A single picture of Mt Kazbek was enough to set our hearts racing, our imagination free. Alone, the mountain rises imposingly above everything else, its summit crowning the East side of the Central Caucasus. Everybody’s eyes are inevitably drawn to its peak; it’s a majestic view. In plain sight yet so mysterious, Mt Kazbek stands there, fuelling dreams of possibility.
Tag: Travel
The Sound of Stones
Thoughts after my first attempt at an ultramarathon.
A lonely figure crossing the bare landscape, vertical being against the flat surroundings. The beam of its headlamp and a thin purple line on the horizon the only things contrasting against the dark sky, clouds charged with the energy of the upcoming summer storm.
Creando Memorias (Creating Memories)
There was no itinerary to follow as we woke up this morning. A crisp and fresh day awaited us as we stepped out of our tent; it was like seeing the horizon in high definition, perfectly outlined against the sky.
Breakfast was taken slowly, we were trying to retain every distant outline in our memories. And right there, in the middle of it all, Skiddaw. Covered in snow, tall and imposing, it stood out against the other mountains. Just like a perfectly framed picture, flanked by two smaller peaks, it defied us to get closer.
Guided by Yellow Diamonds Part 2
Lightning strikes my leg as my heel touches the ground again and I do not want to lift it, I do not want the storm to come back. But I have to keep moving and so, less than a second afterwards, I lift my leg and take another step, bringing that piercing pain back.
But then I look up and see the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif… And right next to me are these mighty mountains coated by little boulders. The small rocks slide down slowly, its movement only perceptible throughout the years. And I cannot help thinking that there is something more to it, that maybe the mountain reached greatness and then crumbled or perhaps it was slowly detaching itself from that coat of rocks, trying to reveal its true shape.
Guided by Yellow Diamonds Part 1
In the chilly, misty morning, as I make my way out of the tent, I discover I have gotten a new blister, this time on the bottom part of my little toe. Hour after hour I have walked for the past couple of days, putting one foot in front of the other – sometimes just matching the previous step. But this is not tedious, and there is something a little poetic about it; how every step takes me further, no matter what I do or how much time passes, I am always advancing. You just don’t walk backwards.
Finding Closure Above the Clouds
I did not learn of my grandad’s passing until three days after it had happened. It was my own fault I guess, setting off to remote places knowing he was not in the best condition. A mix of guilt and regret were the first things I felt; then came the sadness and the thought that I could have been there. I could have visited and seen him once more, but at the time the idea of going on a mad hike around Mont Blanc seemed far more exciting than spending a couple of days with my grandparents in Spain.
Down the Slope in the Vallée Blanche
I didn’t know nervous poos were a thing, but when I find myself at 3,842m of altitude about to climb down an extremely narrow ridge in ski boots, I realise how ignorant I have been.
The sun is still low on the horizon as we reach the summit of the Aiguille du Midi, painting the surrounding mountains a mix of orange, pink and yellow I have never seen before. The wind surges around us in a dance too quick to understand, creating a beautiful mess of snow wherever we look.