So STM decided to stick out the quiet and peaceful Joburg until all of you animals started returning – now it’s our turn!

First a small hop to Dubai on the new A380 Business Class (don’t worry we know we’ve let you down but next trip will be First I promise) but still I fear a few glasses of Champaz at the bar are necessary to kick off the holiday (yes there is an on-board bar)!

Then I think there shall be an important focus on TV, movies and perhaps the needed few hours of work!

Finally after a sleep in the hotel in Dubai and a leg to Zurich its time to hit the majestic KULM hotel . . .

For a bit of a relax . . . .

Some superb dining . . .

And most importantly to behave like absolute animals on the slopes!

Don’t worry though, I may decide to write something or other, but if I do just know that I will be lying on a deck chair overlooking the crisp white mountain with some kind of vodka concoction in hand in the middle of this!

Don’t HATE – its just not nice

STM needed a little fun in the sun to relax and revitalize before the summer rush – so . . .

If you wanna come visit for a bit - HERE YOU GO!

STM has to do a little business in Shanghai this week so we thought we would give you a little taste of what most people think is purely high-rise madness!

Now if you are a frequent hotel stayer like me you will know if you are a big hotel kinda person or a boutique hotel kinda person. The truth is I have spent so much time in hotels that I can pretty describe my ideal hotel room down to the tap fittings! So without giving you too much detail I’m a big hotel kinda person with the style, class and attention of a boutique hotel . . . enter the world class PULI HOTEL (a boutique hotel with like 300 rooms! Paradise!)

Just look out the window of this net pic and tell me if this looks like a concrete, dull, grey world?

And if you think its just the hotels . . .

If you think you’re important, perhaps you should think again…

I’m not entirely sure what my view on this is. While by default we’re the most significant things in our own reality, and while we have the ability to be hugely influential in the lives of those around us, our communities, countries or even the planet, in the bigger scheme of things what does this actually mean?

SO STM is out of office for the rest if the week (yes i know it’s nothing new except for the lineup)

We are hitting THE CONSUMER GOODS GLOBAL FORUM for a few days in Barcelona.

Now I was relatively unexcited until I saw, firstly the hotel (which after the last time I was there, in the W, will be hard to beat) and second and more importantly the lineup of speakers!
First the sensational HOTEL ARTS . . .

Then, far more impressive is the list of speaks – heres just a snapshot . . .

- Guida BARILLA – Chairman of the Barilla Group (fun, no?)

- Amir KAssaei - Chief Creative Officer DDB WORLDWIDE (getting interested yet?)

- Nobu Matsuhisa – You may know him better as the founder of legendary restaurants NOBU

- Indra Nooyi – Chairman & CEO Pepsico (told you it was star studded)

- Muhtar Kent – Chairman & CEO of Coca Cola Global (cause Pepsi and Coke cant be without each other)

- Franck Riboud - Chairman & CEO of Danone global

Thats just a snippet of the lineup – HERE’S THE FULL SHOW!

Finally just to add insult to injury end off the week with a little lunch on Lake Zurich (without doubt one of my best places in the world) . . .

. . . and then a little coffee at SPRUNGLI and a shop on the BAHNHOFSTRASSE – anyone want anything?

The snow was good but we decided to hit a city we hadnt seen before so ISTANBUL was the place!

Now if you are visiting a city, any city, and their is a W hotel? You stay there! I learnt this very quickly in BARCELONA!

So this is where we are hanging out this week W ISTANBUL!

Tomorrow i have a distinctly unique and fairly foreign journey to undergo – im driving to the burg! Now the reason will or will not be made clear in the days to come (if i survive that is) but never the less it has brought me to a rather important point! That is who drives anymore – i mean with the beauty of air travel nowadays (NOT SAA THAT IS) why would you go anywhere by car? Now you may argue there is not exactly a plane to the Drankensburg – BUT – there is something else much more fun! Itll take you just under an hour to get there rather than the stupid driving 4-5 hours and lets be fair you will make an entrance designed for royalty (manoco royalty – they are cool – not british nonsense) so why be silly and drive your supercar all the way down – get aboard!

A special edition EC145 Mercedes-Benz Style helicopter designed by Mercedes and Eurocopter wasjust unveiled at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2010 in Geneva. The luxurious EC145 is equipped with comfortable seats made of exclusive materials coupled with sumptuous wood fittings for the floors and ceiling. The project, conceived by the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy, is the only helicopter in its class that can seat up to eight passengers. For the cabin layout, Mercedes-Benz opted for a modular approach inspired by its new R-Class crossover. All seats are mounted on rails and can be quickly and easily reconfigured or removed to make room for luggage including golf bags and bicycles (also designed by Mercedes, of course). There are also three multi-function boxes with features such as a cooler, cup holder, table, 15-inch monitor and DVD player.

