package I bought: too many people on the ship and too little space. It was however a good starting point to understand the morphology of the island. Boat trip I think that you have already understood from the introduction to this section, I’ve also been into this crowded adventure. I boated from the port of Zakynthos aboard the Top Cruiser boat to circumnavigate the island. The journey lasted all day, from 9:30 am to 5:15 pm and we visited all the major beaches and caves of the island. When I was back I had a clear view about which areas was worth to visit in the following days. Glass bottom Typical tour offered almost everywhere. It consists of boats with glass bottoms, these boats allow you to observe the seabed without having to dive. I preferred to snorkel and dive in the Keri Caves, otherwise this would have been a great alternative. If you are interested in the tour, the link below refers to the website of the agency that I used to book my tour: View this post on Instagram The Pearl is partying hard #jacksparrow #pirates #piratesofthecaribbean #galeone #barca #ship #party #night #nightout #harbour #partyhard #playhard #zante #zacinto #zakynthos A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 5, 2017 at 11:29am PDT Places to see Zakynthos offers many spectacular places to visit, I had the pleasure of visiting most of them from different perspectives. I drove the scooter to the top of the highest peaks, I landed in the boat on the most beautiful beaches and, as a diver, I explored the seabed. When I was riding the scooter, I set myself two main goals: Navagio and Xigia. The rest of the time my exploration method was: point the finger randomly on the map and go. If the path offered something interesting, I just stopped the time needed to appreciate it and ride again. I had guidelines learned during the boat tour but, even if I had traveled randomly it would have been difficult to make mistakes. Of all the goals, these are the ones have remained the most impressed in my memory. Landscapes I am obliged to start from here and the image below will make you understand why. In addition to beaches, crystal clear sea and nature, Zakynthos offers fantastic landscapes to admire. First among all… Navagio (The Shipwreck Beach) Originally it was called Agios Georgios and many say that it is the most beautiful beach in the world. I don’t know if it is the most beautiful in the world but it is certainly the most photographed one! The name of the beach came from the ship wreck that lay on it. It is a cargo ship, coming from Turkey in 1980 and stranded in a shoal during a storm. The information about the wreck and its crew are not certain because, after the accident, the crew disappeared, leaving the ship and its cargo of smuggled cigarettes and alcohol. Originally the beach was not so extensive, the location of the wreck reduced action of the sea on the overhanging cliffs. Thanks to this fortuitous barrier, the debris quickly accumulated, giving rise to this very white beach and its blue water. The Wikipedia description is much more comprehensive than mine. If you are looking for more information: View this post on Instagram Me suspended on one of the most famous place on the world #shipwreckbeach #shipwreck #me #feet #vertigini #extreme #gopro #zante #zacinto #zakynthosplaces #zakynthos2017 #zakynthos #zakynthos17 #summer17 #summer2017 #bluesea #epic #wonderfulplace #beautifulday #beautifuldestinations A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 8, 2017 at 11:50am PDT The Blue Caves The same as Navagio, is another place to visit from different perspectives: land and sea. Coming from the sea you will appreciate the prominence of the caves and its blue water. If instead you reach the caves from the land, passing through Korithi, the landscape you will find will be wonderful. You have to see it for yourself!   The Keri Gulf Regarding the Keri area, I appreciated the fact that it was wild and not very crowded. Here you will find everything you need to spend a great stay away from the frenzy of the nightlife centers: sea, restaurants, hotels and breathtaking landscapes. I recommend reserving at least one day, renting a boat to sail the surrounding sea and then ending at the Keri Sunset viewpoint, in the mountains behind the old city. Keri Caves I visited the Keri Caves from the cliffs, from the boat and from underwater during my scuba dive. Regarding the boat trip and swimming from the cliffs, in the whole west part of Keri Beach the sea is wonderful and every inlet is a good place where to swim. View this post on Instagram When I was a child I didn't like swimming around cliff with blue deep water. Scuba diving spread to me that awesome world that everyone must see once in life. #scubadiving #wiseman #discoverworld #againstyourfear #nofear #sea #stairwaytoheaven #bluesea #naturelover #nature #stairs #ship #zante #zantetour #visitzante #zacinto #zakynthos #zakynthos2017 #zakynthos17 A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 2:21pm PDT Keri Sunset Ending the day admiring the Keri Sunset is well spent time. Located a few hundred meters after the Keri Lighthouse, from the top of these cliffs you can admire the sunset. (My picture is awful, live it’s much better)   View this post on Instagram Ciao Zante! See you next time, thanks for friends, turtles, landscapes and beautiful sea! Take care!!! #ciao #seeyou #kerisunset #keri #sunset #seascape #landscape #sunset #tramonto #takecare #wonderfulplace #beautifuldestinations #holiday #summer #sun #sky #zante #zacinto #zakynthos A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 2:29pm PDT Beaches Although you will hardly find undeserving beaches, here below I list some that in my opinion it’s worth to see. Xigia Famous for its thermal waters rich in sulfur, it is one of the best places that I recommend to see on the island. In addition to the thermal waters, my cycling spirit was captured by the wheel shot in my picture. A cable car, used by the owners of the bar above the beach, to deliver fresh drinks, food and ice creams to bathers. Marathonissi Also known as Turtle Island due to its shape and ease of finding turtles in the nearby. This small island has a large sandy beach and other small gravel-covered coves. I didn’t land on the islet because of the crowd, I decided to circumnavigate it and head towards the Caves Keri. Anyway it is nice to see! Here we saw a turtle swimming below our boat. Awesome! View this post on Instagram It's time for a ride also on holiday @scott_sumin #engineering #bicycle #xigia #xigiabeach #beach #summer2017 #summer17 #zante #zacinto #zakynthos #bluesea #sea #beautifulbeaches #beautifulplaces #wonderfulplace #beautifuldestinations A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 8, 2017 at 5:31am PDT Dafni The stop in Dafni lasted more than half day. One thing you need to know if you go here by car: you have to pay for the parking. Once parked the scooter int he Italian way, without paying the park, in the shade of a tree, I started walking along the beach. Here the sea is not very deep and it is possible to walk in the water even tens of meters from the shore. After the long walk, I choose a small restaurant that offers fish specialties and had lunch there. I enjoyed lunchtime, the staff was very friendly and the bill was slightly above the island average but justified. Gerakas Located on the tip of the peninsula, south of the city of Zakynthos, this fine sand beach won the TheodorATW award for the most beautiful beach on the island. Today it is shown abandoned to itself, you can see the signs of its glorious past. The lifeguard stations, ruined by time, are unsafe. The only form of hospitality is a boy who, in a corner of the beach, rents sun beds and umbrellas. Perhaps also thanks to the decrease in human presence, this is still the turtle’s favorite beach. Hundreds of them come here to lay their eggs. When you decide to visit it, remember to respect wild animals and pay attention to the small wooden structures that protect the eggs! View this post on Instagram Everyday we see pictures of beautiful dishes. That was too good, I wasn't able to wait for eat it #fishrestaurant #zante #zacinto #foodporn #nakeddish #naked #fork #knife #dish #restaurant #holidays #holiday #food #fish #swordfish #afterlunch #igfood #foodie A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 7:47am PDT Navagio (Shipwreck Beach) We have already told the story of the beach, now, once landed on it, has come the time to break the magic. Probably you didn’t note my observation regarding the most beautiful or most photographed beach in the world, in my previous paragraph about this beach. There is a reason behind this small detail. My practical spirit downgraded the beach after walking on it. Beautiful colors and spectacular appearance from above, but its composition makes it quite uncomfortable when crossed barefoot. In fact, it is not composed of a very fine white sand, as one would expect, but of billions of pebbles, often annoying and sharp. So, if you get there, don’t forget your thongs! View this post on Instagram The "Shipwrek Beach" seen from the sea. There is a piece of Italy in all stories. #mafia #contrabbando #sigarette #droga #alcolici #shipwrek #zante #zacinto #zakynthos #shipwrekzante #shipwrekbeach #beach #beautifulbeaches #beautifulplaces #italy #sgamati A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 5, 2017 at 11:38am PDT Other palces We’ve finished talking about everything I’ve found positive. Let’s see what I’ve forgotten. Vromi, Roxa and Limnionas harbors This chain of coves, part of the west coast of the island, was the last one that I explored. All three places listed in the title are natural harbors. Here the crystal clear water and the cliffs from which to dive will be the focus of your day. In my case, the thing I appreciated most was driving the scooter along the road that connects these ports with the rest of the island. Then I stopped just few minutes each one.   