The Red Bulletin Destination Red Bull 2019 uk

CLIFF-DIVE IN THE ATLANTIC

with Red Bull Cliff Diving champion Orlando Duque

RALLY IN THE DESERT

TRAVEL BEYOND THE ORDINARY Unforgettable journeys into the World of Red Bull

THE VERY SPECIAL TR AVEL EDITION

with Dakar winner Cyril Despres

SAIL INTO PARADISE

with extreme runner Christian Schiester

MOUNTAIN-BIKE DOWNHILL with world champion Gee Atherton

BREAKDANCE IN MUMBAI as a VIP at the Red Bull BC One World Final

A Watch Beyond The Ordinary The certified Automatic Swiss movement, the patented Case Suspension and a unique system to swap straps and bracelets in seconds without any tools, make the Essence Automatic Chronometer the perfect mechanical wrist companion for your daily adventure.

www.formexwatch.com

Editorial

WELCOME

TO DESTINATION RED BULL

SAMO VIDIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL (COVER CLIFF-DIVING), MARIAN CHYTKA/X-RAID (COVER ABU DHABI) GETTY IMAGES, MARIAN CHYTKA/X-RAID, POONEH GHANA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

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Live concerts, curated by experts: at the Red Bull Music Festivals, you delve deep into the musical metropolises of London and Chicago (pictured: rapper Princess Nokia at Red Bull Music Festival Chicago) Page 16

ow close can we get to our dreams? Can we experience what the world’s best athletes experience? Can we understand what makes them tick, what sets them apart? Can we get to know the person behind the star by spending a couple of days with them?

Yes, we can – for the first time ever. Destination Red Bull is your route there, offering trips of a kind you can’t book anywhere else. Come behind the scenes with us at the World of Red Bull and seek inspiration from experts and top-level stars.

Want to go cliff-diving in the Azores with Orlando Duque, a legend of the sport? Plough through the endless desert sands of Abu Dhabi as co-driver to Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres? Fly to the Red Bull BC One World Final in Mumbai and learn moves from the world’s best professional breakdancers? Or cook Styrian Sterz in the South Pacific with former ultrarunner Christian Schiester on his sailing yacht, El Toro?

What’s on offer is as diverse as the World of Red Bull and the lives of all the artists and athletes themselves.

In this magazine, we showcase unique experiences that only Destination Red Bull can make happen. And that’s just the beginning. It’s all systems go in the World of Red Bull, and we’re currently putting the next series of trips together for you (see preview on p70). Our professional partners at DIE REISEREI will answer all your questions and book you a tailor-made travel experience.

So, with that in mind, head out there on your next adventure! And happy reading from the Destination Red Bull team…

Top: visit locations like this in the Solomon Islands. Your skipper is waiting…

Page 50

Above: this enthusiast tried the Destination Red Bull rally package for himself. Please take your place in the co-driver’s seat Page 10

Helps scratch itchy feet: Destination Red Bull travel documents come to your door in a beautiful presentation box

For information about all trips and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43/664/88 11 07 06 T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

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CONTENTS TR AVEL EDITION

Red Bull Rampage with Gee Atherton Mountain biking through Zion National Park with world champion Gee Atherton as your coach, and VIP tickets for the world's toughest freeride event.

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Across the desert with rallying legend Cyril Despres Co-driving the Dakar Mini around Abu Dhabi with the five-time winner – luxury hotel and off-road buggy experience thrown in.

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Page 10

Live event Red Bull Music Festival in London or Chicago Two musical metropolises, two 3 festivals, two ways of enjoying contemporary music. Get backstage access at these highlights on the liveperformance calendar.

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Page 16

Wings for Life World Run with Andi Goldberger The ideal coach for a good cause. The ski-jumping legend will help you set your personal best in Vienna.

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Page 26

The Orlando Duque water experience The wonderful world of the Azores: go snorkelling, swimming and dolphinwatching and enjoy a beginner’s course in cliff diving with an absolute sporting icon.

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Page 30

Experience MotoGP for yourself with professional motorcycle racers Sete Gibernau and Dani Pedrosa A private racing circuit with coaching for a day, a two-seater MotoGP bike, and paddock tickets to see it all up close.

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Page 36

Imprint 72 Travel with Anna Gasser 74

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Page 42

A sailing adventure with Christian Schiester A South Sea odyssey to the Solomon Islands aboard El Toro with extreme runner and globetrotter Christian Schiester as your skipper, coach and cook.

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Your car for your desert adventure Co-drive for Dakar Rally winner Cyril Despres in Abu Dhabi. Page 10

Page 50

Be a VIP at the Red Bull BC One World Final in Mumbai The best breakers on the planet go headto-head in this world final, and you get exclusive access to learn tricks from them.

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Page 58

Plotting the Roof of Africa with Alfie Cox Enduro adventure in South Africa and Lesotho with a champion as your guide.

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Page 64

Preview: the latest travel highlights from the World of Red Bull Get a backstage pass for New York and ride alongside an aerobatics pilot. These Destination Red Bull trips will soon await you. Page 70

Packing 6 Travel records 8 Smarter flying 48 Photo guide 56 Op-ed 63

Run riot Bike tours in Zion National Park with world-champion coaching. Page 42

EXPLEOLROTGY

TRAVE

You’ll be doing this in no time A workshop with the world’s best B-boys in the city of Mumbai. Page 58

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

5 DAKAR VICTORIES, 9 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES, 1 ANTARCTIC CHAMPION YOUR DESTINATION RED BULL GUIDES

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Alfie Cox Nine-time winner of the Roof of Africa rally

Gee Atherton Twice downhill world champion

Dani Pedrosa Three-time motorcycling world champion

Lil Zoo Red Bull BC One breakdancing world champion

Sete Gibernau Nine-time MotoGP winner

Orlando Duque Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series champion

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6 1

9

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MARIAN CHYTKA/X-RAID, GETTY IMAGES, DEPOSITPHOTOS, DEAN TREML/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, HARALD TAUDERER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

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Adventures all over the world: Destination Red Bull Once-in-a-lifetime experiences on four continents, and legendary Red Bull events in the company of top athletes and artists.

Andreas Goldberger Christian Schiester Ski-jumping and ski-flying Winner of races in world champion Antarctica and the Himalayas

Cyril Despres Five-time Dakar Rally winner (motorbike)

Catering to all your needs We discover the Solomon Islands with round-the-world yachtsman Christian Schiester (here on the mast of his yacht, El Toro). Page 50

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

For information about all trips and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com

or call +43 664 88 11 07 06

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PPRROOFI

TRREAIVSSSEEL IPP TTIP

Travelology

AHEAD OF THE PACK

Dry bag Handy, trendy, colourful and will stop your valuables getting wet.

Perfect for sailing or boat trips.

GoPro HERO7 Black So you can hang on to your travel adventure. Robust and waterproof, with voice activation and live-streaming.

AlphaTauri packable jacket You can easily pack away this ultralight camouflage-design travel companion in its sewn-in pouch.

Hairdryer Any decent hotel will have them. So ours definitely will.

LEAVE IT AT HOME

TAKE IT WITH YOU

Traditional dress A nice holiday souvenir, in theory. But let’s be honest, you’re never going to wear it again. So do yourself a favour: take a nice photo over there and leave space in your closet at home.

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Sand and seashells A lot of beaches are nature reserves, and you could have trouble at customs, so leave it all where it belongs.

SOUVENIRS

Coconuts Once you’ve sneaked them through customs, rejoice back home at all the little ants and other critters that shouldn’t really be in your part of the world. Not that good an idea.

Herbs and spices They won’t spoil, but will bring back that holiday feeling when you eat them.

Postcards ...are enjoying something of a renaissance in the digital age. When you book with Destination Red Bull, we’ll send you some as part of the package.

Music Nothing brings back memories like a tune from your holiday. A lot of buskers sell CDs, or are happy for you to record their performance on your mobile.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

ISTOCKPHOTO, GETTY IMAGES, ALPHA TAURI, GO PRO, NATUREHEIKE

High heels Elegant and sexy, but on our trips totally impractical (hashtag: adventure factor) and you might be somewhat overdressed.

Laptop We all love our Netflix account, but take our word for it: you’ll have neither the time nor the desire to chat online. Our motto is: experience and enjoy things firsthand.

EQUIPMENT

So you’re flying tomorrow and you’re staring at your suitcase in disbelief. Let us show you what to take, what to leave, and what to bring back to your nearest and dearest

NEW

ROLLING TRANSPORTER ADVENTUREPROOF ON WHEELS.

Built for demanding adventures, the Rolling Transporter is an ultra-durable, gear hauling duffel with all-terrain wheels.

ospreyeurope.com

PRO

TRAVTESL

Your number’s up!

FAC

RACE AROUND THE WORLD

A traffic jam on Everest, a Japanese hotel more than a millennium old, and the longest airborne birthday party: 10 unusual record-breaking figures from the world of travel

15:45:38 – the quickest recorded time taken to visit all 270 London Underground stations.

If you want to have a go yourself, google ‘Tube Challenge’.

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hours: the length of time Sven Hagemeier from Germany celebrated his 26th birthday in 2014.

His trick was to fly the wrong way across the date line from New Zealand to Hawaii via Australia.

1,300

years: the length of time the Japanese Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan hotel has been in operation. This is a “heritage establishment” that truly deserves the name.

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mountaineers were on Mount Everest on May 19, 2012.

They caused a proper traffic jam on the way to the summit.

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years: the length of time Swiss husbandand-wife team Emil and Liliana Schmid have been touring the world in a Toyota Land Cruiser.

6,870

holidaymakers can fit on the MS Symphony of the Seas. At 362m, the world’s largest cruise ship is almost as long as the Empire State Building is tall.

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days, 16 hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds: the length of time it took Frenchman François Gabart to set the solo round-the-world sailing record on his 30m trimaran in 2017. If you’d prefer to a more relaxing time while setting sail with a knowledgeable skipper, go to page 50 for more details.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

CLAUDIA MEITERT

kilometres: how far Christine Thürmer, a former company manager from Germany, has walked since quitting her job 15 years ago.

Her favourite route: “The E3 long-distance path in eastern Europe.”

GETTY IMAGES

43,000

www.rauch.cc

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MARIAN CHYTKA/X-RAID

Highlight of the trip: Cyril Despres takes the wheel of a 350bhp, 2.2-tonne Dakar Rally John Cooper Works Buggy in Abu Dhabi, with you in the co-pilot’s seat

1 Across the desert with rallying legend Cyril Despres

STRAP

YOURSELF IN

Only Destination Red Bull gives you the opportunity to shred your way through endless sand and metre-high dunes as co-driver to an actual Dakar Rally winner. What does that feel like?

Amazing. We know, because we tried it out for you

DESTINATION 1

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS Co-driving for Cyril Despres in the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy ––––– Two days behind the wheel of a side-by-side off-road buggy in the desert ––––– Professional tuition and training from Cyril Despres ––––– A night in a luxury desert tent ––––– Three nights at the five-star+ Qasr Al Sarab hotel

The car that has learnt how to fly

Stéphane Peterhansel, Cyril Despres and Carlos Sainz aren’t all just multiple Dakar winners: they’re team-mates, too, and they know how to share. Our Mini, with its 350bhp diesel engine warming up in the rear, may belong to our Destination Red Bull guide Cyril Despres (for full information on the trip itinerary, turn to the next page), but Peterhansel, who holds the record for the most Dakar wins, will be borrowing it for the next few minutes. “Hello,” he says in a friendly manner as he proffers his gloved right hand. “Hello,” I croak back over the on-board radio, clearly nervous, even though I don’t want to be.

A mechanic guides the buggy out of the garage, supported by a reversing camera, which transfers the image to the central display in the middle of the vehicle. “That’s particularly useful in the dunes when you’ve got stuck and you don’t know what’s behind you,” my chauffeur explains, unprompted.

Good to know!

After a few kilometres, we turn off onto a dirt track. Second, third, fourth, fifth gear. “We’re now doing about 150kph,” the 12

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS COULD WE GET LOST? No. Despres knows the course like the back of his hand. The Mini team also run tests there.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME? You can bring your own overalls and helmet for comfort, but you’re not obliged to.

DO I NEED A DRIVING LICENCE? Yes, but only for the slip roads when you’re driving the side-by-side. In theory, you could drive in the desert without one.

Book now at

destination.redbull.com

“ We’re now doing about 150kph,” my driver says chattily, as we hurtle towards another sandy peak

maestro at the wheel says chattily as we hurtle towards another sandy crest. I can’t help tensing my muscles, and then, all of a sudden, we’re airborne. The bonnet is clearly pointing downwards, but then we land again and keep barrelling onwards.

