Former short track pro and J-Athlete Matthias Stelzmüller travels the world on his inline skates with his project "Skate the World". Skate the World" is all about experiencing cities and countries from many angles, getting to know other cultures better and combining it all with sports. Today, the globetrotting Viennese introduces five destinations that particularly appeal to him on inline skates. You probably wouldn't expect one or the other, but exotic and adventurous cities in particular are very high on his list.
Only when you travel slowly can the soul travel with you. The Native Americans already knew that. Whether they were thinking of a Viennese on inline skates is up for debate.
Nevertheless, only a good story can come out of it.
Ho Chi Minh & Hanoi - Vietnam
Hardly any country has been more fun for me on skates than Vietnam. Especially the contrast between the communist dominated north and the western south has not let me go. It feels like there is no spot on the streets here without chaotically driving mopeds. Traffic lights are at best decoration, and yet traffic flows because people are considerate of each other. In no other city have I been asked so often to simply attach myself to the moped and be pulled along!
Only from the coffee with egg one should leave the fingers...the arrogance to try everything has put me in this case two days out of action.
Singapore
Spitting chewing gum on the street or dropping trash is strictly punished here and especially expensive. Before I arrived in Singapore, I was not even sure if inline skates are allowed in the city. Far from it: Through an Internet forum in which activities in Singapore can be found, I came across a group that meets once a week to skate together through the city. I was unfortunately only two days on the spot, posted without further ado in the forum and three enthusiastic inline skaters immediately contacted me to show me their Singapore on skates. 40 kilometers and a few hours later I skated in places I never thought possible. For example, at midnight through the university in the corridors just rehearsed theater and sports groups.
Riga - Latvia
I have special memories of Latvia because I lived there for about a year to train with the Latvian national short track team. Riga is an incredibly beautiful city to explore on skates. Except for a few cobblestone streets in the center, you have no trouble getting around. Especially the Soviet architecture has always impressed me. The old Academy of Sciences and the Soviet Victory Monument are not to be missed and for aviation freaks like me, a visit to the Aviation Museum near the airport is a must.
"Only where you have been on foot have you really been." - Johann Wolfgang v. G.
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia
Twice I had the honor to make the capital Addis Ababa unsafe on behalf of Ethiopian Airlines and the Traveller! It feels like a new adventure is waiting around every corner. The roads are at least good enough in most parts of the city and the traffic is tough, which is usually an advantage to sneak through in traffic jams. Near the Menelik Palace, there is a wide and, more importantly, wonderfully sloping road that you can skate downhill style. Fun, but in my case it led to an incident with the military. Long story short: If in Africa soldiers with AK47 run towards you, just keep calm and stop. The long story about it there is another time. ;)
Berlin - Germany
Too glad I would have again the chance to fly to Berlin-Tegel. But this time only with my skates, because hardly any other city could be explored so well directly from the airport as Berlin! With enough stamina, you would easily manage the most famous sights with a one-day stop-over. From the new airport, this is unfortunately no longer so easily possible, but Berlin is still absolutely worth a trip on skates. In principle, everything is quite close together and the streets are more than skate-friendly. A trip to the runway at the former central airport should not be missed.
My conclusion
The goal on my skates is to get to know the most beautiful or sometimes not so beautiful places, to get in touch with other cultures and people, to make friends and to exercise while doing it; and if that's not enough, then just because it makes me happier than anything else. To skate somewhere where hardly anyone would have thought of it yet and it's best 35 degrees and you can sweat out all your worries!
No matter where I've skated in the world, but especially in Asia and Africa: I've always been honked at. As far as I can tell - and the thumbs up is not an obscenity in the countries I've been to - honking was always a sign of approval, even if most couldn't gauge what it was about. The positive spirit was always there. So far, my experience has been almost exclusively positive. Above all, I am glad to have seen through traveling how it is to live in other countries and how other people cope with their lives, so that I can also appreciate much more what we take for granted here in Austria. We have to be very careful with the privileges we find here. I think they are disappearing faster than we would like as a feel-good society.
Do I believe that "Skate the World" can change the world? I have no idea, but it changes my world, and I think a little bit the world of those I meet and interact with. The most important thing I've learned through sports: Go through the world with your eyes open. Be polite, but critical, because respect always has to be earned. Give what you have to achieve your goals, and always question the meaning of them. Sport has the power to change the world. I believe in it.