Tsilivi Beach To conclude this overview about various places that I visited, I will also talk about this place that I appreciated a bit less. Tsilivi Beach is a long sandy beach that is located near the town of Tsilivi. It was one of the milestones that I marked on my map but then I just passed through here. I just spent few minutes in the center and a peek at the beach. I didn’t even get off the scooter and left at the next stage. It was not the kind of beach I was interested in… many nearby accommodations, equipped beaches, amusement parks and too many people. View this post on Instagram PS2 road to Porto Vromi #nofilter #pov #onboardcam #apriliasr #aprilia #portovromi #roadtrip #zantetour #zante #zakynthos2017 #zakynthos17 #zacinto #sunset #driving #riding #riderlife #ridingday #asphalt #timelapse #timeflieswhenyourehavingfun #onboard #cam #greece #grecia #ps2 A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 9, 2017 at 12:48am PDT Sports I know, we’re on vacation, but I can’t stay on the beach without doing anything all holiday long. Even riding across the island all day on my scooter, gives me a sense of dissatisfaction. I need to do some sport, so here’s what I invented. Scuba Dive Most dive sites are located in the south of the island. On Dafni beach there is a diving for beginners, they offered me a dive at 6m depth which I kindly refused. So I don’t know about the quality of this 6meters sandy dive. I dived close to Keri Beach. There are two diving centers, the largest is a bit far from the harbor and it is run by Germans. I chose the smaller one on the Keri Beach harbor. I found it good despite being a lot less crowded than the other one. The guide was really careful and well managed a panic moment of a girl who dived with us. The only less positive point is the equipment, it can be improved, the dispenser that I rent was a bit mushy. My dive was pretty at a landscape level, we swam along an endless wall that was disappearing into the abyss. Regarding the inhabitants of the seabed instead I was not very satisfied. The sea has been plundered by unregulated fishing for years, only recently the action of fishermen has been limited. When I immersed myself, the population of the seabed was comparable in variety to the Avigliana Lakes. Cycling Zante is a gym suitable for road bikes and KoM lovers. If you ride there, I advise you to pay attention to the imperfections of the asphalt and ride your bicycle in the morning when the most crazy people are still sleeping. I enjoyed landscaped and steep climb, so I’d like to come back here to do some bike rides in the future. Obviously a complete kit to repair basic mechanical failures and punctures is a must, along with food and water. Running Sometimes, early in the morning, I went for a run on the hills between Keri Beach and Keri Town. It was around 6:30 / 7:00 a.m. but the sun was already heating the ground. I was lucky because most of my run was a dirt path that ran through olive trees and their shadow was strong enough to freshen my morning run. View this post on Instagram All today's #crew #behind #me #diving #divingday #underwater #scubadiving #scuba #scubadiver #scubapro #mares #cressi #watersport #explore #zante #greece #zacinto #zakynthos A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 4, 2017 at 3:17pm PDT Base Jumping One of the main attractions of the island is Navagio (The Shipwreck Beach), looking for photos and videos of this beach, YouTube (which knows my tastes better than me…) suggested me a series of adrenaline videos. In that way I discovered that Navagio is the Base Jumper‘s paradise. Browsing through this long list, I discovered a last video where, thanks to the shape of the cliff overlooking the beach, a group of Base Jumpers made a still visible installation for the Rope Base Jumping. Reverse yourself 7 minutes to watch this video and see what I am talking about! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqy0Uvw_bFU I did not contact the authors of the movie to ask how to do this and try this exciting experience. Go to their site for more information. Conclusions In conclusion, if you missed or got bored in my words: Zante is an island that is pleasant and easy to navigate Greek cuisine is also valid for an Italian Tourists are respected, it can therefore be considered a safe destination, always using common sense Zakynthos is one of those places that we all have to visit at least once in our lives, just remember my suggestions and you will surely live an unforgettable journey. I can only tell you: “Have fun!” L'articolo Zakynthos: places, stories and suggestions proviene da Theodor ATW - Admin.

