THE HELICOPTER CLAMBERS INTO THE sky and reveals the quiet dance of wild peaks. Sheer limestone walls, treasured by climbers, jut heavenward. Their faces now blush the gentlest pink in late sun, stretched skyward, immovable and solemn. I am elated as we rush past sights rich with memories and associations. The Marmolada mountain: site of the Dolomite’s last glacier and the name of the street on which I grew up. Passo Giau, the location of many epic battles in cycling’s Giro d’Italia. The green fields of Alta Badia, long my favourite valley in the Dolomites for adventure and gastronomy.
In a few days I will be scurrying through these mountainscapes on foot on the famous 150-kilometre Alta Via 1. This is the original high-level route through the Dolomites of northeastern Italy, one that spices its scenic feasts with historic and culinary treats.
Nevertheless, the thought brings a slight shudder. Even from the air, the verticality of the landscape is not smoothed. Jagged teeth of rock rear towards the helicopter, threatening to swallow it whole. I have opted to climb some of those teeth using via ferrata, ‘iron path’, a technique born in these mountains.
In blissful contrast, the valleys between seduce with gentle beauty. They are an invitation to the idyll of a sanctuary, enclosed by harsh walls of rock. There, my childhood self is still running barefoot in the grass and throwing snowballs on frosty winter mornings.
As a boy, I was a restless explorer. I have not shaken the habit entirely, but age has refined me. After returning to Earth, I check into Hotel Ciasa Salares in the village of San Cassiano. I rush to the sauna, to be enveloped in the light aroma of the wood. The aromatics on the hot stones open memory’s furthest reaches, the cold mountain water balances the smouldering heat, and the herbal tea has just the right notes. I am enveloped in nature.
Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av Action Asia.
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Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av Action Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Policing Paradise
Palau’s President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr has established his country in the vanguard of global efforts on ocean conservation, in particular with the 2015 designation of much of its territorial waters as a marine reserve and no-take zone. Policing this vast area though remains immensely challenging.
The Not-So-Silent World
Human activities may be emitting levels of noise that harm marine life.
Once Were Warriors
A visit to the 2018 World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan is a surreal trip to a time and place where martial skills matter.
The Secret Life Of Pangolins
PALAWAN – IT’S 1AM AND MOST PEOPLE are safely in their beds. Instead I’m deep in the jungles of Palawan with an international team of researchers and a squad of Philippine Marines, searching for pangolins, the most illegally trafficked mammals on Earth.
Feast Your Senses
The Alta Via 1 is the classic Dolomite trail, bringing the peaks within arm’s reach as you hike between homely refugios and historic war-time fortifications.
China's Olympians Show The Way
WITH 40 RIDERS FROM 12 COUNTRIES, THE KTA made its second visit to the Desaru Coast in Malaysia with its Asia Pacific Hydrofoil Tour Series , which welcomes amateur and professional riders a like . Chinese Youth Olympians Haoran Zhang and Jingle Chen took first places in the Men’s and Women’s classes, while Korean veteran Soon Ho Kwon was crowned champion in the Masters.
China's Masses Warming To Snow
TWO YEARS AGO, CHINA opened the world’s largest indoor ski slope with two black runs, a blue run, snow play area and beginner slopes all served by chairlifts and magic carpets. Interestingly, it choose to build this behemoth in Harbin, where real snow piles high every winter and temperatures plunge low enough to host the annual International Ice and Snow Festival.
A Quieter, Cleaner Everest In Store?
FOLLOWING RECORD deaths during the Everest climbing season earlier this year, Nepal’s government and the climbing community are suggesting a new list of preconditions for any summit attempt.
A Life List Of Adventure
There’s a first time for everything. But some firsts matter more: experiences that are life-altering, that change perspective, build confidence and teach you about all you can do and all you can be.
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
Virtual Reality As A Travel Sales Tool