“The car’s a little front-heavy in the air,” says Peterhansel impassively, before slowing the buggy dramatically and shifting down two gears. Now I know why the mechanic had strapped on the belt so extra-tight, as otherwise I’d have been tossed around in the bucket seat like a coin in a empty piggy bank.

When the sand feels just like snow

Off to the dunes. The horizon shifts, the engine roars, the buggy scrambles. The gradients this car can handle without allwheel drive are absolutely amazing. The secret is a compressor unit that can regulate tyre pressure while the car’s in motion: hard on scree to avoid damage, soft on sand for more grip.

“It’s like skiing,” I hear inside my helmet, via the radio. “You have to read the sand like snow. Where is it hard, where is it soft? And you can never dash blindly over the crest of a dune, but you’ve got to be going fast enough not to get stuck.” And how do you know if you’re fast or slow enough? When there’s vegetation around, drivers judge their speed on how fast it passes by, whereas if it’s a featureless, sandy landscape, it’s a matter of experience. But what remains a total mystery is how they can drive so faultlessly, as the Dakar Rally demands of them, for two weeks and several thousand kilometres.

Just one tiny slip in the attention of T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

MARIAN CHYTKA/X-RAID, KIN MARCIN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, ISTOCKPHOTO

T

he car might be called a Mini but it’s huge. Even so, it’s not at all easy to get into the cockpit. First, you have to get over the roll bar. Then you have to get over the broad side panels holding the sand ladders, which will come to our aid if the rear-wheel-drive buggy buries itself in the sand.

Surprisingly, the bucket seat is perfectly comfortable, but I’m sitting on the buckle of the six-point safety belt. A member of the X-Raid team, which uses the Mini John Cooper Works at the Dakar and other longcourse rallies, yanks it out from under my backside and straps me in. I already feel pretty well secured, but he gives one more tug on the shoulder straps with all his might.

“You’ll see. They’ll be too loose in a couple of minutes otherwise,” he says with a conspiratorial grin.

Endless expanse: we explore the world’s largest continuous sandy desert in the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy

Clockwise from top left: Dakar Rally winner and Destination Red Bull guide Cyril Despres; our comfortable Bedouin camp for the night; the co-driver’s roadbook; the Abu Dhabi skyline T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

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DESTINATION 1

1 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: ACROSS THE DESERT WITH DAK AR WINNER CYRIL DESPRES YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE Cyril Despres, 44, has won the legendary Dakar Rally five times on his bike. Since transitioning to four wheels, the Frenchman has become one of the leading stars of the international rally-raid scene and has twice triumphed at the Silk Way Rally in Russia. Now, for the first time, you can discover the secret to driving on sand and find out what the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy feels like as you scramble over terrain at 150kph, seated alongside a friendly professional.

And all in the exotic setting of Abu Dhabi.

YOU R TRI P D E TA I L S Total luxury: your accommodation is a room at the five-star+ Qasr al Sarab hotel

Sold out for 2019. We’ll happily reserve a spot for you on the 2020 trip at: destination.redbull.com Destination Abu Dhabi Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T

DAY 3 On your second day in the side-by-side, Cyril Despres ups the tempo and the degree of difficulty. The dunes get

DAY 4 Today’s the day where you find out how a rally-raid car performs in the desert, from the comfort of the co-driver’s seat alongside Cyril Despres in the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy. The 40cm travel of the shock absorbers turns rocky valleys into motorways as the 350bhp engine roars away behind you. When Cyril Despres says goodbye to you later that evening, we guarantee he’ll have one more fan.

DAY 5 After your final night at Qasr Al Sarab hotel, it’s time to bid farewell to the largest continuous dune landscape on the planet. The shuttle will take you back to Abu Dhabi International Airport for your return journey.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 110 706 14

Traditional snacks: olives, dates, houmous and pitta bread

either driver or co-driver and it’s game over.

The horizon darkens. No, it’s not the horizon, it’s the car roof where the windscreen is meant to be. That’s how steep our descent is. But this time he’s got to be kidding me – that must have been a 45° gradient we just went down! And did I hear a bit of a giggle on my helmet radio?

I look over to my left and Peterhansel is, indeed, grinning as he puts his foot down at the bottom of the valley and the diesel engine roars angrily behind us. “Impressive what these cars are capable of, isn’t it?” he says.

It is indeed. Extremely impressive.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

DAY 2 Side-by-sides are two-seater quads – and the most fun you can have off-road.

Even professionals like Despres and record-breaking Dakar champions train in these light, nippy vehicles, which are brilliant off-road and, thanks to the roll bar, also extremely safe. Cyril Despres shows you the ropes, and from then on it’s just fun, fun, fun. And you’ll never forget your unforgettable night in a luxury Bedouin tent beneath the starry desert sky of Abu Dhabi.

bigger, the terrain more varied, and your confidence behind the wheel grows, too.

In the evening, it’s back to Qasr Al Sarab to wash away the dirt and sand of your action-packed day.

ISTOCKPHOTO

DAY 1 It’s a 90-minute drive from the airport to Abu Dhabi’s palatial Qasr Al Sarab hotel in the middle of a majestic desert landscape. Make the most of the fivestar+ location before the welcome dinner with the team that evening.

DIE REISEREI your travel agency for extraordinary private travels.

DIE REISEREI is like a manufacture where we produce unique and high-quality voyages. Because our philosophy is to treat every journey like a handmade and with great attention to detail manufactured single-item. But of course for all that it takes the right team.

DIE REISEREI collaborators are real experts and ensure with their insider knowledge that our clients discover their very personal unique hideaway at every journey: high-quality, custom-made and a bit mysterious.

DIE REISEREI creates the world, how you want it to be – www.diereiserei.at | AUSTRIA

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POONEH GHANA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Close to his fans, as always: New York rapper Desiigner performs at the Red Bull Music Festival Chicago in 2018

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Enjoy the Red Bull Music Festival live in London or Chicago

LIVING FOR

THE BEAT

Y

Be a VIP guest as London and Chicago celebrate the future of music and pay homage to their great heritage at the Red Bull Music Festival

ou could pick out any number of highlights if you were telling the story of the Red Bull Music Festivals in recent years. No one who was there will ever forget the intimate setting of the Vienna Riesenrad (Ferris wheel) gondolas where artists played last year. Or Tokyo in 2017, when the whole district of Shibuya went crazy, or Dixon, Nina Kraviz and DJ Hell in Berlin. Or the musical fireworks in New York – the sparks from which gradually reached out across the world.

“The concerts also serve as a history lesson,” opined The New York Times, “and put underappreciated artists and scenes in the spotlight.” Select musicians have showcased their work at more than 30 events all over the world since 2014 alone. Since 2017 they have been held under the Red Bull Music Festival banner – and there’s no stopping them.

In 2019, we will be celebrating the joy of music and genre-hopping at various locations in the musical metropolises of London and Chicago.

“Let’s live the moment and celebrate pioneering music.”

Beach volleyball in downtown Chicago in front of the iconic skyscraper at 875 North Michigan Avenue (far left)

EXPERIENCE

CHICAGO

The windy city dazzles with its clubs, art and spectacular setting on Lake Michigan

Open-air museum: works by Catalan sculptor Jaume Plensa in Millennium

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One of the city’s most famous artworks: British artist Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate – lovingly nicknamed ‘The Bean’ by locals – on the AT&T Plaza T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DESTINATION 2 & 3

BLUES BASE CHICAGO Eat, listen, experience: a cultural checklist for your visit

GETTY IMAGES, POONEH GHANA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, DANIEL CAVAZOS/RED BULL SOUND SELECT / CONTENT POOL

Chicago’s three biggest acts: Kanye West, The Smashing Pumpkins and pop-rock hit-makers Chicago.

A newcomer who’s set to break through this year: Saba, alias Tahj Malik Chandler, born in 1994, a rapper from the West Side of Chicago.

A tip for first-time listeners: his most recent album, Care for Me (2018).

The city’s most famous studio, and three iconic albums recorded there: The Chicago Recording Company – the biggest independent recording studio in the US – famed for albums including Michael Jackson’s HIStory (1995), The Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995), and Lady Gaga’s Artpop (2013).

Celebrate music with a cleverly curated programme (clockwise from top left): R&B artist Teyana Taylor in Chicago in 2018; Brooklyn hip-hop star Desiigner in action; rapper Princess Nokia; feeling the club atmosphere on the opening night of the 2018 Red Bull Music Festival

Three genres that have left their mark on the city: Blues, as performed by legends such as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters and celebrated in the 1980 classic movie The Blues Brothers; hip hop (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco), and house, which originated in Chicago in the late ’70s when DJ Frankie Knuckles began mixing warehouse club soul and disco with electronic tracks from Europe.

Cult music made in Chicago: Michael Jackson’s HIStory, The Smashing Pumpkins’ epic double indie-rock album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and Lady Gaga’s chart-topping Artpop T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

A stand-out song about Chicago: Kanye West’s Homecoming (2008) – a declaration of love for his hometown.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin contributed piano, and vocals in the chorus.

A club that first-time visitors mustn’t miss: Berlin in Lakeview, a club with a colourful and mixed crowd that first flung open its doors in 1983.

A nightlife venue with legendary status in the city: Green Mill: a jewel in the crown of uptown nightlife for more than 100 years. One early regular was gangster Al Capone.

The street food that keeps nocturnal Chicagoans hale and hearty: Chicago-style hot dogs – beef frankfurters in a poppy-seed bun with relish, tomato and pickled cucumber.

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FANATIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

A world city, styledefining artists and a strong narrative: Red Bull Music Festivals aim to foster creative opposition to the usual mass-produced pop

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DESTINATION 2 & 3

2-4-1: the Red Bull Music Festival London and Notting Hill Carnival will join forces in 2019

Urban vision: at 135m high, the London Eye is the tallest observation wheel in Europe

EUROPE

LONDON

The metropolis on the Thames is a byword for cosmopolitanism and unlimited artistic variety

Classic: double-decker buses and St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London

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Party zone: as many as two million revellers attend the Notting Hill Carnival every August to party in the streets alongside the brightly decked floats and sound systems T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DESTINATION 2 & 3

POP LEGEND LONDON New artists, street food, cult acts: things to know about the city The three biggest bands formed in London: Queen, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.

AURORA, ISTOCKPHOTO, FANATIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, WILL ROBSON SCOTT

A newcomer who’s set to break through this year: Octavian, alias Oliver Godji, born in 1996, a young rapper inspired by dancehall and R&B.

The most famous studio and three iconic albums recorded there: The legendary Abbey Road Studios – famed for albums including The Beatles’ The White Album (1968), Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here (1975), and Fela Kuti & The Africa 70’s Afrodisiac (1973).

Good times in London (clockwise from top left): DJ Malfalda at Red Bull Music Odyssey; singer MoStack, also at Red Bull Music Odyssey; Big Zuu (right) on the Red Bull Music Sound System at the 2018 Notting Hill Carnival; happy revellers

Three music genres that have left their mark on the city: Jungle (electronic dancemusic style with reggae influences and rapid, broken rhythms), grime (a raw, gritty UK brand of hip hop), and dubstep (a genre that mixes elements of dub reggae, wobbly basslines and syncopated rhythms).

Cult music made in London: Fela Kuti’s Afrodisiac, The Beatles’ The White Album and Pink Floyd’s masterpiece Wish You Were Here T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

A stand-out song about London: Galang, the debut single by MIA, released in 2003 when the English-born Sri Lankan singer/rapper was 27.

The song combines her dancehall patter with lyrical elements of punk band The Clash’s iconic 1979 track London Calling.

The street food that keeps nocturnal Londoners hale and hearty: Deep-fried chips are always a hit.

Clubs that first-time visitors mustn’t miss: Legendary venue Fabric in the centre of town, and the Ministry of Sound in south London.

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Loud in more ways than one: the Red Bull Music x Mangrove float at the 2018 Notting Hill Carnival

FANATIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

As a VIP guest of the Red Bull Music Festival, you delve deep into the DNA of the host city

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YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: BE A VIP GUEST AT THE RED BULL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN LONDON OR CHICAGO YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS Red Bull Music Festivals go deep into the cultural DNA of the host city and foster creative opposition to the usual mass-produced pop.

2019 will be London and Chicago’s year: two world capitals of music with rich histories, fantastic scenes right now and exciting futures. With Destination Red Bull, you’re not just at the live events: you’ll enjoy a more intense festival experience than other attendees thanks to exclusive dinners, trips backstage and VIP seats. The fine details and line-up are still to come, but you can be sure of one thing: it’ll be spectacular.

As the London Red Bull Music Festival coincides with the Notting Hill Carnival, it’s a safe bet there’ll be a heavy Caribbean and African influence on the music. And big names such as Nas and Pusha T already did the honours in Chicago in 2018.