FROM WHERE ELSE BUT LUXIST!

As you probably are very well aware we do hold drinking in quite high esteem her at STM and so i guess the pilgrimage to beer is OKTOBERFEST! STM has just decided that after seeing the pics of this years fiesta on BOSTON BIG PICTURE next year is our time to go! Real life is far too serious most of the time and if you can fly half way around the world to be surrounded by beer heaven – then why the fk not!

Anyone wants to be in we will be taking a touring party for five days and anyone alive will return with us – dont worry you have 360 odd days to prepare yourselves!

Via BOSTON BIG PICTURE

And for our die hard fans who thought somehow we had lost our other focus – heres one for you – GET READY FOR OKTOBERFEST 2011 – YOU GONNA NEED ALL THE PREP TIME YOU CAN GET!

Its seeing things like this that make me want to open my window and leap like a stock broker to the concrete floor below! The biggest problem is we could be chilling in a place like this unfortunately there seems to be no time – now dont get me wrong its not like im chained to an office desk all day in fact i get to run around the country every week BUT the fact that i do that means i cant be HERE theres NO TIME . . .

The idyllic island of Mauritius with its unspoiled beaches and azure waters offers a unique experience of European, African and Asian cultures. The Oberoi Mauritius on Turtle Bay captures the spirit of the island in a resort that combines its abundant natural beauty with refined luxury. The resort, which is nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Beachside Hotel, is located in 20 acres of beautiful sub-tropical gardens with a 600 meter oceanfront.

The resort offers a range of water sports and recreation like wind surfing, water skiing, diving and sailing. The Spa at the The Oberoi Mauritius is a sanctuary where guests find peace, harmony and a new sense of well-being. State of the art facilities include a beauty parlor, sauna, steam bath, gym and individual spa suites with private jacuzzis. Traditional Mauritian treatments are featured, using natural local oils and fruits star alongside conventional therapies; one example is the blissful coconut husk body brush, followed by a deep massage with freshly ground coconut.

The resort offers 71 rooms and suites, each featuring a romantic four-poster bed. Wooden slatted ceilings and wall-to-wall restful neutral tones contribute to a feeling of relaxed grandeur. The hotel Villas, each with its own lush gardens and dining gazebo, most of them overlooking a private swimming pool with, views of the sea make an exclusive and luxurious retreat for those seeking privacy.

Now a maximum of 18 partners can travel in luxury on-board a Hotelicopter. A giant Russian Mil V-12 helicopter totally customized to offer the same comfort as a 5-star hotel.
There are 18 double suites equipped with anti-noise, mini-bar, internet wireless, TV access… etc, etc… access to everything that can be defined as optimum service.

If you think you can’t get any better, how about baby-sitting, Yoga, hydro-massage, thermal treatment?

The Hotelicopter also has a full games room to entertain its passenger-guests.

This is very cool video which shows the preparation and launch of a space shuttle using time lapse photography. The result is 100 hrs of footage shown in just 4 minutes. Simply amazing.

Thanks Kyle

An e-mail is going around about a drug bust where they uncovered a SH!TLOAD of cash at the dealer’s house. Besides the fact that you could spend the rest of your life only getting affection from Bubba and that you may ruin some lives along the way (unless you’re just selling weed, which is actually a good deed – crazy rhyme that!), this is great business. You’ll notice I struggled to categorize this piece…

Random fact: Apparently $1m worth of $100 bills weighs 17kgs.

Thanks Garth

Kulula is set to take delivery of their second Boeing 737-800 with this one having a pretty unique paint scheme.

You should really have a closer look to see the detail. Click here and here.

SO STM from monday will officially be a group rather than a single!

As STM makes its way through a grueling and treacherous journey of the following

Hit the slopes!

Then onto a bit of . . .

Portugal!

And finally some . . .

bit o BARCA!

Yes yes someone has to do it

BUT more importantly STM will have a new and better spelling captain – take care out there and look after him!

Just as luxury resort group Six Senses was ahead of the curve with its sexy castaway fantasy resort in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi, Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket is a spa fantasy that lasts for days, even weeks, depending how long you want to stay. We only had four days but that was enough time to understand why this destination spa is so popular, it goes way beyond pampering. The experience starts as soon as you arrive of the private island of Naka Yai, just of the north-east coast of Phuket in Phang Nga Bay. There’s no lobby, no queues, just walk up the postcard perfect jetty and head straight for the spa for an extensive assessment.

GO SEE MORE PICS and THE ITINERARY?

GO SEE THE SIX SENSES WEBSITE?

(some more seriously cool holiday / hideaway destinations)