[VIDEO] Halfway to Baghdad - An Iraqi Kurdistan Skiing Odyssey - SnowBrains

"What followed, was one of the most memorable trips of our lifetimes. Dodging minefields on the way to and from lines, having ridiculously good food every day, being absolutely blown away from the friendliness and hospitality of the locals, sleeping together on blankets the floor, and playing music every night with our hosts Reband and Mahdi, on instruments we'd never even heard of."

"This journey largely broke down the preconceived notions we had about a country we'd grown up thinking of as one of the most war torn, dangerous countries in the world, and shone a light of the struggles of the Kurdish people, who, despite achieving a 92.7% majority favouring independence in a 2017 referendum, and largely functioning as an independent state, is not recognized by any nation as a sovereign state."

Three friends traveled to Choman in Iraqi Kurdistan for a skiing trip on short notice, expecting minimal skiing quality but discovering spectacular mountains and reliable snow. Beyond the skiing, they encountered remarkable hospitality from locals, navigated minefields, enjoyed exceptional food, and shared cultural experiences including music with their hosts. The journey fundamentally shifted their perspective on Iraq, transforming it from a perceived war-torn danger zone into a place of genuine human connection. The trip highlighted the Kurdish people's complex political situation: despite a 92.7% independence referendum majority in 2017 and functioning as an autonomous region, Kurdistan remains unrecognized as a sovereign state by any nation.

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