For regular updates, go to: destination.redbull.com

YOUR TRIP DE TAILS Red Bull Music Festival London 23-25 August 2019 Red Bull Music Festival Chicago 15- 17 November 2019

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull com or call +43 664 88 11 07 06

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4 Hanging out with Andi Goldberger at the Vienna Wings for Life World Run

“IT’S PROPER SPORT

BUT IT’S STILL A LAUGH”

I

t was all over after 10km. The Catcher Car had caught up with me, thus removing me from the race. Others were ahead of me, and many runners hadn't got very far at all.

But that’s not important. I walked back to the start – a short hop from the Burgring to Vienna City Hall.

Let’s start at the beginning of the story.

We’d arrived in Vienna the day before where we immediately met my coach and fellow-runner – or should I say fellow-starter? – Andi Goldberger.

We greeted each other and got on straight away. It wasn’t your typical VIP story where the star says, “Hi!” and then you don’t see them again.

We had breakfast together, exchanged views and spoke about our families. Andi was with us almost the whole time and he made a huge effort. He’s a very compassionate, open, jolly, down-to-earth guy. It was a pleasure to spent time with him.

The race got underway at midday. We were taken to the start on the Rathausplatz. Prior to that, we were able to hang out and warm up in the same area as the Red Bull sportsmen and women, both the able-bodied and those with minor or greater impairments.

There were politicians and businesspeople with us, too, and I’ll never forget the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. You didn’t find anyone with that seriously competitive attitude you often encounter at sporting events.

26

Before the start: Jakob Sintschnig with his daughter Carine Carvalho Barbosa and personal coach Andi Goldberger

Reeling them in

Goldberger is a poster child for the run. A figurehead.

Yes, because he’s famous, but also because he’s a good runner. In 2017, he ran 44km before the Catcher Car caught up with him. The Catcher Car sets off after the pack. As time goes on, the car gets faster, in strict accordance with the rules. It gradually reels in runner after runner, first the slower ones and ultimately the quickest. Once you’ve been caught, you’re out of the race. Those are the rules.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

CHRISTOPHER KELEMEN, MATTHIAS HESCHL/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, PHILIP PLATZER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Jakob Sintschnig, 65, a businessman and athletics enthusiast, lined up alongside former ski-jumping world champion and Destination Red Bull guide Andi Goldberger at last year’s Wings for Life World Run. Here, he reflects upon the day he spent with the sporting legend who could be lining up alongside you in 2019

Shared experience: more than 13,500 runners took part in the 2018 Wings for Life World Run in Vienna

Professional runner: Wings for Life World Run participant Andi Goldberger managed an impressive 36km in 2018 – and you could be lining up alongside him in 2019

There’s a feeling of exhilaration at crossing the finish line

But first of all, we headed to the starting line together and I stood there in the front row with Andi and all the other fast runners.

It was interesting to see how they were behaving before the start – it was noticeable how natural and relaxed they seemed. And then it began. Goldberger was off like a shot as he’s in top shape. We only saw each other again at the finish. There were others who performed really well, too. The former polevaulter Kira Grünberg was pushed in her wheelchair by a marathon runner for more than 40km, and at the end of it she was more exhausted than he was.

Fulfilling your own ’personal best’

As is usual in this race, everyone ran to the best of their ability. But it’s not a competition – or not for most of the participants at least.

There are, of course, some who take it more seriously than others – those who give it all they’ve got and then find an extra gear when they see the Catcher Car loom into view behind them. The longest runs can go on in that way for as far as 80km. But by that 28

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS

An exclusive dinner with Andreas Goldberger and other sportsmen and women the night before the Wings for Life World Run ––––– Collecting your starter number and checking in with Andi Goldberger ––––– A personalised tour of the route with the four-time finisher ––––– Front-row start with other sporting greats ––––– A night at Le Méridien on the Vienna Ringstrasse, just minutes from the opera, St Stephen’s Cathedral and other attractions

DO I HAVE TO REGIS TE R FOR TH E R AC E S E PAR ATE LY IF I BOOK TH E WHOLE PAC K AGE? No. Everything’s included in the all-round package. It's all taken care of.

A M I E VE N FIT E NOUGH? Everyone’s fit enough and everyone makes it to the finish line, whether they run 5km or 50.

WON’ T S TARTING AT TH E FRONT PUT ME UN DE R A LOT OF PRESSURE? No. This isn’t Formula One. Everyone runs as fast as they can and want to, regardless of where they start.

Register now at: destination.redbull.com

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DESTINATION 4

4 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: WITH ANDI GOLDBERGER AT THE WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUN YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE Since 2014, tens of thousands of people on every continent have set off simultaneously in the Wings for Life World Run, and have run until they’re reeled in by the Catcher Car. An overall winner remains. All proceeds go into research to make spinal cord injuries a thing of the past.

Legendary former ski-jumper Andi Goldberger, 46, is an inspired – and inspiring – runner who lines up at the start every year. This multiple Dolomitenmann participant scored his Wings for Life World Run personal best in 2017 with an awesome 42km.

“ What I learnt was it’s not about beating someone. It’s about the flow”

PHILIP PLATZER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, ANDREA KURTIC, LE MERIDIEN

BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

Wings for Life World Run participant Jakob Sintschnig

stage, the car will have caught up with the best of them. It’s not rare for that person to be in a wheelchair.

It was a laugh most of the time, and everyone took the experience of being caught in true sporting fashion. The Catcher Car was driven by the 2018 Dakar Rally winner Matthias Walkner. He may have won Dakar on a bike, but he was brilliant in the car, too. He kept cracking jokes out the window. It was all very sporting and continued to be a good laugh till the end.

And there was no risk of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. All public transport was free for us for the day, and they had laid on shuttle buses, too.

My personal goal was not to struggle, and to feel better at the end of the race than I did at the beginning.

You’ve achieved the race goal even if the Catcher Car catches you right at the beginning, because it’s not about the time, it’s about the concept. The run is about bringing together idealistic people who want to further a cause: so that those who have, for whatever reason, ended up in a wheelchair will one day be able to get up and walk.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

YOUR TRIP DE TAILS Sold out for 2019. We’ll happily reserve a spot for you on the 2020 trip at: destination.redbull.com Destination Vienna Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age: 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T DAY 1 Andi Goldberger greets us personally as soon as we check in to Le Méridien at the Ringstrasse (ring road), Vienna’s iconic boulevard. Then we all head off to the Wings for Life World Run start line to inspect the course and begin to soak up the buzzing atmosphere. In Vienna alone, there will be more than 13,000 runners tomorrow. The total worldwide will exceed 100,000. We prepare for the next day at our private dinner with Andi and other top-class sportsmen and women such as snowboarding big-air Olympic gold medallist and world champion Anna Gasser and record-breaking ski-jumper Gregor Schlierenzauer.

DAY 2 After a generous breakfast, Andi takes his small team to the start. We go through our final preparations among world-class sports stars in the VIP area before we take up our positions in the

Your home base is stylish and central: Le Méridien on the Opernring front row. We wait for the starting pistol at 1pm sharp. From that point on, everyone runs their own race and hopefully gets as far as they can before the Catcher Car reels them in.

We meet back at the start in the VIP area, where we compare notes, hear of heroic achievements and celebrate this successful running event with the rest of the city.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 11 07 06 29

5 The Orlando Duque Water Experience

“THIS PLACE IS

MAGICAL” SAMO VIDIC/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

He’s a cliff-diving world champion, a sporting icon, and your Destination Red Bull guide to the marine world of the Azores... Orlando Duque, 44, tells us about snorkelling in volcanic craters, friendly dolphins, and his cliff-diving course for beginners

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Red Bull Cliff Diving legend Orlando Duque plunges into the waves.

The Colombian explores verdant SĂŁo Miguel Island in the Azores with us

Y

You’ll find nature on the Azores very beautiful and the cliffs are rough, like the ones we know from the Irish coastline.

Add to that predictable sub-tropical weather and exciting dive locations.

Orlando Duque, 44, professional cliff diver.

“Water relaxes you and makes you happy”

destination red bull: You have now been travelling the world as one of the top cliff divers for a good two decades.

You keep coming back to São Miguel Island in the Azores. What is it that makes this place so special? orlando duque: Firstly, the island’s in the middle of the Atlantic. There’s nothing but water all around you.

Portugal is 1,300 kilometres away.

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS

Experience water with Orlando Duque, including snorkelling, diving, and a tailor-made cliff-diving workshop with personalised diving heights ––––– Enjoy the Red Bull cliff-diving event on a chic 14m catamaran ––––– Meet and greet all the stars of the cliff-diving scene ––––– Take a trip to the 27m diving platform with Orlando Duque ––––– Four nights at the stylish Santa Bárbara Beach Resort with a view over the Atlantic ––––– Three exclusive evenings at the best restaurants on the main island of the Azores, São Miguel

DO I HAVE TO DIVE FROM A HEIGHT OF 27M, TOO? Of course you don’t! Orlando adjusts to his guests’ skill level. Complete beginners are welcome, too. You can dive from anywhere between one and about 14m.

WHO MAKES SURE THE DIVING LOCATION IS SAFE? Professional divers from the Azores Coastguard (who also take care of the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition stars) run the security checks for us.

DO I HAVE TO WEAR SKINTIGHT SPEEDOS LIKE THE STARS? No. Unless you like skintight Speedos, that is.

Other than that, you can wear surf shorts, a swimsuit, a bikini – the main thing is you should feel at ease.

Book now at destination.redbull.com

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On this trip, we’ll be attending the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition and learn how to do it ourselves. But it’s also about the ‘water experience’. What does that mean exactly?

We’ll get to know the ocean surrounding the island in all its glory. The Azores aren’t a typical snorkelling destination but there are spectacular gullies to explore either by diving or swimming.

Have you seen dolphins when you’ve swum there?

Of course. Why do you ask?

Because every guidebook to the Azores says you’ll come across dolphins…

You really do come across dolphins pretty often. If we’re lucky, we might even see whales! Blue whales, fin whales, sperm whales and other species are all to be found around the islands. The variety is astounding.

For the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition and the workshop, we cross from São Miguel to the volcanic Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo. We found amazing online photos of some spots there, too…

It’s a very special, magical place. The island is actually a collapsed volcanic crater with a lagoon in the middle, where you can snorkel. Access to the island is limited. I said to the people who’d booked the Destination Red Bull package in 2018, “Enjoy the moment. Not many people get to come here.” We even get to explore the island by diving, trekking and leaping off cliffs.

What is it that makes this tiny island so good for cliff diving?

You can find more than one hundred good places to dive from on its rocky coastline, from the very high, such as T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DEAN TREML/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

ou could discuss water with Orlando Duque for hours on end.

A veteran of the international cliff-diving elite, Duque was the first winner of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2009, and in 2013 he was crowned the FINA (International Swimming Federation) Cliff Diving World Champion. The 44-year-old Colombian spends most of his working life in oceans or diving pools.

And he continues to explore the world’s oceans during the Red Bull off-season as a diver, swimmer or canoeist. “Water relaxes you and makes you happy,” Duque says of his favourite element.

On this Destination Red Bull trip to the Azores, he brings the ocean alive for his guests in a way no one else can.

”We’ll get to know the ocean surrounding the island in all its glory. If we’re lucky, we might even see whales”

Only professionals can fly like this: Duque at Ilhéu de Vila Franca.

Participate in his workshop and you’ll dive from anywhere up to 14m

Travel heaven: the Azores. Clockwise from top left: the tiny Ilhéu de Vila Franca; the church of São Sebastião in Ponta Delgada; the Red Bull Cliff Diving platform, 27m above the Atlantic; two dolphins in the water

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T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

ISTOCKPHOTO, GETTY IMAGES, RED BULL MEDIA HOUSE GMBH/RED BULL CONTENT POOL,PAULO CALISTO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, HILTON BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

1,500 inhabitants and an unbeatable view: the Azores’ beauty shines in spots like Feteiras on São Miguel

DESTINATION 5

5 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: THE WATER EXPERIENCE – THE A ZORES WITH ORL ANDO DUQUE Snakehead, where the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition for the professionals is held, to very low or medium-height cliffs.

You’ll let whoever books this package in on the secrets and techniques of cliff diving. What can I, as an amateur, learn at your workshop?

I’ll teach you to enjoy the sport, and everything is tailor-made to suit my guests.

We can start very low – from one, two or three metres. But I can also teach you to dive from 12 to 14 metres up. It’s all easy.

I don’t believe that…

The key is being comfortable in the air.

A lot of people dive and then seize up in the air. You can still keep your balance on the descent and correct your pose, like you would on a slackline. I can teach you all these techniques. I promise you it will be fun.

I’m still thinking about the 12-14m thing.

What exactly is fun about that?

