Reisebericht

Six friends with an ambitious goal: they want to be the first to ski the highest mountain in Azerbaijan - but with endless bureaucracy, lots of fresh snow and a mountain guide with no ski equipment, it doesn't seem like an easy task...

Ever since I visited Norway for the first time, this country has stayed with me. The sheer endless expanse and the feeling of freedom are the reason why I keep coming back. That's why I've been to Norway for the third time in two years - but the first time I visited Norway was in the summer ...

In the third part of Zach Paley's Norway spring blog, we take advantage of the great spring conditions in the famous Lyngen Alps to do lots of tours and big lines.

The second part of Zach Paley's Norwegian spring trilogy takes you across the border to the Swedish ski resort of Riksgransen, where Zach claims to have only used mechanized lifts there....

Huge mountains, vodka, chai and a German-Swiss connection in search of foreign cultures, adventure and powder lines in Kyrgyzstan.

Step by step, it got better again and the gloomy rainy days of early February were quickly forgotten. A little fresh snow fell from time to time, albeit not in the usual quantities. In between, the weather was sunny and very warm for a short time - and with it came an increased risk of avalanches.

Before the big rain, I had a few more great days in the backcountry. Although I had to mount the skins a bit more than I would have liked, the compensation in the form of excellent descents was very okay.

The Georgians call their country "Sakartwelo" the land of the Kartvelians and derive their origins from the mythical progenitor Kartlos, who they believe was one of Noah's great-grandchildren. The Kartvelian tribes are considered to be the original inhabitants of the Caucasus, with their own script and language. Located on the border between Asia and Europe, Georgia is a mosaic of different cultures and religions. Important trade routes such as the Silk Road ran right through the middle of the country and brought Georgia into contact with the cultures of Egypt, Persia and Europe.

Fortunately, the journey is not always the destination. After all, 40+ hours of traveling in planes, trains and terminals can be quite exhausting in the long run. The only question that remains is, is it worth the effort to go powdering in faraway New Zealand in the European summer?

We stand in the immigration queue in front of a veiled customs officer and don't know what to expect. And there's something else that's making our foreheads sweat: Our guest gift is gurgling in one of the travel bags – and alcohol is banned under penalty of law in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Why didn't we think of this earlier? Images of stonings and floggings flash through my mind as I slowly make my way towards passport control. The customs officer gives me a friendly wink: "Welcome to Iran." That's it.

Travel information: Who, what, when, where¿?