The Journey

I would never trade a day on the slopes for one behind the wheel. I am one of those people who yearns for the exhilaration of the cold wind in my face and the thrill of the mountain views. But I have to admit a secret delight in the journey.

I am not a petrolhead but have always enjoyed driving more than being driven (maybe it's a control thing) but there is something special about driving around such beautifully mountainous terrain. It's not just one thing but a whole collection.

What's around the next corner? Another stunning mountain view? A gnarly cliff face? A postcard-pretty Alpine village? This delight can be shared by everyone in the vehicle but the particular challenge of driving on narrow twisting snowy alpine roads is only there for the driver.

I am also fascinated how people have learnt to live with, and try to tame these wild environments. The bridges and tunnels they have built, the mountain passes, these are incredible feats of engineering and beautiful in their own way. Then there is the ugly but impressive mining, the challenging high altitude agriculture, the perfectly manicured vineyards, the traditional architecture that is a low tech solution to earthquake and avalanche riven lands. Each one a testament to local ingenuity and solutions only slightly different from those discovered thousands of miles away.

For me every trip into the mountains is one of discovery, not just of geography but of human ingenuity and other, more unconventional forms of beauty.