​In Livorno, we took the ferry to Bastia in Corsica. And from then on it got really good. The following pictures were all taken within the first 24 hours on this incredibly diverse island. I think that speaks for itself... :)

As always, I didn't just want to cycle, but also to explore part of Corsica on foot. To stay true to my style, the highest mountain was the obvious choice. I started early in the morning in a valley where I was told that it was 200% impossible to reach Monte Cinto (2706m.a.s.l.) from there, especially not in one day. Well, 17 hours, 41km and 3200m of altitude difference later I was back. The landscape along the GR20 trail was gorgeous, but the conditions at the higher altitudes were rather complicated. Shortly before the summit, I turned around twice because it was just too tricky for me with my equipment. Steep snow walls, frozen as hard as a rock. Finally - and at this point I'm disappointed in myself that I didn't have the courage to simply abort - I found a route that allowed me to reach the summit. All in all, a dream day, at times relatively far outside my comfort zone, but one that I won't forget anytime sonn...

​At this time of year, there is hardly anything going on in Corsica, especially on the west coast. Lonely roads, high cliffs, fantastic beaches, reasonably good weather, sea, mountains, simply a dream. I drove along the entire west coast to Bonifacio in the very south of the island. However, due to a storm and a lot of wind, there were no ferries to Sardinia at exactly the wrong time. Since I was running out of time anyway, I had to spontaneously change my plans. So I drove along the rather boring east coast back north and took the ferry to Nice in Bastia. Theoretically, I would have had another day and a half from there to get back to the ETH in time. In the end, however, I took a little more time to explore the beautiful Côte d'Azur. I returned to Italy via Monaco and finally returned to Switzerland via Genoa and Milan.

​I was on the road for 12 days, covered a little more than 2000km and 17'000 metres of altitude, spent every single night outside and unfortunately didn't shower once... :) The purpose of this short trip was not to set any new records, seek extremes or produce incredible content. At this point, I also questioned quite strongly whether it made sense to reel off my European trip at such a fast pace. In the end, it's hard to say whether it was "right" or "wrong", but it's clear that I made many mistakes, without which I would never be anywhere near where I am now. On various levels. And I think that is the most important thing in life: That you realise that you are responsible for achieving your own dreams and goals, and especially that it is worth doing things that you are not sure will turn out well. Just try it out, leave your comfort zone and realise that it's absolutely okay to make mistakes. This Italy-Corsica-Southern France round was a trip for me to enjoy, all to myself. Spending a few days outside again, exploring new places, making mistakes and learning from them and just having a good time. And it was fantastic! :)

204 days, 36'000 kilometers, half a million meters of altitude, 44 countries, 44 capitals, 43 highest mountains, numerous lakes, seas, national parks, forests, encounters and simply unimaginable (and this is really meant seriously - I think it is not possible to imagine the whole thing) many experiences, adventures, encounters and emotions. 
This project was the hardest, most exhausting, most beautiful, most enriching and most profitable thing I have done in my life (so far) and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my "Friends", sponsors, family, actually just everyone who supported me here in any way. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I will need a few more days, weeks, maybe months to process everything that has happened in the last few months, but there will definitely be a more detailed blog post and in the longer term a series of presentations... Cheers! :)

In November, a young man - Charles was his name - ran after me in Porto (Portugal) to ask me why I was traveling with ice axes. Then, in March, he invited me to his home in Paris and showed me around the city. Then he left by bike himself, recently slept in my bed in Switzerland, and then we met again in Split. I was on the road together with him for two days and it was just fantastic! Croatia has just sooo much more to offer than the incredibly touristy coastal region!  

Slovenia was the very last country that was still missing for me. Ljubliana the last capital. From then on, it was all about the highest mountains of the Alpine countries! Triglav Nationalpark is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the alps!

The weather at the Grossglockner did not look really good. Quite spontaneously Andreas "Rambo" Ropin has agreed to go up there together. He used to be an alcoholic, gambling addict and chain smoker, but quit this lifestyle 15 years ago and is now an extreme athlete and ultra-trailrunner. In the end we had a fantastic day despite not too summery weather!

​There is not much to say. The Zugspitze is scenically a beautiful mountain, just has far too many people there. And if the very first thing you see on the summit is an elderly gentleman in a walker, then you feel rather like in the wrong movie... Actually wanted to be at sunrise on the summit, but could not start at night due to thunderstorms ... Was still beautiful.

Somehow life is just better, if you don't sleep more than 1 hour :) Especially if it is because of a beautiful sunrise stroll with Maximilian!

The feeling you get and the emotions you go through when you are back in the most beautiful country in Europe after about 35,500 kilometers through 47 countries in just under 200 days and can even call this country "home" is pretty indescribable. For me it went once across the whole country, over Oberalp Pass, Furka Pass to Zermatt and later through the whole Valais, over the big Saint Bernard to Italy. 
2 years ago I wrote my Matura thesis under the title "Tour dör d'Schwiiz". Thereby I visited all 250 cities of Switzerland by bike and climbed the highest mountain in all 26 cantons. In doing so, I covered about 7'500km and 100'000 meters of altitude in 38 days. In any case, as part of this project, I have already been to the Durfourspitze - itself the highest point in Switzerland at 4634m.a.s.l.. In one day from Zermatt to the summit and back down again. But since I did not want to do the same tour again, I decided this time to climb the Dom - with 4546m.a.s.l. the highest mountain completely within Switzerland. Another excellent day, together with Martin Anthamatten. And after all the other things I've already done with Martin, it felt like a morning walk from Randa up the Dom. And we were back down in time for lunch.... :)