It’s fun to experience the moment of fear before you dive. That’s totally normal. But when you come back out of the water, you feel an enormous surge of joy because you had the guts to go through with it. That’s an important thing to realise.

So will I find out something about myself if I cliff dive?

You will. The thing you need to learn is that we’re often only afraid of something because we don’t know everything there is to know about the subject. Cliff diving totally falls into that category. But I’ll give you the tools you need to conquer your fear.

That means that I’ll be able to talk shop with the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series stars when we have dinner together after the competition. As a guest and a complete beginner, who do you think I should make sure I talk to?

The whole gang is amusing company, but Gary Hunt would definitely be a good choice.

He’s a British athlete and a six-time world champion. Gary also likes gardening, playing the piano and juggling. You definitely won’t get bored talking to him.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE Water is the primary element of life, and nobody can get that across with as much enthusiasm as 44-year-old Colombian Orlando Duque. Cliff-diving legend Duque, who won the first Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2009, takes us out on a chic 14m catamaran to an environmentally protected volcanic island where we dive, snorkel and swim with dolphins. He also lets us in on the secrets of cliff diving, of course. And we see how the professionals do it, thanks to our VIP backstage passes at the Red Bull cliff-diving event.

YOU R TRI P D E TA I L S Date 19 - 23 June 2019 Destination São Miguel, Azores Price (excl. getting there) from €4,120 Hotel Santa Bárbara Resort Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T DAY 1 After landing at Ponta Delgada Airport on São Miguel, the main island of the Azores, we discover the heavenly Santa Bárbara Resort, where we will be staying. We freshen up, discuss the details of the days to come, and head down to our welcome dinner.

Atlantic view: Santa Bárbara Resort on the main island of the Azores DAY 2 We dive into the wonderful marine world of the Azores alongside Orlando Duque. Thanks to our wetsuits, the Atlantic won’t feel cold as we snorkel, dive, and watch dolphins and perhaps even whales. We also notch up our first cliff-diving experience. And there’s no need to worry: nobody has to dive from

a height of 27m like the professionals do. Orlando takes everyone to their own personal limit based on their abilities.

That evening, we enjoy local delicacies at Saca-Rolhas Taberna with Orlando.

DAY 3 São Miguel is full of highlights. You can surf on the northern beach, go hiking or mountain biking, or relax in the hot springs – this is a day when everyone can do whatever they feel like doing.

We’re here to enjoy ourselves, after all.

DAY 4 A 14m catamaran takes us out to the island hosting the latest round of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, and drops anchor a mere 50m from all the action. After the contest, we clamber up the cliff with the 27m diving platform alongside Orlando and thus receive a dramatic insight into the true challenges divers are confronted with.

Later, the athletes’ dinner offers the perfect opportunity for us to put our questions to the world’s top cliff divers.

DAY 5 Up for breakfast, a last glance at the Atlantic, and then it’s off to the airport for the flight home.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43/664/88 11 07 06 35

Our coach shows us how it’s done: Dani Pedrosa at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands in 2018

6 Experience MotoGP for yourself with professional motorcycle racers Dani Pedrosa and Sete Gibernau

YOU TOO CAN

DO THIS

Worn kneepads are a badge of honour for motorcycle racers.

Former professionals Sete Gibernau and Dani Pedrosa show us their cornering technique on an exclusive biking weekend with private tuition and VIP access to the MotoGP Gran Premi de Catalunya

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ON YOUR KNEES

IN 10 EASY STEPS

A private racing circuit in Spain, bikes tuned perfectly.

Tarmac that’s as flat as a pancake with tons of grip.

Two coaches who were at the top of MotoGP for years. So now it’s your turn. Your knee must touch the ground and gently graze the unpleasantly new pads, making them look like they should. Here’s how you get there:

1

Try to be calm and stay that way throughout the ride. Don’t clutch onto the handlebars with all your strength – there’s no need to use force. Be conscious of your breathing.

2

Even when you’re really tilting, keep your head up straight. Your eyes should always be parallel to the ground beneath you. That’s the only way you can judge a corner correctly.

This is how it should look: our host Sete Gibernau in 2004

contact between the sole of your foot and the ground, and your toes won’t get sanded.

5

After the braking phase, bring your centre of gravity inwards by shifting your weight, and hang onto the tank with your knee bent. Do this in a single fluid movement. Take it easy!

3

We’ll start with a lefthand corner. Most riders find this easier, as the hand you accelerate with is on the outside and you have more room for adjustments with your elbow.

4

As you brake coming into the corner, put the front of your feet on the footrests.

This way, you avoid undesired

7

Curve your body back slightly. This way, you automatically get low on the bike, making it easier for your knee to come into contact with the ground.

8 You can overdo everything – that’s what we try to avoid

6

Bend the inside leg and move it outwards. Feel free to go a little overboard to start with.

From this point on, braking is taboo. Come into the corner and look a little further ahead of the end of the bend than you would instinctively.

9

Adjust how far you tilt with the throttle hand. If you step off the gas a bit, you tilt inwards. If you ramp it up, the bike will straighten itself.

This phase requires practice and good feel.

GETTY IMAGES

10 The basic technique is the same for amateurs and professionals

Sooner or later, you’ll be scratching your knee. Congratulations! Stay cool (point 1). You want to come out of the corner, too, remember. Step on it and the centrifugal force will straighten the bike up. Now let’s repeat this all day long.

Dani Pedrosa in the MotoGP pits in Spielberg, 2018. At Destination Red Bull, he coaches you on the finer points of your riding technique

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS

A day of MotoGP training on Sete Gibernau’s private circuit with Dani Pedrosa ––––– Get a ride on a two-seat MotoGP bike ––––– VIP package for the Barcelona MotoGP ––––– Access to the pit lane and the Red Bull Energy Station ––––– A night at Barcelona’s cool W Hotel, right on the beach

DO I NEED MY OWN LEATHERS? You do. You’re meant to scratch your knee, not hurt your crotch.

HOW CLOSE WILL I GET TO THE MOTOGP STARS THAT WEEKEND? As close as it’s possible to get. The pits, the paddock, the Red Bull Energy Station: access all areas.

WILL I EVEN FIT ON THE T WO - SEATER BIKE? Yes, as long as you’re not taller than 1.90m and don’t weigh over 90kg.

Day 3: on the pillion of a MotoGP two-seater Book now at destination.redbull.com

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E XC LUS IVE: OUR TR AIN ING ARE A

SETE GIBERNAU’S PRIVATE CIRCUIT The circuit is 130km from Barcelona in the Girona region and has different layouts which you can combine. The longest is 1.3km long and has more than 20 corners. Many are modelled on current MotoGP and Formula One circuits. It is completely flat and has sufficient run-off areas, and the anti-skid tarmac was selected specifically to offer motorbikes maximum grip.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DESTINATION 6

“WOW, WOW, WOW! TOTALLY INCREDIBLE!”

What does it feel like to ride pillion on what is currently the only two-seater MotoGP bike out there – the very one that will be used for Destination Red Bull? We asked South African Kevin Richardson, who has now experienced this most exclusive of adrenaline rushes twice destination red bull: Let’s not beat around the bush – what’s it like? kevin richardson: What’s it like? Wow! Wow! Wow, wow, wow! It took me ages to calm back down afterwards. Believe me, I’ve had plenty of adrenaline surges in my life, but nothing beats the Ducati X2.

Hold on tight: motorcycle fan Richardson (rear) on the Ducati X2

GETTY IMAGES, GOLD & GOOSE/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, MARC ROBINOT

Seriously, is it really that amazing?

It’s the best thing there is by far if you’re even just a little bit crazy about bikes.

As far as I’m concerned, these riders are artists.

Anyone can learn to ride a motorbike, but not to tilt like that or accelerate like that [to about 250kph] or brake like that. It’s more than 1bhp per kilo!

TH E PILLION PASS E NGE R

Kevin Richardson, 44, comes from South Africa, is a motorsport fan and zoologist and is known back home as the lion whisperer. He sees parallels to MotoGP bikes in his work with large cats.

“If you don’t respect them, you’ve lost. But they’re a soft touch in the right hands.”

But what does it feel like?

Your brain plays tricks on you. That starts before you even get on the bike. Before my first go, the doctors from the Clinica Mobile [the medical station present at

“ It’s not a question of whether I’d do it again; it’s a question of when I can” T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

Even if you could, nobody would even believe you.

Then came your second ride, this time dry…

It was, in Misano. It was the best thing ever. You’ve got to do it.

every MotoGP race] told me that I wouldn’t be getting on the bike at all if I couldn’t get my pulse under control.

But you did. Were you able to enjoy it?

It was totally incredible. My

first go was on Phillip Island, a famously quick circuit in Australia. But it rained. You can't begin to explain to a normal person what a MotoGP bike is capable of and how far it can tilt, even in the rain.

So you’d do it again?

It’s not a question of whether I’d do it again; it’s a question of when I can.

What advice do you have for anyone riding pillion?

Enjoy every single second.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

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DESTINATION 6

EXPERIENCE

“ THE JOURNEY

THERE IS FUN”

BARCELONA Relaxed Mediterranean feel meets architectural gems. And, yes, they like to party at night, too

Coach Sete Gibernau knows what riding motorbikes has to do with real life destination red bull: What can we learn from MotoGP professionals, apart from how to ride a motorbike better, of course? sete gibernau: Riding on a racing track has more in common with life than you might expect.

What exactly?

Everything happening at any given moment is merely the consequence of something that’s just happened before.

If I run out of space on a corner, it means I braked too late. At that point, there’s nothing more I can do.

So is your advice to brake earlier?

That would be too easy. A lot of people only think of the goal. I want to win races.

I want to be successful. I want this, I want that. And while they fixate on the goal, they forget how to get there. The whole of life is a process.

And is a good outcome simply the end result of a successful process?

Exactly! There are no shortcuts – and the journey there is fun.

Will that be the take-away for Destination Red Bull clients?

It will. We’ll have a lot of fun together, we’ll ride our bikes safer and better, and by evening we’ll have learnt something.

What, exactly?

That you’ve got to put one foot in front of the other if you want to get on. Dani and I started out from nowhere, too.

Surfers in front of the stylish W Hotel, our accommodation in Barcelona

Fairy-tale: La Sagrada Família by Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) Coach Sete Gibernau

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T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

6 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: EXPERIENCE MOTOGP FOR YOURSELF WITH DANI PEDROSA AND SETE GIBERNAU YOUR TR AVE L GUIDES

Dani Pedrosa

Dani Pedrosa needs no introduction to MotoGP fans. The three-time world champion (125cc and 250cc) was a fixture at the top of the racing world championships for a staggering 18 years. The small, placid Spaniard didn’t just win hearts with his riding style, people also loved the tenacity with which he overcame setbacks. The eternal Honda factory rider brought his active career to an end after 295 races just last autumn, only to take on a job as a test and development rider at KTM.

Sete Gibernau

Sete Gibernau grew up with motorbikes, and that’s no exaggeration. His grandfather, Don Paco Bultó, founded the legendary Bultaco motorbike manufacturers back in the day.

Sete entered the 250cc world championship in 1992 and premier class in 1997. He rode Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis and Ducatis. The highpoint of his career was coming second to Valentino Rossi in the 2003 and 2004 MotoGP World Championships. After retiring, he became an advisor to Dani Pedrosa, but then made a surprise comeback announcement this winter. He will perform in MotoE, the electric motorbike world championship.

YOU R TRI P D E TA I L S Date 14-16 June 2019 Destination Barcelona Price (excl. getting there) from €4,530 Hotel W Barcelona Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T

GETTY IMAGES, TANDEM, SHUTTERSTOCK, I-STOCKPHOTO, ERIC LAIGNEL BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

DAY 1 We head from the airport to the Mas Rabiol boutique hotel, very close to Sete Gibernau’s home. Here, we enjoy our dinner in luxury rustic style, set against a backdrop of the beautiful Catalan landscape.

Delicious: fine food at La Boqueria market

Timelessly beautiful: Gaudí’s Casa Batlló

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

DAY 2 Today we ride. Sete Gibernau’s exclusive private circuit is tailor-made for minibikes. Dani and Sete themselves will be our personal instructors for the day and will make sure that we all touch the tarmac with our knees on those corners.

But that’s only one part of this highgrade training session. Both stars will explain the mental and physical tools the professionals have at their disposal, and we will get to learn how we can apply that knowledge personally. That evening, we check into our rooms at the exclusive five-star W Hotel, set on the beachfront in Barcelona, before heading out into the night.

Room with a view: W Hotel in Barcelona DAY 3 We go to the Catalunya Grand Prix and soak up the Spanish MotoGP atmosphere amid hundreds of thousands of fans.

