My guest today is Zebulon Roche, an accomplished mountaineer or alpinist, big mountain climber, and paragliding pilot. I could have spoken to Zeb for hours, normally I like to ask each guest about some local knowledge, favourite places to fly or ski, local restaurants, places to visit etc But time was getting away. I had only scratched the surface of some of the questions I had prepared. So I hope Zeb will let me interview him again to learn more about what he likes about his home. Zeb talks passionately about being in the moment and being present when he is in the mountains. I am trying to do the same when I interview my guest. I am trying to become a better listener and go off script when we are talking rather than simply tick off my questions. So you’ll hear when Zeb's mum enters the kitchen, I’ve left this in. As Zeb talks about, you can not control the mountains, you have to be flexible and to read the signs, the conditions and for him, he has to read and feel the wind. Zeb is always doing something, always moving, always trying to make time to fly. It could be flying his paraglide, ultralight helicopter or ultralight plane. But it could also be flying over the snow on his skis, kitesurfing or his new toy a hydrofoil. He is forever chasing that feeling, the rush of flying. With the support, influence and guidance of his father. Zeb has started climbing and flying from a young age. At 11 he climbed Mont Blanc and started flying. At 17 he climbed Mount Everest with his father. Then with his ex-wife set to target to climb and fly off the highest peaks on the 7 continents of the world. Now he is enjoying the same things with his own sons, who are both top-level mountain athletes in paragliding and freestyle skiing. He is also still looking to take on new challenges and adventure in Pakistan or returning to Nepal to climb and fly. The mountains teach you to make decisions, to live with your decision, and make you take responsibility for yourself, to choose the direction your life goes, this is a great lesson that Zeb shares with us and something we can all follow. Hello friends, I am your host ASHLEY PETTIT welcome to another episode of Beyond the mountains podcast where I talk to people who LIVE WORK AND PLAY in the mountains. Let's start the intro music and get on with the show. Allons-y