This morning I made the mistake of glancing up at the sun-streaked, cloudness sky and instantly regretted not being in the mountains for rides down powerdy runs and sips of Ovomaltine in the sunshine. Fortunately, we live in the age of broadband internet access and Youtube, where vicarious experiences are just a mouse click away. If you have to go virtual, you might as well pick something extreme as well.

A friend of mine flies Cessnas around Switzerland in his free time and is close to acquiring his private pilot license. He tells me that it is beautiful up there, buzzing around the mountainous landscapes. I am inclined to believe him, especially when I see the uncontrolled smirk on his face when he spots a Cessna, Piper, or Mooney in the sky. Single-engine planes have their limits — apparently it is a big no-no to fly directly over the mountains, since engine failure would be catastrophic. Fighter pilots, on the other hand, have no qualms about low level flight over glaciers, peaks, and crags.