## Scuba Diving

- Link: https://www.theodoratw.com/en/articles/sports/2014/09/scuba-diving/
- Published: 2014-09-26T10:59:46+00:00
- Author: Theodor ATW

And the fear of the water Scuba Dive experience? I’ve never felt comfortable in aquatic environments. After a pool accident, I have always been very cautious when approaching water. I tried many water-sports, from canoeing, sailing, to wake-boarding. Every time I tried one of those sports, I always analyzed carefully all possible risks. As a consequence of this constant sense of insecurity, I improved my swimming skills. Once I acquired complete mastery of that environment, I realized that the root of all my fears was not related to the water itself. My fears came from the idea of ​​swimming in the blue of seas or into lakes, without knowing what could be hidden in that submerged world. Recently, talking about my diving experience with a well-known 1960s Olympic swimmer, I discovered that we had the same phobia. On that occasion he told me ironically: “Maybe that was the reason that made me swim faster than everyone!” So, why did I start scuba diving? View this post on Instagram Night #dive in Avigliana #lake. A lot of #fish, #darkness and #peace #night #avigliana #watercolor #water #lights #divers #scuba #scubadiving #scubadive #sport #underwater #azzurro #blue #lightblue #likeaswimmingpool #low #exercises #explore #adventures A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Sep 1, 2016 at 11:00pm PDT Reasons to begin The first reason that pushed me to explore this new environment was: my fears. My approach to problems made me think that the only way that I had to overcome my fear of the abyss was to explore it. Only after having fathomed the seabed and observed the life forms that inhabit them, could I have made a final decision: inside or outside! The second reason came from my trip to Rangiroa. Here I swam in the best places I’ve ever swum. I was so amazed by what I could observe with just a mask and snorkel. The limitation that I had because of the lack of a diver license, fuelled my desire to overcome my fears, so I promised myself to go back there once I’d got the license. The first two were more than enough to start but, as they say in these cases: “Appetite comes with eating!”. On the way came the third reason . I discovered scuba diving in a very stressful period of my life. During my first underwater exercises I discovered that scuba diving requires a lot of concentration, you don’t have time to think about anything else, so … By diving into the water, I discovered that worries stay afloat!! View this post on Instagram Last of the year: a good end for a better beginning! Happy New Year!!! Buona fine e Buon inizio a tutti!!! #happynewyear #happyending #lastoftheyear #capodanno #divinglife #diving #immersione #scuba #mares #coltrisub #mutastagna #lake #eightdegrees #valmessasub A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Dec 31, 2015 at 4:25am PST When we talk about divers, we all have in mind those little men who, with tanks, mask and fins, explore the seabeds. What are we talking about? In Italian, we just call it “subacquea”, this term includes all underwater activities. There is a more specific definition to define this type of activity: “immersioni con ARA” translated “Dive with Automatic Air Respirator”. Even if the first one is too general, we prefer to use it instead of ARA that sounds like a hospital instrument. In English language there is another acronym that sounds good and much more aggressive than the Italian equivalent: SCUBA. What does it mean? SCUBA has a similar meaning to ARA, it is an acronym that contains those words “Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”. Here we are talking about this kind of activity with tanks, mask and fins. Basic tools needed to practice Scuba diving: tanks, the physical storage of the respiratory mixture that allows the diver to survive underwater. Remember to open them before diving! breather is a complex system composed of several components. That system allows the diver to breathe the mixture contained in the tanks at the appropriate pressure for the dive. pressure gauge, used to check the remaining reserve in the tanks. The pressure gauge indicates the internal pressure of the tanks, this value is directly proportional to the quantity of residual respiratory mixture. BCD or BC, which means Buoyancy Compensator, also known worldwide by the general term jacket. It has the shape of a waistcoat and it is composed of an inflatable bag, hooks, pockets and a few tools. It can be inflated due to pressurized gas in the tanks or deflated. Through these operations the diver can regulate the descent in depth or the ascent to the surface. The Italian name is GAV, “Giubbotto ad Assetto Variabile”. In addition to these basic components, there are endless possibilities for your own equipment: wet suits, semi-dry suits, dry suits, technical jackets, twin-tanks, various lights, cameras, knives, pegs, signaling buoys, etc. If you want to learn more, you will be taught this and more in any diver course. Here you find the list of the major training agencies known to me: schools.   