In keeping with my Monday-tradition I will publish an English today. However, I will break with the tradition of strictly featuring travel issues, this one is going to be a personal post. Not because I have run out of ideas. Au contraire, I have many exciting articles to come, such as:

• a review of last year’s Bloggers in Amsterdam project
• plus interview with Justin Abbott from the agency Blogads.com or
• an interview with online destination marketing expert William Bakker from British Columbia on User Generated Content at their site

So why no travel 2.0 content today? As some of you know, my home & home-office was burglarized a week and a half ago. The thieves took everything with them that was of value and could be carried (in my own bags – the insolence!). Among that and worst of all – my entire data including my current client projects.

And all of my moderate jewelry riches, like the gold watch my Austrian grandfather gave my Chilean mother on her wedding day, and which in turn she bestowed on me at my wedding. Or my pretty college class ring from Jostens, which I got when I was Junior Class President at Radford University in Virginia (class of 1991). The first part of my jewelry was stolen or got lost when I was returning from my summer break in Ecuador on American Airlines. Between Miami and Roanoke to be specific. I had erroneously believed it would be safer in my luggage. I sure never saw that suitcase again!

I am not mourning the material loss anymore. Nor the emotions attached to it. Every day people loose things of much more value all over the world, like their beloved ones, their health, the future of their childs, their home. But while I was looking through old photos in order to collect evidence for filing the case at our insurance (good thing I had them old prints from the "dark" ages) I got a bout of melancholy. Not at my fromer youth. (Well yes, that too.) But at seeing all of the lovely people I have had the pleasure to meet and unfortunately lost touch with. Especially now, that all my contact data is gone as well.

So if any of you knows them, or any of you long lost friends spot my site, please do get in touch with me. I especially extend this invitation to Susette Ritenour, Anne Jones, Michelle Casey, Cara Rafanelli, Julianne Allen, Yoshie Kondo  and Elizabeth Roberts.

This way the theft might have brought about something good. Also thanks to all of you, who have kept in touch with me throughout my stays: 4 years in Chile, 15 years in Germany, one year in Ecuador, 3 years in the US, 6 months in Belgium and many years in Austria.

Wish me luck and you might want to make back-ups of your data. Now!

For those of you who want to express their condolences, no flowers please, but your comments are expressly welcome.