Last time around the Olympic Winter Games were held on home turf - Vancouver2010! The sheer excitement of sport with everything on the line and the world's eyes cast upon it all was exhilarating. It was there that I vowed to follow up at the next games; to see just what it would be like with someone else playing host. Four years less a month later I'm on the verge of embarking on that trip, true to my resolution (ahem Jon).
And while I'm at it, since I've got to trek all the way to the rich Russian summer resort town of Sochi, I figured I would make a journey of it. First to ease into Russia I'll need to tour the Kremlin, then following the games I'll make my escape overland (and over water) to the motherland - or at least my grandparent's motherland (on my father's side) to Ukraine. Circling the Black Sea should see me touching Moldova on my way to sliding through Romanian and Bulgarian on a snowboard trip, seeing as my original option to pass the winter, Egypt, isn't exactly politically accessible at the moment. From here it is a country that has quickly shot up my lengthy "To-See" list so I'll be going slowly through Turkey, surely seeing the wonder of Cappadocia. Then it's Greek island hopping to the mainland for some history. I've got a commitment to a number of Croatian brown bears so I'll be zipping up the coast to meet them via Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro (let you know what those are about when I figure them out!) Finally once I hug a bear goodbye my sister, Katherine, should be joining me for three weeks of hiking and history, ferries and food, as we run down the Croatian coast and over to Italy. All this (presumably) brings me back 'round these parts in June - hopefully with a gold medal around my neck... or at least a picture of me with one.
The journey begins February 9th so mark your calendars, bookmark your browsers.. Stefan Spies again!
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