VIP passes give us maximum access. One thing you definitely won’t forget: riding pillion behind a professional on a twoseater MotoGP bike before the race begins. After that, we visit the pit lane, chill in the Red Bull Energy Station and take up our perfect seats for the race.

After the MotoGP awards ceremony, we head to the airport that evening and fly home.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 110 706 41

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DEAN TREML/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Up close to the action: at Red Bull Rampage in Utah’s sandstone mountains, freeride stars such as Jeff Herbertson (pictured) push their sport to the limit

7 Red Bull Rampage with Gee Atherton

BIKERS’

HEAVEN

World champion Gee Atherton takes us on two epic mountainbike tours – first to the Zion National Park and then to Red Bull Rampage as a VIP guest. Here, he writes about the Utah desert he’s longing to revisit

DESTINATION 7

Guide, expert, riding buddy: biking legend Gee Atherton

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Red Bull Rampage isn’t just the ultimate test of how well you handle a bike, it does something to your psyche too. You don’t feel comfortable. Actually, you’d like to walk away. And yet you’ve set yourself this challenge, or you really do find yourself going home. If that happens, it means Red Bull Rampage broke you. But as a rule, nobody does that. This battle with yourself – and the mountain – is what makes Red Bull Rampage so special. Plus, of course, there’s the setting in Zion National Park, where the ground below you does at least have the advantage of being relatively forgiving and soft when you fall.

(This is also the reason riders can normally get up uninjured after having spectacular-looking crashes, dust themselves down and carry on.)

There can hardly be another place where the energy is so clearly tangible and the tension and relief can change so dramatically. Every time I drive from Las Vegas to Utah and see that iconic landscape with the red ridges, I seize up at the thought of whether in future I’ll be lining up at the start or will I just be a spectator. What line are you going to ride? It’s the question you keep asking yourself, year after year.

To start with, just the idea of getting down in one piece somehow seems out of the question. But then you do – and in more spectacular fashion than you could ever have imagined. I first came here in 2004 and came second straight off. You can usually only dream of that kind of result.

Just witnessing the process close up is worth the journey alone. You’ll see how the world’s best bikers negotiate a mountain. You’ll see how creative they are, how they motivate themselves – one minute they’re fooling around and the next, they’re T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

SEBASTIAN MARKO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, BARTEK WOLINSKI/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, GARTH MILAN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

nyone who signs up for a trip to Red Bull Rampage with me probably knows all too well what riders can expect when they arrive. But believe me, you only see a fraction of the real thing in live broadcasts or online videos. You have to see it for yourself to believe what the world’s best mountain bikers can really ride down. First and foremost, you need to feel the nervous energy building in the air, day after day, until everyone goes out and gives it their best shot on the day.

I still remember clearly how I came to be at Virgin, Utah, for the first time after a successful season in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Back then, I thought I was actually pretty good on a bike, but there I was in the middle of those iconic sandstone mountains in the desert and I had to rethink. Everything is so big – much bigger than it comes across on TV. I was standing there, feeling so small with my bike, and, like all the others, I was trying to find a way down.

I know anyone would say this when they’ve got a camera held in front of their face, but believe me, Red Bull Rampage leaves no one underwhelmed.

My approach was to bend this huge mountain to my will, bit by bit. First, you need an idea of the route you’re going to take. The days after that are all about making it possible with rudimentary tools. It’s back-breaking work, really tough. And you have to make sure you don’t overshoot your target or include jumps that are too big, because all around you are other riders who are all trying to push themselves to the limit, and they’re digging around in this huge sandbox, too. A strong sense of momentum builds up, but then someone actually has to go and ride the course. No, not someone: you. So make sure you assess yourself and your skills correctly!

Riders and assistants spend days making the course negotiable through brute force at Red Bull Rampage. And then things get serious. Top right: Brett Rheeder; bottom left: Andreu Lacondeguy

DESTINATION 7

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS

Two epic biking tours through Zion National Park with Gee Atherton as your guide –––––

WILL GEE ATHERTON RIDE THE RED BULL R AMPAGE COURSE WITH ME?

Insight into the job the working crews do and a behind-the-scenes view of Red Bull Rampage ––––– Attending the contest, plus access to the exclusive VIP area at the course ––––– A helicopter flight over the event terrain –––––

No, of course not! We’ll be riding smooth trails.

SHOULD I BRING MY OWN MOUNTAIN BIKE? You don’t have to. You can get a top-quality bike on site.

HOW CLOSE CAN I GET TO THE RIDERS? Closer than anyone else will.

Gee knows them all and will be happy to introduce you.

A memento of the trip, thanks to your own photographer, including short videos ––––– Five nights at Hampton Inn, the best address in Zion National Park –––– One night at the stylish Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas

Your home: Wynn (above) in Las Vegas; Hampton Inn in Springdale

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Book now at destination.redbull.com

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

A helicopter flight over the terrain

do complete them, there are traditional American bars waiting for you where you can wash the desert dust out of your throat.

And I totally love the landscape. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world. I like my damp home trails in Wales, and I enjoy standing at the summit of a mountain in the Alps too. But nothing beats Zion.

Any self-respecting mountain biker should ride here at least once. Zion National Park during Red Bull Rampage is unique. It doesn’t get better than this.

CHRISTIAN PONDELLA/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, I-STOCKPHOTO, GETTY IMAGES

deadly serious. They can act normal and then they’ll go out and try something unprecedented on their bike… that’s what makes the atmosphere at Red Bull Rampage so special.

Quite aside from this one stand-out event, Zion National Park has become a year-round El Dorado for mountain bikers in recent years. A comprehensive network of trails has developed and is lovingly looked after by the locals. Anyone with a trail bike should be able to negotiate them and there’s the advantage that the ground always has plenty of grip and won’t hurt if you fall. The courses are quick and fluent – they wind their way through canyons and head over mountain tops.

They are dusty, fun and go on forever, but when you

DESTINATION 7

7 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: MOUNTAIN BIKING AND RED BULL R AMPAGE LIVE WITH GEE ATHERTON YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE: World champion and overall winner of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup, European and British champion. Speed is Gee Atherton’s real area of expertise, but there’s a whole host of other things our hero, born in 1985, can do. The racer has twice stood on the podium after coming second at Red Bull Rampage in 2004 and 2010, each time being beaten to the top spot by experienced freeride specialists. There seems to be nothing the amiable Brit can’t do on a bike. But it doesn’t always have to be wild. Enjoying nature is just as important as action.

YOU R TRI P D E TA I L S Sold out for 2019. We’ll happily reserve a spot for you on the 2020 trip at: destination.redbull.com Destination Virgin, Utah, USA Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T DAY 1 Arrive at the Hampton Inn, which lies right on the Virgin River and is surrounded by copper-red rocks. The tasteful resort will serve as your home base, retreat and comfort zone for the next five days.

A sandstone jewel north-east of Las Vegas: Zion National Park is one of America’s most beautiful in terms of landscape. The biking conditions are simply perfect

DAY 2 On your bike! Gee Atherton invites you on your first freeriding tour through the Zion National Park landscape in the morning. Ideally you’ll be using your own kit, or you can hire it on location for free (please bring any additional protective gear you think you might need for yourself).

To go on the tour, you need good mountain-biking skills and sufficient protective gear (full face helmet at the very least). In the afternoon, you can explore the Red Bull Rampage terrain and the desert surroundings by helicopter, which includes a photo opp on a mountain peak.

DAY 3 Go with Gee to the Red Bull Rampage competition site while the trails and jumps are still being completed.

It’s a very easy way of comparing notes and getting expert tips from the sports stars and crew members.

Desert hotspot: paint gambler’s paradise Las Vegas red on the last night of your trip T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

And then you can try them out that very afternoon on the second mountain bike tour with Gee, when your adrenaline levels will be pumped a little higher.

To top it all off, there’s dinner with the Red Bull Rampage participants.

DAY 4 In the morning, you can either chill or take the time to go on a Jeep tour or a hike in the national park. Red Bull Rampage qualifying starts at midday, and Gee’s guests will, of course, be seeing it all up close in the VIP area.

DAY 5 Today is the big day for the freeriding elite. Gee Atherton knows the best spots to enjoy the action and emotion up close. No wonder he’s found himself in second place here. No less legendary: the after-party with all the stars of the freeriding scene.

DAY 6 Transfer to a super-stylish hotel – the Wynn in Las Vegas.

DAY 7 After one last breakfast, Vegas style, it’s time to head home.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 110 706 47

OUR

PRO S TIP

Travel coach

FLY LIKE A KING German blogger Mark Wolter knows every trick in the book for optimising your flight. Here, he tells us how to sit more comfortably, how to arrive feeling refreshed, and how to earn bonus air miles while you read your newspaper

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Research

your seat online

Mark Wolter: from finance whizz to air miles expert Mark once analysed company derivatives. Now he examines the most important frequentflyer programmes on his blog, meilenoptimieren.com, where he explains why it’s worth even infrequent flyers collecting air miles, and tells you the best way to use them.

In 2018, the 32-year-old from northern Germany published his book Meilen Sammeln: So füllst du schnell und günstig dein Meilenkonto bei Miles & More und Co (in English: Collecting Air Miles: How to Top up Your Air Miles Quickly and Cheaply with Miles & More and co). Download it to your Kindle on Amazon.

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Though I do enjoy flying economy, I prefer to fly in business or first. What counts most for me is getting the right seat. Like most passengers, I’m disinclined to pay for a seat reservation.

But usually it’s not necessary. If I’ve made a mental note in advance when the online check-in opens – it’s usually between 24 and 72 hours before departure – I’m one of the first people to snatch their seat.

The top priority for me is getting a window seat, and then I try to make sure the seat next to me is empty.

In three out of four cases, it works, because I go for one of the back rows where the aisle seat is already taken.

Normally airplanes fill up from the front to the rear and are usually only 80 to 90 per cent booked, in which case the unpleasant middle seats at the rear of the cabin remain unoccupied.

It’s worth doing a bit of research on seatguru.com before long-haul flights.

Put in the date and flight number, and the website will inform you how far apart the seats are, which rows have seats that recline against a wall, and where being close to the toilets or galley will be annoying.

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Mini companions:

how to make sure you’re good to go on long-haul flights

As I write blog reviews about flights, my camera and smartphone camera are extremely important. Depending on what the inflight entertainment is like, you should also have an iPad with your own films on it. I always have granola bars in my bag, just in the case the food isn’t good; and as I want to take on as much liquid as possible, I often have an extra bottle of water.

I always have a pen and the address I’m going to. That way, I can fill in the landing documents during the flight and save myself time on arrival. And I take a change of clothes with me on long-haul flights so that I can treat myself to a shower in the airport on the stopover.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

We can’t guarantee perfect weather or a dreamy view, but doing your research beforehand can bag you a better passenger experience

way to avoid stress: stay civil

I have no idea what all this arguing with the person sitting next to you is about. I don’t make claims on the armrest if I’m in the window seat.

I’m more bothered by people behind me who jolt my seat when they fold down their table or hammer away on the in-flight entertainment screen.

As a rule, a look over your shoulder or a friendly word to point out they’re disturbing you will do.

Very few people do it on purpose.

“Miles are a second currency that I get cheap and redeem for good value”

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5

It’s only worth collecting air miles on flights alone if you fly in business or first on long-haul flights now.

I recommend that all infrequent flyers collect their miles on the ground. There are credit cards and free current accounts where you earn miles on every transaction, or subscriptions to newspapers, which can bring in up to 60,000 miles.

With Miles & More, that’s enough for a business-class flight to the US. You can also earn miles with nights at hotels, when you hire a car, and through any online purchases you might make. There are so many options that any mere mortal couldn’t possibly know about, but that’s why my website exists: to show you the options and bring your attention to special offers.

Miles are a second currency, and the interesting thing about them is they don’t have a fixed value, either when you earn them or redeem them. So your aim should be to get them low and redeem them high.

As a rule, I try to earn miles for free on the ground, or to take advantage of special offers where I pay around one euro cent per mile, and then use them for a first-class flight where they can be worth more than five cents a mile. With the right strategy, a first-class ticket can cost as little as a ticket in economy.

Non-cash gifts, by contrast, don’t make much sense. On luggage or cosmetics, you usually get the equivalent of much less than one cent per mile. Be cautious even with economy flights. In view of taxes, fees and fuel surcharges, it sometimes makes more sense to pay for the ticket and save the miles, even if it’s not that many.

Get bonus air miles without even flying...

