For 3 years now I've been keeping improving the Staynomad.com User Experience around the idea of bridging Nomads and Sustainable Travelers Community with Social Commerce.

 So far we've been noticed by Social Entrepreneurship University and Associations, some courageous Brands that saw an interesting Niche to explore Crowdsourcing to Collect Business Intelligence and Insights into their Connected Audience.

 Still, developping an Interest in the Tourism Market have been extremely slow and difficult because the whole Industry is not yet ready for a Business Model Revolution.

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I just returned from a few days of Ice Climbing in Switzerland. A few amazing days I might add! Kandersteg, situated in an ending valley in Switzerland was transformed into a winter wonderland by snow and ice. With a bit of sunlight added I felt in paradise, even at minus 17 degrees.

But my friend Martin and I were there not just to admire the landscape and scenery. We had other plans. One thing Kandersteg does very well is provide the ideal playground for people who don't mind being cold while playing outdoors, pushing the envelop of their own  capabilities.
All we needed were two sets of crampons (pins on your feet), two sets of ice axes, a lot of warm clothing and a set of 60 meter ropes. And of course some amazing looking and slightly intimidating frozen waterfalls. Yes, you read it right the first time...waterfalls.

Unlike the lucky climbers in North America, with a maximum window of opportunity of two months a year Europeans have to try to make the best of the ice they can get. And so we did. We climbed like never before over icy art sculpted by Mother Nature, overcoming 90 degrees angles and securing ourselves with ice-screws we'd twist into the waterfalls that were frozen in time. It is hard to describe the sensation that comes from standing on your tippy toes at 100 meters above ground against a shear vertical cliff of ice with only two narrow tipped ice axes to hold on to for a sense of security. The only way to know is by ice climbing for yourself.

I realize ice climbing isn't for everyone. It's too cold, too scary, too hard on the physical and mental capacities of your body or it simply takes too long to get to the place where you can actually climb. But believe you me, there;s nothing like the thrill you get from overcoming the obstacles you take on! Wow! I will not soon forget the amazing time I spent ice climbing in the Swiss Alps.

For all of you having trouble picturing what I mean above, check out this link for some photos of this adventure:
http://www.staynomad.com/index.php?option=com_community&view=photos&task=album&albumid=146&userid=70&Itemid=57