View this post on Instagram Rainy Sunday? Ok, lets go dive #rain #rainyday #rainy #diving #dive #cressi #mares #coltri #coltrisub #lake #laghidiavigliana #lagogrande #esplorazione #exploration #sport #watersports #gopro A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on May 1, 2016 at 4:23am PDT Didactics To be able to dive in alignment with worldwide regulations, you need to get a diver license. To get this license you have to pass a theoretical and a practical exam. Some training agencies also include a period of physical preparation. I chose that type of training, sometimes I found it boring and it took longer to get the license, but I found it very useful to be prepared for the unexpected and acquire a good confidence with the new environment. Once you pass the final exam you are qualified for the first level of diving with some safety limitations about depth and buddies. Starting from here, there will be a multitude of paths that a diver can follow to become more advanced. If you are on holiday and you cannot resist the temptation of the scuba experience, there is a shortcut, the introductory dive. Many diving centers allow you to dive, up to 5 meters deep, accompanied by an instructor who will always remain by your side. Coming back to training agencies, the most well-known schools authorized to issue diver licenses are: ANIS CMAS FIAS (Italian) FIPSAS (Italian) NAUI Padi PSS SSI Regarding schools, a marketing war has been going on for many years. The truth is that all licenses must follow the ISO standard and all courses are aligned to that. The final choice is just a matter of your personal tastes and appeal with instructors. So I won’t tell you which one I chose to get my license, I don’t want to influence your choice. Forgetting about all marketing stuff, the main reason that led me to choose a school was the position. This allowed me to dive three or four times a week for about two years, until I obtained my 4th level diver license according to the ISO standard or also called Advanced Open Water, Second Star, etc… the name depends on the didactic you have in mind. To learn more about the different types of licenses, you will find all of them specified in the ISO 24801 standard. View this post on Instagram #Avigliana #sports day: #Valmessa #Sub is #ready! Come and visit us!!! #valmessasub #porteaperteallosport #sportsday #diving #dive #lagogrande #laghidiavigliana #stand #friends #coltri #cressi #rollup A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Sep 17, 2016 at 8:31pm PDT Costs The first requirement is the diver license. Prices that are applied by the various schools should be more or less aligned worldwide. A first level license will cost you around €350,00. The basic equipment are generally provided by the schools during the course period. For a first approach, I suggest checking out the various second-hand markets online. When I started the second license course, I decided to buy my own gear and I managed to buy everything spending around €500,00: regulator, jacket, fins, boots, computers, masks and a very important bag. The bag will always be a required travel companion. Dive costs obviously can have different prices based on the type of approach to the place of dive (swimming from the shore or by boat), on the country and the season. Most diving centres apply discounted rates for consecutive dives, weekends or whole vacations. Single dives for first and second level divers generally range between €20,00 and €100,00 including refilled tanks. View this post on Instagram Once #you go on #holidays with a #diver you will #never #complain about your #wife #luggage… #mares #dive #scuba #diving #gohardorgohome #lol #ciao #ferragosto #questavoltaportoilpc #tempotiranno #roncato #valige #bagagli #vacanzina #liguria #liguriansea A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Aug 14, 2016 at 12:59am PDT Immersioni Since I got licensed, I have performed around 200 dives, most of them in lakes. Lakes are a disliked diving spot for many divers, I could agree if you have the opportunity to go to Red Sea every weekend. In my opinion if you live close to a lake you can consider it as a gym: it is very educational, economic and it is a good training for our bodies. These are some diving centres that I can recommend: Cuba: Cuba Ocean Diving – La Habana Italy: Diving Tommaso Vescera Marina Diving Center Madeira: Explora Madeira Diving Center View this post on Instagram Some #exercises: #dive with 0m #visibility, #pedagno #testing and #security #stop in #oxygen #diving #divers #underwater #belsugne #avigliana #lagogrande #scuba #mares #scubapro #coltri #sub #subacquea #lake #lago #lakedivers #sweetwater #water #lights A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Sep 28, 2016 at 3:58am PDT View this post on Instagram #Underwater #friend A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Apr 26, 2019 at 11:43pm PDT View this post on Instagram Day 2: #diving in the #Carribean #Ocean . . . #scubadiving #cubadiving #underwater A post shared by TheodorATW (@theodor_atw) on Sep 26, 2018 at 3:28pm PDT https://youtu.be/XNkVdFT7SSw L'articolo Scuba Diving proviene da Theodor ATW - Admin.