… and haggle

with your miles like a professional

MARK WOLTER/MEILENOPTIMIEREN.COM

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The best

Relaxation options, entertainment and food. Travel blogger Mark Wolter usually takes his own water bottle, even in first class

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

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Head for heights: Christian Schiester climbs the 22m mast of his 18m sailing yacht, El Toro. With Destination Red Bull, you get to sail with him for a week around the Solomon Islands, north-east of Australia

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8 A sailing adventure with Christian Schiester

HARALD TAUDERER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

SAILING AROUND

PARADISE

From El Toro’s Solomon Islands logbook: what we learnt aboard this Destination Red Bull trip with round-the-world yachtsman Christian Schiester. And we also discover why our captain rustles up specialities from his Austrian homeland out in the South Pacific

Our patch: there are about 1,000 Solomon Islands, still remote and relatively undiscovered

Chilling out: former world-class sportsman Schiester enjoys a run on a layover

DESTINATION 8

It’s almost 6am: sun, peace, breakfast

GETTY IMAGES, HARALD TAUDERER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

From on deck, you can see the sun rise and the water turn turquoise. The temperature in this small bay is already pleasant in the morning, just as it should be. All six people – four guests, plus Christian and his partner Daniela – have slept on deck again to enjoy the nightly show in the sky. There is hardly any light pollution here, just south of the equator on the opposite side of the world to Europe. Thousands upon thousands of stars decorate the night sky, and it would be a waste to slink off to one of the roomy cabins below deck to sleep instead of dropping off up here.

People start to roll up their mats while someone volunteers to go to the galley and make coffee for everyone. That’s the way life works out here on El Toro. Luxury isn’t someone waiting on you, hand and foot. It’s you getting to enjoy time, peace and experiences the likes of which you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Christian Schiester, a former ultrarunner who’s now on a seven-year circumnavigation of the globe, comes from the Austrian state of Styria. You can tell because he’s soon shooing everyone out of the galley with their coffee so he can start making some Styrian Brennsterz – a traditional dish with rye flour – for breakfast. The fresh cinnamon he sprinkles on top is from Indonesia, which just happens to be one of the last places Christian and Daniela stopped off.

Morning: isolation works wonders

The Solomon Islands, east of New Guinea, consist of about one thousand very small and tiny islands. Only about 20,000 tourists stumble across the country every year. The South Sea is just as you imagine it would be here: untouched bays, real desert islands, palm trees, warm water.

Christian personally makes sure that there is no Wi-Fi available for miles around.

To stare at your mobile screen instead of soaking up the wonderful scenery would be an absolute waste.

There’s a moderate wind and the T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS A seven-day sailing adventure in the Solomon Islands ––––– Tours of discovery to remote locations ––––– Fresh food cooked daily

by Christian Schiester ––––– Unforgettable clear, starry nights south of the equator

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS DO I NEED A SAILING LICENCE? No, not necessarily, and Christian Schiester has one after all. An affinity for sailing will help, though, as you’ll be living on board for a week.

HOW IS THE BOAT EQUIPPED? The 18m yacht El Toro has four cabins with double beds, a freshwater treatment system, a fridge and a washing machine.

Everything you could need.

WHAT SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME? Not much. A toothbrush, a couple of T-shirts, a towel, a snorkel, your swimwear.

As Schiester explains, “Trust me, hand luggage is more than enough for a week on board!”

Book now at

destination.redbull.com

waves lap gently against the hull of El Toro, which is made of 6cm-thick, fibrereinforced plastic. The wind is with us.

Normally Christian sails obliquely against the wind because he’s circumnavigating the globe in an easterly direction, unlike 99 per cent of all comparable adventurers, who sail west. He only has the luxury of sailing with the wind when he is in an area for a certain amount of time, like today.

Lunchtime: sourcing our food from the sea

It’s time for a quick splash in the water.

The local sea-dwellers all seem placid – but that isn’t always the case. From blacktip reef sharks all the way along the trip, Daniela and Christian have seen all sorts of fish you don’t necessarily want to go snorkelling with. But here everything is OK. Or better still, everything’s very good, especially from a culinary point of view. Christian casts his fishing rod and reveals a secret to help those who wish to successfully catch seafood: your bait needs eyes, not just dots painted on. Fish find big, wide teddy-bear eyes particularly interesting. Within half an hour, a wahoo thrashing about on his line confirms his thesis. Tonight there’ll be fresh fish steak!

But our catch has to be laid out for a while first in order to make it taste even better.

Coffee and biscuits first, anyone?

The afternoon: taking the helm and island-hopping

We sail on. Christian knows a secluded bay where we can drop anchor for today.

Anyone with a sailing licence can now take over at the helm. At 18m, El Toro is quite a lot bigger than the boats your average Captain Pugwash is used to. But that’s how it has to be if Christian and Daniela are to make their adventurous crossings from one remote corner of the globe to the next with the wind whipping at them for weeks on end and waves sloshing over the deck. Speak to both of them, and they’ll gladly tell you of days when paradise felt a lot further away than it does today, of torn sails, of broken pumps and of a rat on board that almost caused the end of 53

Impressions from the life of a round-the-world sailor Clockwise from top left: a high point aboard El Toro; Schiester at an earlier stop on somewhat livelier seas; a moment for refreshment; a wahoo as reward for a day’s fishing

DESTINATION 8

8 their electricity supply. Christian explains: “What we do is more than just a vacation.”

But not today. Today feels a whole lot like a vacation.

Evening and night-time: getting cosy

HARALD TAUDERER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, STEPHANIE GOLSER

BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

We jump into the sea and make our way ashore to a white, sandy beach. It’s fairly likely that no human has set foot on this island in the last year. This is how Robinson Crusoe must have felt (without knowing there was a boat with a shower and a well-stocked larder 15 minutes away, of course). Before we go and help in the galley, we wash the salt off our skin and pull on our second T-shirt of the week. It’s amazing how little baggage you can get by on out here at sea. The wahoo is cooked to perfection and tastes delicious. What more could one need?

As the sun slips into the South Pacific, nobody reaches for their mobile to capture the moment on camera.

Your memory saves it much better.

“Thousands of stars decorate the night sky, and it would be a waste to slink off below deck” We stay out on deck a good while longer.

At some point, someone volunteers to do the washing-up. It’s all totally relaxed and companionable. Christian tells stories about his journey, about his life as an ultrarunner. We philosophise about the meaning of life. How little you need when you know what you really want. How good it is to throw off dead weight. How you can make do when you live in nature, with nature. The waves lap gently, otherwise you can’t hear a thing. We roll our mats out on deck – far from any marina, far from crowds or obligations – and let our thoughts melt away into the twinkling night sky until eventually we drift off into sweet sleep.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: SAILING IN PAR ADISE WITH CHRISTIAN SCHIESTER YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE The Styrian native, born in 1967, tackled the toughest longdistance races on the planet in his first career and won plenty of them, too. Be it the desert, the jungle or Antarctica: the more extreme, the better. He’s run 160,000km in total and that’s where he discovered his passion for the unknown. His current project, Sail and Run, sees him sailing round the world for seven years in El Toro and he’s doing it from west to east, which means that he’s usually sailing against the wind. He goes ashore every now and then to explore the area as he runs.

YOUR TRIP DE TAILS Date 22 - 28 September 2019 Destination Solomon Islands Price (excl. getting there) from €2,800 El Toro Hotel Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T Almost nowhere else does the sound of the words South Sea conjure up the images your mind expects as it does on the Solomon Islands, an enchanting group of islands east of New Guinea.

Warm, turquoise water, coral, isolated bays… Annually, only about 20,000 tourists stray into the 1,000 or so islands or atolls that make up this nation.

They’re an absolute highlight for even the saltiest of sailors.

Christian Schiester’s yacht, El Toro – 18m long, 5m wide, six cabins – is our home base all week. Schiester and his girlfriend Daniela set off on their world tour from Greece in 2016 and first headed for the Seychelles via the Suez Canal. They then spent another 31 days on the open ocean before reaching the Cocos Islands. After that, they headed for Indonesia via Christmas Island. One dream location after another.

Schiester and his boat have seen a thing or two and it’ll be seven years in all before he and his girlfriend get

An El Toro speciality: Styrian Brennsterz back to Europe. We can be guests on his circumnavigation of the globe for seven days and couldn’t get any closer to the adventure than this.

We discover new locations in paradise every day. We live, sleep and eat on board with Christian and he’s personally responsible for the fresh meals of fish, octopus or crayfish – from catching it to cooking it.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 11 07 06 55

OUR

PRO S TIP

Photography skills

“THE MAIN THING IS: KEEP IT NATURAL” Prize-winning outdoor photographer Chris Burkard’s clients include Apple, the BBC and National Geographic. He explains here how amateur snappers can come home with spectacular holiday shots, too

OK just using my smartphone?

Technology is less important than the composition of your picture.

Sometimes it even gets in the way.

During my travels in India and Cuba I’ve often seen how intimidating a big camera can be, whereas nobody fears a smartphone. The smaller the camera, the more naturally people act.

How do I stop the crowds ruining my photo?

As a photographer, you’re typically stuck with the conditions you’re given.

If there are lots of tourists around, why not embrace them? There are famous Thanks to smartphones, examples of images that American photographer everyone’s an amateur show a hoard of people.

Chris Burkard, 32, photographer these days.

The alternative is to be travels the world in But if I genuinely want patient and wait for them search of locations to improve, what rules to leave. Either way, it’s for his photoshoots should I observe? worth doing your research For the basics there’s Google. But a beforehand. Find out what time of the good start is to use the first and last 20 day the place is the least crowded. minutes of the day because that’s when the lighting is best. And when you What if the quest for pictures takes purchase your first lens, I recommend the joy out of travelling for me? a prime [one that doesn’t zoom].

I know the feeling from my early days That forces you to interact with your subject instead of zooming in from an impersonal distance. The rest is practice. Shoot as much as you can for the camera to become an extension of your body. Only then will you be able to get creative with it.

Do I have to invest in some expensive equipment, or will I be

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“ Technology is a lot less important than picture composition”

as a photographer. There’s a danger in filtering the journey through your lens. You’ll come home and ask yourself if you were really there.

The trick is not to plan every single detail of your holiday and leave a bit of uncertainty. That’s where raw experiences can happen, and they are worth being photographed.

What should I look out for when recording a film on holiday rather than taking photos?

It all depends on your experience, the tools you use and what you’re hoping to accomplish. But if you make a film, try to pick just one story and one narrative and stick with it. The quality of the images is secondary as long as you tell a good story.

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

CHRIS BURKARD, BEN MOON

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estination red bull: Can you tell us what makes a good holiday photograph? chris burkard: The same rules apply to any good photo.

It’s all about being able to capture the spirit of the moment. I’ve always tried to create images that are timeless – photographs that could have been shot at any time allow the viewer to think that could be them on the picture. Whether on social media or printed to hang on the wall, these are the images that tend to last.

C HRIS BURK ARD RECOMMENDS…

FOR GREATER VARIETY Olloclip clip-on lens for the iPhone Three different sets provide the right lens for every occasion – eg, for better zoom options or a fisheye effect.

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The PhotoPills app An insider tip for outdoor photoshoots.

This planning app will tell you the position of the sun and the current state of light, and also help you find celestial bodies in the Milky Way.

A PERFECT PHOTO

AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT Chris Burkard took this photo on the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. Here, he tells us how research, experience and timing all came together “We’d seen on Google Earth that there were spectacular waves on the coast of the Aleutian Islands, but we still didn’t know what to expect on this surfing photoshoot.

After exploring the islands for a few days, we stumbled almost accidentally on a pristine right-peeling wave and the true hero of the picture – the snow-covered volcano in the background. I had two cameras with me: one with a wide-angle lens to capture the panorama and another with a telephoto lens for the action.

I took this shot with the telephoto lens at 75mm. Nature was doing all the work, but the trick was getting all the layers of the picture to look sharp – and releasing the shutter at the right time, of course. That’s Californian surfer Josh Mulcoy in the picture.”

FOR SHARPER IMAGES The Sony A6500 with a 16-70mm zoom and PolarPro polarising filter Versatile digital camera with first-class picture quality. The polarising filter will eliminate any unwanted reflection.

Camera: Sony A99 / Focal length: 75mm / Shutter speed: 1/640 sec / Aperture: 6.3 / ISO: 160

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

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9 Be a VIP at the Red Bull BC One World Final in Mumbai

THE WORLD

REVOLVES AROUND YOU

This November, Mumbai will become the capital of the urban dance scene when the world’s best B-boys and girls do battle for the title at the Red Bull BC One World Final. You can be there, too, and learn the professionals’ tricks while you’re at it

R

ed Bull BC One, first held in 2004, is the unofficial world championships of B-boys and, since 2018, B-girls – otherwise known as breakdancers. Several thousand dancers from all over the world have qualified at local events for this, the international showdown, which takes place in a different cultural metropolis every year.

After Rome, Nagoya, Amsterdam and Zurich all had their turn, the much sought-after location for 2019 is Mumbai. Destination Red Bull will give you more than just the chance to witness events live; you’ll also be able to work on your own skills with the B-boy elite at their workshops. To get you in the mood, here are five moves you have to know if you want to be a Red Bull BC One expert…

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1

The Halo: spinning on the side of your head

In this power move (a move you start with pure muscular strength, not momentum), the neck has to withstand enormous force. Imagining you have a headband on will help you keep moving.

Rotate along the line of the headband.

Level of difficulty: 7/10

LITTLE SHAO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

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Head case: B-boys like Morocco’s Lil Zoo need strong neck muscles for the Halo

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The Headspin: rotating on your head

It may look simple, but it’s no mean feat. First, you have to be able to do a perfect headstand, and only then will momentum from your upper body get you rotating. Dizziness shouldn’t come into it. The best B-boys and B-girls can do more than 100 spins a minute.

Level of difficulty: 7/10

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The Flare: balancing on your arms and swinging your legs in a circular motion

This move has its origins in artistic gymnastics, but the B-boy version is more fluid and the legs remain closer to the body. From there, we have other power moves, such as the Air Flare, which only top dancers can do. They start from a diagonal handstand and rotate, switching from arm to arm. Level of difficulty: 7/10

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Windmill: spinning on your 4 The back around your own axis Kung-fu fighters use this technique to get up, but B-boys have changed it into continuous rotation with shoulders and upper back on the floor and legs akimbo in the air. This classic power move requires good body tension.

Level of difficulty: 5/10

Delight from the world’s best B-boy: Lil Zoo at the Red Bull BC One World Final in Zurich, September 2018

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9 YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: BE A VIP AT THE RED BULL BC ONE WORLD FINAL IN MUMBAI

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The Elbow Spin: rotating on your elbows

If you can spin on your head and the outside of your head, then you can probably spin on your elbows, too. But only the professionals have mastered this move. The contact area is small and, as a consequence, the risk of buckling is high. You need a fine touch and a strong and well-stretched shoulder area.

Level of difficulty: 9/10

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YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS Workshops with the world’s best breakers ––––– Top seats at the Red Bull BC One World Final ––––– Pass to the after-show party ––––– Four nights at a luxury hotel in Mumbai ––––– Red Bull BC One merchandise

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS DO I N E E D A VISA? Yes, and here’s where to apply: indian-evisa.com

HOW DO I GEAR MYSELF UP FOR MUMBAI? By watching Bollywood movie Gully Boy, out in early 2019 and based on the life of Mumbai’s street rappers.

WHERE DO I TREAT MYSELF TO A DRINK? AER, the rooftop bar at the Four Seasons Hotel close by. The drinks, crowd and view are all top-class.

YOUR TRIP DE TAILS Date 6 - 10 November 2019 Destination Mumbai, India Price (excl. getting there) from €1,120 Hotel Details to be finalised Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T DAY 1 We take the VIP shuttle to the hotel with the other guests and the B-boys.

Freshen up, get dinner and then head out into the night.

DAY 2 We take a relaxed approach and head through vibrant Mumbai to the camps.

This is where the workshops with the best breakers in the world are being held. We watch and learn tricks and moves and become part of the community. Whoever wants to can then head out to one of the many clubs or bars. Lord of the Drinks is right next door.

DAY 4 Today is the big day, the moment thousands of breakers have worked towards. The best 16 do battle in a knockout system and we’re there live – just as we will be for the traditionally epic after-show party.

DAY 3 We have a late breakfast and explore the city. In the afternoon, we make our way to the location hosting the Red Bull BC One World Final the next day. It’s a casual meeting with our new buddies where we watch them prepare, and feel the tension rise. We round the day off with an Indian meal.

DAY 5 Depending on our flight schedules, the shuttle buses us back, in various states of tiredness, to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. As we fly home, our heads are bursting with the impressions made on us by a pulsating foreign city, and our amazement at the skills of the international B-boy elite.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43/664/88 11 07 06 T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

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DESTINATION 9

EXPERIENCE

MUMBAI

Food, art, architecture: India’s capital combines the modern-day with a rich Victorian heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai

Tea sellers on a shopping street Worshipping Hindu deity Ganesha at the Ganpati Visarjan festival on Juhu Beach

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Fresh produce: green star-fruit

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Op-ed

START LIVING

Travel is adrenaline-fuelled meditation, says columnist and globetrotter Waltraud Hable. And every trip you make adds a little colour to your biopic

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hey say your life flashes before you at high speed when your time comes, like a film on fastforward. Thanks, universe.

But, to be honest, that whole idea stresses me out, because even now I can say that my end-of-days movie has the potential to be cripplingly boring, dominated in all likelihood by two sequences.

Still 1: me working at my desk where my haircut, outfit and the depth of my wrinkles are the only things that change. Still 2: me, asleep. That will account for about 40 per cent of my posthumous film because you sleep at the weekend too, but tend not to work. The rest of the time will be devoted to living, loving and hopefully a lot of laughing.

It all sounds very… sensible, doesn’t it? But, luckily, you have two aces up your sleeve with which to pep up your script.

One is chance, which you have about as much control over as you do of a squirrel on speed, ie, none at all. And yet I still like chance, perhaps for that very reason, because it spices up your very existence with wonderful challenges that you might otherwise be too lazy, too cowardly or just too unimaginative for.

first time I barrelled through the jungle on the back of a pick-up truck in Thailand.

And that was 10 years ago! Every breath was a new world and I stared in amazement at the wild orchids for days on end.

Or Rhodes! At the time, I thought I just had to do that bungee jump off a 60m crane, because sometimes you do things that seem absurd when you’re on your first gin and tonic but sound totally plausible by your second. And as I plunged into the abyss with my arms out wide, I could hear my heartbeat louder than I could the tinny version of the Macarena 60m below me... And I’ll never forget the taste of the salt water as I hung around in a diving cage in the ice-cold water of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Africa, waiting for a white shark to appear. I can recall the loud chit-chat of tourists hoping to catch a glimpse and then the total silence underwater. Then the glorious, streamlined predator which must have wondered what I was doing there, and which decidedly made no effort to sink its teeth into me.

Travel allows me to live in the moment

And then there’s ace no. 2 – travel. That’s my trump card. Because there’s nothing else I’ve come across to date which gives my life such colour. By which I don’t mean squeezing a couple of palm trees and exotic drinks with cocktail umbrellas into the picture.

Everything smells different when you’re travelling.

Everything tastes different. The rules for interacting with others are different. But first and foremost, travel allows me to live in the moment. As soon as I step even slightly outside my comfort zone – and stop lying motionless by the hotel pool, working on my tan – a switch flips and all my senses come alive. It must be an evolutionary reflex. The unknown spells danger, so pay greater attention. Listen more closely. Notice things that would normally pass you by unnoticed. I can still remember how humid and fresh the air smelled the

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But before you get the wrong picture: I’m not some daredevil. If anything, I’m the opposite. And yet travel breathes life into my inner adventurer. It’s like adrenaline-fuelled meditation. Some like to slow right down and enjoy the moment. I find happiness in doing stuff. Ideally where it’s 30°C in the shade and I have a tan. And the latter won’t hurt the way your biopic looks, either.

Waltraud Hable is a journalist with a chronic case of itchy feet. The result is a one-year solo journey round the world, crossing all continents.

Her book, Mein Date mit der Welt (My Date with the World) (DuMont), became a Spiegel bestseller in her home country of Austria.

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CRAIG KOLESKY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

An enduro dream: the original Roof of Africa rally course goes from sea level to 3,000m and back again

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Plotting the Roof of Africa with Alfie Cox

ENDLESS OFF-ROAD

ADVENTURE

On this trip, nine-time Roof of Africa winner Alfie Cox introduces us to South Africa and the mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho.

To get us in the mood, here are 10 facts about the country and its people, from the Basotho hat to its huge waterfalls

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1

Older than the Dakar Rally

POLITICS. Lesotho is totally surrounded

Our guide: enduro champion Alfie Cox

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A familiar dynasty

FAMILY. Our Destination Red Bull

guide Alfie Cox is unsurpassed with his nine title wins. But there is currently a changing of the guard. His son Bradley first entered the B-race aged 19, led until day two and ended up coming home in second with his father waving frantically at the finish line. “An emotional day for me. The Roof of Africa has always been my favourite race. It was an overwhelming experience seeing Bradley following in my footsteps.”

by South Africa, so it’s no wonder this small country is reliant on the giant next door. Ninety per cent of all goods are imported from South Africa and the majority of the population earns its living from its comparatively rich larger neighbour. Lesotho’s currency, the loti, is worthless in South Africa, but the South African rand, by contrast, is accepted all over Lesotho. (In an agrarian country like Lesotho, there is, admittedly, a parallel currency: the cow.)

Water buffalo in Lesotho, where cows are also accepted as an alternative currency

YOUR TRIP H IGH LIGHTS Professionals on the Roof of Africa

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It's like a three-day Erzberg Rodeo

COURSE. Today’s Roof of Africa no

longer has anything to do with the “worst road” of those early days. The course now has no roads – it has trails at best. This is hard enduro, and the 3,000m of altitude don’t make it any easier. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the list of winners in the last few years is rather similar to that of Europe's largest motorcycle enduro competition, the Erzberg Rodeo in the Austrian state of Styria: Graham Jarvis, Chris Birch and Wade Young (OK, so Young is yet to win the Erzberg, but anyone who wins the Roof of Africa at 16 should surely be able to slay the Styrian giants). On our tour, we explore the picturesque landscape where the Roof is held and dare to follow in the professionals’ footsteps.

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Seven days of enduro with Alfie Cox, including rider monitoring and training ––––– Overnight stays along the route ––––– The Roof of Africa live, including a meet and greet with Wade Young, the youngest ever Roof winner ––––– Hiring a KTM from Alfie Cox’s fleet ––––– A visit to the Gwahumbe safari park ––––– Accompanying vehicle for luggage along the entire route ––––– Transfer to and from the airport

3 QUIC K QUES TIONS DO I NEED A VISA? Austrian, British or American nationals don’t need a visa under any circumstances. German and Swiss nationals only require one if staying in the country for more than 14 days.

SHOULD I TAKE A MAT AND SLEEPING BAG? Leave them at home. The adventure comes to an end every evening.

You’ll sleep in a bed.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME? Enough (motorbike) clothes for temperatures ranging from 0 to 30°C.

Book now at destination.redbull.com

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TYRONE BRADLEY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, KEVIN SAWYER, I-STOCKPHOTO, CRAIG KOLESKY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

H IS TORY. When the Paris Dakar Rally was first held in 1979, organisers already had the Roof of Africa experience to fall back on. As far back as 1967, drivers and motorcyclists had set off to “conquer the worst road in South Africa”. But don’t take my word for it – that was the verdict of Bob Phillips, the engineer who had just constructed it. Over the years, the course got even harder and eventually cars gave up the ghost in 2000. The only interruption to the race happened in 1998, this was due to political unrest in Lesotho. Coming right up to date, 2018 marked the 51st outing of the Roof of Africa, making it one of the races with the richest traditions out there.

A landlocked country

Our tour: a whole week in the saddle, from morning till night, largely on unpaved tracks

Spectacular landscapes, never-ending horizons, no restrictions: South Africa and Lesotho were made for off-roading

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Kingdom in the sky

LESOTHO. The constitutional

monarchy of Lesotho is well-known for its extraordinary altitude. Its territory lies at more than 1,000m above sea level, and more than 80 per cent of the country reaches altitudes of as much as 1,800m.

Its highest point is Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,482m. At 3,050m, Afriski is the highest ski resort on the African continent and is also popular with snowboarders and bikers.

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Hat on the flag

CULTURE. Lesotho is the only country in the world where an item of clothing has made it onto the national flag and car registration plates too. The Basotho hat is topped off with its characteristic knot, woven from grass, designed in the shape of a mountain, and is only to be found in Lesotho. Any takers for a cowboy hat making it onto the American flag?

Elephants in a national park in Lesotho

FAC T S H E E T: OUR BIKE – TH E K TM 1090 ADVE NTURE R Crossing a river, enduro-style

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Swimming with the bike

❺

RIVERS. The weather was totally

unpredictable when the race was in operation in October rather than December. Alfie Cox remembers 1988: “A river had burst its banks due to heavy rain. It was only 15 metres wide but it was two metres deep. There was no way you could ride through it. The only thing to do was to swim through and drag the bike behind you with one hand. Once we got to the other shore, we had to turn the bikes upside down to drain the water out.

And then, soaked to the skin as we were, we had to remove the air filters, clean the carburettors and dry the spark plugs. Your only chance of the bike springing back into life was you getting all that right.

Just as well I’m a trained mechanic!”

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❷ ❶

❸ ❹

❻

This is the bike we’ll be riding. The two-cylinder engine ❶ generates 125bhp. Thanks to the big 23-litre tank ❷ we make it to the finish every evening. The steel frame ❸ is robust, and you can switch off the ABS ❹ off-road. The trim ❺ makes road stages easy. Ground clearance ❻ is 25cm, so it’s good to go on hard terrain, too.

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BLAGOVESTA BAKARDJIEVA

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NATURE. South Africa and Venezuela argue over whether the Tugela Falls in Africa or the Angel Falls in South America are taller. Depending on how you measure, you get to just under 1,000m in various stages. The area where the Roof of Africa is run is extremely picturesque and provides one of the most stunning backdrops a motorbike explorer could hope for. There are mountains and lush green meadows, there’s solitude and the ubiquitous red stone. Another type of stone altogether provides up to 10 per cent of Lesotho’s GDP. The small country is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds.

GETTY IMAGES, I-STOCKPHOTO, KEVIN SAWYER, CRAIG KOLESKY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

The spectacular Drakensberg between South Africa and Lesotho

Water, rocks, diamonds

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YOUR TR AVEL SCHEDULE: AN ENDURO ADVENTURE WITH COX IN SOUTH AFRICA AND LESOTHO YOUR TR AVE L GUIDE Alfie Cox, born in 1963, is an off-road legend. The tenacious South African was a KTM factory driver for years and has won the Roof of Africa a record-breaking nine times. Our consistent, moustachioed hero has ridden the Dakar eight times, finishing on the podium in three of them, and there’s barely a race between Australia and Baja California he hasn’t contested and, in many cases, won. Cox was also the very first man to win the Red Bull Hare Scramble on the Erzberg.

Wonders of nature the length of the course: the Tugela Waterfalls in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal

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Human snowploughs

EXTREME. Snow is not a rarity. When there’s fresh snow, Baboons Pass in particular becomes nigh on impassable, unless, that is, you happen to know a German snowplough. Alfie explains: “There was one time in the 1990s when it snowed like mad. I’m not exactly a giant of a man – there was no way I could have got through on my own. But there was this German, Bert von Zitzewitz, who was an excellent motorcyclist and, more importantly, a huge guy. This hulk of a man had ploughed his way up the mountain through the fresh snow and left a trail, thanks to which we also had a chance. If it wasn’t for him, no one would have made it to the finish line that year.

We’re still friends to this day!”

YOU R TRI P D E TA I L S Date 25 November – 2 December 2019 Destination Lesotho and South Africa Price (excl. getting there) from € 4,530 Hotel Tiffendell Ski Resort Minimum number of participants 4 Maximum number of participants 4 Minimum age 18

WHAT TO E XPEC T DAY 1 You are met at the airport in Durban after which Alfie Cox awaits with a traditional braai – or barbecue – at his home before you head off to a tastefully appointed cottage for your first night.

DAY 2 After breakfast, you head off to the Hella Hella Valley and the Sani Pass. To get you in the mood, you cover about 250km this day, 60 per cent of which is on tarmacked roads and 40 per cent on loose gravel. Your target for the day is the Afriski Resort, located some 3,000m above sea level.

DAY 3 After a visit to a diamond mine, you head on to the village of Ha Lejone, situated on a ridge above a bend in the Malibamat’so River. You reach your destination for the night at the spectacular Katse Dam after 175km.

After eight days we see the chequered flag

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Just don’t say Lesotho!

PRONUNCIATION. Anyone who

pronounces it the way it’s written immediately outs themselves as a newcomer to the country. The correct way to say the name is lesutu. (It almost sounds French!)

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DAY 4 A full day in the saddle – 250km await today and 80 per cent of them are over gravel. Your route takes you out of Lesotho, through the Matabeng Pass, and ends late that evening at Matatiele in South Africa.

DAY 5 After a sumptuous breakfast, it’s off to the legendary Ongeluks Nek Pass at an altitude of more than 2,500m and into

Lesotho and then back out of the country again in the afternoon when you pass the Tele Bridge Border Post. After 250 unforgettable kilometres – two thirds of them on gravel – you arrive that evening in Rhodes, South Africa, where you’ll be stopping for the night.

DAY 6 To get the engines warm, you head for Tiffindell Ski Resort, the only ski resort in South Africa operating year-round.

You continue over Naude’s Neck Pass and Mount Fletcher until arriving that evening at Matatiele, which you left two days ago. Your total for the day: 200km, half on gravel, half on tarmac.

DAY 7 You have 300km ahead of you on the bike until you arrive at Cato Ridge, near Durban, just in time for the Roof of Africa awards ceremony and to meet Wade Young and others. Depending on how you are feeling and the shape everyone’s in, the group can make a detour to the racetrack to see our hard enduro heroes in action.

DAY 8 ‘Reveille’ is at six. You head to Gwahumbe Safari Park where breakfast is waiting.

You end the day on the beachfront at Umhlanga before heading off to the airport in Durban that afternoon with your bags packed.

For information about the trip and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to

destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 110 706 69

Backstage at the world’s most important art fair More than 80,000 collectors, gallery owners and art lovers make Miami the centre of the art world during Art Basel. Enjoy the highlights with the Destination Red Bull curated VIP programme.

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December 2019

Enjoy Canada’s powder heaven with snowboarding icon Travis Rice His films define the style, while his tricks set new standards. Head off on a snowboarding tour through the Canadian Selkirk Mountains with America’s best freerider. Deep snow is guaranteed.

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March 2020 1

Coming soon to Destination Red Bull

ELITE SPORT MEETS HIGH CULTURE

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Get a backstage pass for the global metropolis that is New York, enjoy the latest in modern art, or paint the town red with a world champion at the Alps’ most legendary ski resort. All these exclusive trips and more await with Destination Red Bull

Get VIP access to the Red Bull sport, music and club scene in New York Gain an insider’s view of the city that never sleeps. Meet the footballing stars of the New York Red Bulls, party at the most exclusive clubs, and delete the word ‘queue’ from your vocabulary.

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For information about other trips and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 11 07 06

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September 2019

T H E R E D B U L L E T I N T R AV E L E D I T I O N

Soak up the legend of Kitzbühel alongside a Super-G world champion It’s the most exclusive and spectacular racing weekend in the Alpine Ski World Cup. Immerse yourself in Kitzbühel with Daron Rahlves and enjoy VIP access to the Hahnenkamm downhill.

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A European climbing expedition with adventurer Stefan Glowacz Discover the most exciting routes from Italy through France with Germany’s professional expedition leader as your partner and expert outdoor guide.

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January 2020

September 2020

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KLAUS FENGLER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, MIKA MERIKANTO/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, LAIF/PICTUREDESK.COM, GETTY IMAGES, PHILIP PLATZER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL, ANDREAS SCHAAD/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

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Enjoy a fabulous Belgian pop festival from the Red Bull Guest House Get VIP access to the Tomorrowland festival and see leading electronic acts performing on elaborate stages, then sleep at the Red Bull Guest House, the JAM Hotel, a former art school.

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July 2019

Enduro training and coaching with Dakar winner Matthias Walkner In winning the 2018 Dakar Rally, he rewrote Austrian sports history. Now Matthias Walkner will hone your enduro bike skills – physically, technically and mentally.

Experience g-forces live as the co-pilot in a Red Bull Air Race cockpit Soar into the skies with Red Bull Air Race champion and Hungarian national hero Péter Besenyei as he takes you through loop-the-loops, rolls and nosedives.

September 2019

July 2019

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DIE REISEREI GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS Prices and rates current as of November 2018

IMPRINT Editor-in-Chief Andreas Rottenschlager

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Head of Production Veronika Felder

Editor-in-Chief, The Red Bulletin Alexander Macheck

Advertising Sales Alfred Vrej Minassian (Manager), Stefanie Krallinger anzeigen@at.redbulletin.com UK Advertising Sales: Mark Bishop, mark.bishop@redbull.com

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Creative Director Erik Turek Photo Director Eva Kerschbaum Graphic Design Kevin Goll, Carita Najewitz Freelance Collaborators Werner Jessner (Project Manager), Wolfgang Hofbauer, Nina Treml UK Editorial Staff: Tom Guise (Editor), Florian Obkircher Production Editor Marion Lukas-Wildmann Managing Editor Ulrich Corazza Publishing Management Sara Varming

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Head of Commercial & Publishing Management Stefan Ebner

THIS WAY… TO YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE Our special offers are constantly being updated.

For all information on new trips, go to: destination.redbull.com

For information about other trips and how to book via our professional partners at DIE REISEREI, go to destination.redbull.com or call +43 664 88 11 07 06

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Minimum number of participants 4 people Subject to price, itinerary, fuel, flight changes or cancellation of the trip should the athlete pull out.

General conditions of travel (ARB 92) apply. We especially draw your attention to point 8.1 (price changes due to adjustments to carriage charges, outgoings/costs and/or exchange rates).

Should the minimum number of participants not be reached, the price of the trip may also be raised by 10% up to 21 days before the departure date.

Changes to the surcharges and fees/ charges shown will be recalculated/ refunded with the actual costs at the time the ticket is issued. Changes made within 20 days of the departure date will not be taken into account.

Tour Operator BTU Business Travel Unlimited Reisebüro GmbH Tour operator registration number: 1999/0074 Separate cancellation terms for private travel with BTU Business Travel Unlimited Reisebüro GmbH. The latest version of the binding general conditions of travel (ARB 1992) applies to private travel with BTU Business Travel Unlimited Reisebüro GmbH. The following amended points apply: separate cancellation terms (replacing point A.7.1.c.1. of the current version of the general conditions of travel): 20% of the cost when cancelling bookings 60 or more days before departure date (instead of 10% as per ARB 1992) 50% of the cost when cancelling between 40 and 59 days before departure date (instead of 10% as per ARB 1992) 85% of the cost when cancelling between 30 and 39 days before departure date (instead of 10% as per ARB 1992) 100% of the cost when cancelling within 29 days before departure date (instead of 25% to 85% as per ARB 1992) Tour operator BTU Business Travel Unlimited Reisebüro GmbH, A-1010 Wien, Operngasse 2/2. Stock.

Registered in the tour operator directory of the Ministry for the Economy, Family and Youth under number 1999/0074.

According to the Travel Agency Security Ordinance (RSV), money paid by customers for package deals with the tour operator BTU Business Travel Unlimited Reisebüro GmbH is guaranteed under the following conditions. The deposit shall be made no longer than eleven months before the agreed end-date of the trip and constitutes 20% of the price.

Important insolvency coverage information: do not pay more than a 20% deposit and do not pay the balance more than 20 days before the departure date.

The guarantor or insurer is Raiffeisenlandesbank OÖ AG, A-4020 Linz, Europaplatz 1a (Bank guarantee dated April 28, 1998). All claims must be filed with the liquidator (Europäische Reiseversicherung AG, Kratochwjlestraße 4, A-1220 Wien, tel.: +43 1 3172500, fax: +43 1 3199367) within 8 weeks of insolvency occurring, otherwise the claim shall be forfeited.

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KIN MARCIN/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

TR AVEL EDITION

Travel talk

“I HAVE TO PLAY TETRIS WHEN I’M PACKING” Competitions, commercial commitments, holidays… Big Air Olympic champion Anna Gasser is on the road nine months a year. Here, she tells us how she stays fit while she’s on the move, and the best thing about losing your luggage

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estination red bull: Whether you’re competing in China or the US, is travel a necessary evil for you or are you able to enjoy your time on the road? anna gasser: It’s more a necessary evil than something I enjoy. So when I’m travelling I try to sleep or I spend the time watching films.

the outside world and relax on the journey.

You usually travel with bulky equipment. What do you have to look out for when you pack?

For me, packing is like playing Tetris. The board, outerwear, boots, helmets, all take up a lot of space.

But it all works once you’ve got the hang of it.

It can help to roll up items of clothing instead of folding them. I attach my wheelie case and carry-on so I have a hand free.

How do you keep your nerves in check if there are delays or your baggage gets lost?

There’s nothing I can do about that. If there’s a long delay or I miss a flight, I treat myself to a fancy hotel and room service. And lost luggage is always a good excuse to go shopping.

How would you describe your perfect travel companion?

Relaxed and patient and can confront any situation with a smile.

Where do you like to go when you’re travelling for leisure?

I enjoy time at home in Carinthia. Or I go to a summery destination – recently I went to Bali.

Case study: Anna Gasser is 27 and comes from the Austrian state of Carinthia. She is an Olympic champion, X Games winner and Snowboard Big Air world champion.

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Follow Anna on Instagram: @annagassersnow

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FELIX KRÜGER

If you’re on your way to compete, you have to reach your destination in top shape mentally and physically. What’s your tip for staying relaxed en route?

Music is always a help.

I recommend noisecancelling headphones.

That way I can switch off

TYRONE BRADLEY/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

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